What's The Best Hardscape Material For Your Commercial Landscape?

Take a look around your commercial property with fresh eyes. Try to envision it as your tenants do, or as a client visiting for the first time would.

Ask yourself some questions:

Are your walkways clean and paved in a uniform pattern? Are there chips or dips on the pathways? Does the parking lot asphalt look fresh, and are tree roots pushing up any of the flat surfaces? Are your retaining walls sturdy, with clean lines and no loose pieces?

If the answer to any of those questions is no, then it’s time to consider an overhaul of your hardscaping. Sometimes it’s easy to focus more on landscaping and overlook hardscaping on a commercial property, but those pathways, sidewalks and other sturdy surfaces are just as important as the lush greenery and blooms that surround them.

A certified landscaping professional, such as those at GreenEarth Landscape Services, can walk you through the process of choosing hardscaping for your property, explaining the pros and cons of each material, and caring for it later.

Here are a few materials to consider for your property’s hardscaping needs.

Concrete

For an economical hardscaping material, look at concrete. It has a surprising amount of versatility. In addition to the grey slabs or squares that many come to expect, it’s possible to customize concrete with pigment to change the color, or to stain the top.

You can also score it or stamp patterns to create different designs when wet. Stamped concrete can add an upscale, refined look to a material that is traditionally less expensive than other materials.

Pavers And Bricks

For a unique look on walkways, consider using pavers. Pavers can be made from a variety of high quality hardscaping material, including natural looking stone or travertine with irregular shapes, or uniform blocks that can be placed in a variety of patterns.

Pavers come in materials ranging from brick, slate and limestone to manufactured stone and even rubber. Many manufacturers offer a range of sizes, colors and shapes in each line, to make customized patterns and edging possible. Pavers offer design freedom like no other material.

Permeable Pavers

If your commercial property is susceptible to puddles and pools from Florida’s heavy rains, consider using permeable pavers. These let water drain properly into the ground, either because of the paver’s porous material, or because of placement, where water flows between them. In this way, you don’t have to worry about pooled water after a storm, which not only looks bad but also can create liability and safety issues.

Some commercial property managers choose permeable pavers as a way to recirculate water through a closed system, which can make this a beautiful, sustainable choice for eco-minded commercial properties.

Coordinating Retaining Walls And Steps

When you consider what material to use for retaining walls and steps, you’ll want to coordinate it with the walkway material. It doesn’t have to match, and it can look quite striking if the materials are a different shape, color and style than the walkway.

You’ll find that retaining wall hardscaping material sometimes uses larger stones with flat tops. These retaining walls might enclose plants and trees, or border the lawn, which might be higher than the walkway. Adding retaining wall planters in parking lots is a great way to make the parking area more inviting.

It’s important that your steps are in optimal condition so your property’s visitors and tenants have safe passage. At GreenEarth, we can work with you to find the best material and design for your commercial property’s stairs.

Let Us Help You Choose

There are many options out there for hardscaping materials, and choosing among them — each choice more beautiful than the next — can be tough.

GreenEarth Landscape Services is happy to discuss hardscaping options, and working with you on your hardscaping and commercial landscaping needs. Give us a call at our Panama City Beach office at (850) 236-1959, or call our Santa Rosa Beach office at (850) 267-0010 to set up an appointment for us to come to your property to meet with you.

You can also fill out the online form on our website to schedule a consultation.