pavers

Design Trends: Indoor-Outdoor tiles

With the line between indoors and outdoors so fuzzy, the demand for high-design tile that can go outside is more than ever before. That’s because tile delivers unmatched durability. It’s resistant to moisture, mold, lichen, and moss. The bugs leave it alone for the most part. And it’s resistant to UV damage.

On top of that, you can get it in wood and stone looks that invite the luxury of the indoor space to your outdoor party! Wood-look plank tile suitable for the outdoors are especially trendy. It stands up to extreme temperatures and won’t crack in dry climates or rot in wet climates like wood decking might.

New age porcelain pavers are large, stylish, and durable—you could even put them on the driveway if you wanted to. The beauty of these pavers is that they can be used in so many ways. They can be placed in gravel, grass, or sand like traditional pavers.

At Patagonia Building Supplies we have partnered with Belgard Hardscapes to introduce a beautiful and affordable line of Porcelain Pavers. To see their unique selection visit: http://www.belgard.com/products/porcelain_pavers

These pavers come in authentic stone looks for an upscale element in your design. Watch for more design options available in pavers very soon, such as wood-look and upscale concrete looks.

The biggest trend in indoor/outdoor tile products in 2017 will be 2cm pavers. This is about twice the thickness of regular tile. These large, thick pavers already come in several stone-looks and keep your eyes open for more option coming on the market soon. Wood, stone, and sophisticated cement interpretations will be popular in the kitchen and moving out onto the patio. This can be installed directly on gravel, sand, or dirt.

A big advantage of these 20mm thick porcelain stoneware is driving another new trend within the outdoor market. These thick tiles can be laid on grass, gravel and sand using either dry installation (no mortar) or in the traditional way with mortar.

These gorgeous ceramic tiles are designed with ‘warm’ wood like patterns and ‘colder’ modern stone motifs, which is great for decorating. But their technical performance is what’s really amazing. They are non-absorbent so they won’t stain, and when exposed to sunlight, they won’t alter in color over time. They are resistant to frost and thermal shock, mold, stains and salt. They are very easy to clean and are non-slip, even when wet. In addition, special trims are available for pool edges and drainage grids.

All of the above makes these super strong and decorative tiles perfect for garden paths, walkways, summer terraces, driveways, patios, poolside, and any exterior floor application in general and for outdoor spaces with heavy traffic in particular.

Landscaping Trends: Permeable Pavers

An excellent option for homeowners concerned with sustainability and water conservation are permeable pavers. Permeable pavers allow water to pass through small openings and re-enter the ground water. There are a variety of permeable materials that offer the best of both worlds: a porous patio or driveway surface that is also very attractive.

Permeable Paver Benefits:

Manage storm-water
Prevent runoff and pollution
Replenish the groundwater supply
Many unique permeable design options

Permeable paving is not a new concept – hundreds, possibly even thousands of years ago, people were making roads and paths by setting stones in sand. Many of these ancient creations have survived to present day, proving that permeable pavements are strong and durable. However, during the 20th Century’s rapid development impervious pavements became the norm.

With the recent push towards sustainability and the concern over the water supply eco-minded people have begun to challenge this norm. Many homeowners are looking to create sustainable landscapes and permeable paving helps achieve that goal. In fact as an incentive, many cities, especially here in California, are offering sustainable landscaping rebates. As we hear about water shortages and increased levels of pollution, the benefits of installing a patio, path or driveway that allows rainwater to filter through to the earth below are very appealing.

Paving stones are very popular landscaping elements. They are versatile and can be used in almost any outdoor setting. You can choose between stone, brick and concrete pavers and they all are strong and durable too.

Today, people are becoming very environment conscious and when they get any home improvement or landscaping work done; they look for environment friendly solutions that will also benefit their landscaping. In this respect permeable pavers are an excellent option.

What Are They?

They are made from a mix of sustainable building materials
They have a base & a sub-base, both of which allow runoff water to seep through into the ground underneath
When you use only normal pavers or have concrete outdoor flooring, the water is unable to seep through and it just gets diverted towards the storm water drains which is nothing but a waste of water
Contrastingly, this porous paving permits rain water and the water that you hose onto it, into the ground
This helps replenish the levels of ground water
These paving stones also filter the dust and pollutants from the water and there is no contamination of the groundwater
Today, these installations are becoming popular on residential and commercial properties

Who do we sell?

Every major paver manufacturer makes a line of permeable pavers. We work with:

Different Types of Plants and Ground Cover

When choosing the right ground cover to use around pavers or flagstone, you want them to meet a few criteria:

Look for plants that are tough so you don’t have to tiptoe around them.
Choose short plants that won’t obstruct your path, and plants that are suited to the area’s light exposure (is the area sunny or shady).
Find plants that spread to fill the space around them make growing plants between pavers easier.

And living in California, drought is also a major concern. However, it’s very possible to grow a gorgeous, water-wise garden. You can find drought tolerant plants for nearly any situation, including heat-loving ground cover plants and ground covers that withstand drought.

The best drought tolerant ground covers share several common characteristics. For example, drought-tolerant plants often have small or narrow leaves with a smaller surface area and reduced moisture loss. Similarly, plants with leaves that are waxy, curled or deeply veined retain moisture. Many drought tolerant plants are covered with fine grey or white hairs, which help the plant reflect heat.

Here are a few great options:

Irish Moss: Irish moss adds soft, spongy texture to paths in shady areas. Only a couple of inches tall, it doesn’t create an obstruction. It’s usually sold in flats like sod. Just cut it to fit and lay it where you want it to grow. It is sometimes sold as Scottish moss.

Creeping Thyme: .Creeping Thyme grows only an inch or two tall, and you’ll enjoy its pleasant fragrance. You can plant it in the sun, where it grows flat, or in the shade where it forms little hills. It bounces back after short periods of dry weather, but you’ll need to water it if the dry weather lasts very long.

Baby’s Tears: Baby’s tears is another selection for shady locations. They are often sold as houseplants, but they also make wonderful little plants to grow within pavers. It isn’t for everyone because it only grows in USDA zones 9 and warmer. The pretty foliage forms mounds about 5 inches tall.

Blue Star Creeper: Creepers are perfect as a lawn substitute, excellent between stepping stones, under roses, around ponds, patios and decks. Isotoma fluviatilis is a show stopper in a topiary and is amazing over flower bulbs. Super easy to grow and can bloom spring through summer if conditions are right.

Creeping Sedum: Sedums do their best in lean soils and not much water – because in those conditions the weeds DON’T do well. In other words, in the world of groundcovers it’s all about the competition – can a plant out-compete the weeds or not? So first, making your site inhospitable to weeds before planting gives sedums greatly reduces the long-term maintenance from then on (less weeding).