Every landscaping project, whether it’s for a residential or commercial property, is an exciting opportunity to revamp the area. Not only do these projects improve the appearance and curb appeal, but they also provide better functionality. The trick, of course, is deciding on a specific design of the area and the type of material that you would like to use. And, oh boy – there are so many choices available!
Many homeowners and business owners choose decorative gravel for their landscaping needs which is why it has become one of the most popular materials for a wide variety of projects. If you have an impending project coming up in the future, decorative gravel should definitely be on your list of possible materials. Today, we’re going to take a look at a few different project options, followed an 8-step process to introduce decorative gravel into your yard.
Paths and Walkways
Decorative gravel can be used in two different ways for paths and walkways. First, they can be used to establish an entire path for guests and/or customers to follow when they visit. Second, you can place them along an existing walkway to highlight the path and improve its appearance. If you choose to use decorative gravel to create an entire walkway, we would suggest the use of smaller stones, as they’re more comfortable to walk on.
Driveways
It has become quite popular over the past several years to use decorative gravel in a home’s driveway. Since your driveway is such a prevalent fixture, doing so will really add to the attractive quality of your overall landscape. They are also very functional, affordable, and low-maintenance. This project will require a large amount of gravel in most instances, so be sure to consult with a supplier, if needed.
Play Areas
Sand is out… and decorative gravel is in! That is the basic consensus of many homeowners around the country. Sand is messy and is often tracked into the home, gets in kids’ hair, and acts as a poor sanitary option. None of this is a problem with decorative gravel, which makes it a fantastic alternative for your children’s play area. And, as usual, it looks so much better, too.
Flower Beds
There’s no better compliment to a grouping of beautiful flowers than decorative gravel. The colorful nature of gravel, in addition to its temperature and moisture control capabilities, makes this a perfect choice for your flower beds. There is a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors to choose from, which means that you can design your flower bed any way you’d like.
Water Features
Decorative gravel is an extremely popular fixture with fountains, streams, waterfalls, and other water-based structures within your landscape. The attractive look of gravel will both enhance a water feature’s overall appearance while also drawing a person’s attention toward the feature in the first place. Mexican beach pebbles are especially popular with this specific option because they change to a black or onyx color when exposed to water.
Lawn Replacement
Regular upkeep of your lawn can be very time-consuming and exhausting for many homeowners and business owners. For those who pay others for upkeep, it can become quite expensive. Replacing the lawn with decorative gravel will allow you to avoid the hassle of cutting the grass, watering the lawn, etc. Plus, this will improve your curb appeal because it will look so much better than before.
Mulch Replacement
Millions of homeowners and business owners have been using mulch in their yard for many years, but decorative gravel provides an excellent alternative. In addition to its moisture and temperature control capabilities, gravel won’t decay or deteriorate like mulch does, which means you won’t have to replace it out.
Edge of Above Ground Pool
If you have a pool at your home that’s above ground, you can use decorative gravel around its edge. This creates a gorgeous lining that will immediately improve the pool’s overall appearance and provide a better walkway around the edge, if needed. Plus, it won’t cost you much at all.
How to Prepare Your Yard for Decorative Gravel
Before you begin your next landscaping project, it’s important that you properly prepare the area for the installation of decorative gravel. There are a few variances involved depending on the specific type of project (such as a small flower bed), but here is a quick 8-step process you can use to introduce decorative gravel into your yard:
- Measure the area to be covered and calculate how much you will need for the project.
- Remove all vegetation from the space where you’ll be spreading the decorative gravel, including regular grass, plants, and weeds.
- Don’t forget to also remove plants that you want to keep, and then set them aside to later be re-introduced to the area.
- Improve the top layer of soil by digging over the ground once or twice.
- Smooth out the surface to remove any lumps or bumps by raking over the area.
- You may want to add coarse sand to the area to prevent drainage, but keep in mind that decorative gravel serves this function as well.
- Separate areas to be left untouched by digging small borders (typically four inches wide and two inches deep).
- Lay landscape fabric and/or a weed membrane over the area, and then secure it in place with staples or large rocks/stones.
Where to Find Decorative Gravel in NJ
Decorative gravel is a fantastic way to make your next project really stand out. Once you’ve decided that this is the material for you, finding a supplier is the next step. The skilled and knowledgeable experts at Braen Supply can help make your next project a success by providing you with information about which materials would work best, how to use those materials, and answer any other questions you may have. All of our landscaping materials are competitively priced and can either be picked up at our New Jersey location or shipped directly in bulk to many areas throughout parts of NJ, NY, CT, and PA.
