If you're updating your landscape design, you have plenty of options for both vertical and horizontal additions. If you’re building a path or a patio, garden pavers are one of the simplest and most effective materials you can use. For vertical structures like retaining walls, you’ll work with brick and concrete wall block options. Regardless of the structure you intend to build, these materials are durable, easy to install, and stylistically versatile. To make sure you have the right materials for the job, consider these factors.

How to Pick Pavers for Landscape Design

Many pavers are made from simple concrete, but other options include brick, natural stone, and even wood. In addition to affecting the look of the finished product, the material you choose also determines their permeability, which can affect the way that water runoff is distributed in your yard. You can choose from a wide range of color options, including simple gray concrete and red brick, as well as both natural and imitation stone. Dyes and colored concrete extend the selection, letting you match any home and landscape design.

Simple square or rectangular pavers are often used to create basic floors or walls. However, you can also purchase pavers in radiating shapes; these let you create circular patios, cobblestone patterns, and interlocking shapes that increase durability. Smaller pavers are lighter and easier to work around corners or over uneven ground. Larger pavers create a smoother, more stable surface, and are harder to move once they've been set in place. When choosing textured blocks, you should take aesthetic and practical concerns into account. Some options have a glossy finish, which can look attractive in your yard; however, if you want a surface that's easy to walk on and won't get slippery when wet, a rougher textured finish is more appropriate.

How to Choose Retaining Wall Materials

Retaining walls can be made from traditional bricks, natural stone, flat-faced concrete wall blocks, molded wall blocks (which imitate a wide range of materials), or wood. The color and size options for these components are similar to those available for pavers. However, they differ in one key regard: wall blocks need to be stable when stacked on top of one another. As a result, they’re manufactured with proportions that make it easier to build upwards. Since these walls don’t need to accommodate foot traffic (unlike pavers), you’re free to use smooth, glossy finishes. Some retaining wall blocks are designed to be stable without being cemented together, while others require mortar to hold them in place.

For materials to create your landscape design, choose Weckesser Brick Co. in Rochester, NY. Serving Monroe County, these professionals have over 85 years of experience helping you find the perfect materials for the job, as well as putting you in touch with skilled contractors for the installation. To get started, call (585) 247-1100. Learn more about their selection of products online.