Love Landscaping? Here's What Materials Are Used in Landscaping!
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Many of us would like to have a better looking or more functional lawn or backyard. People often hire landscapers to do this job since they’re able to offer planning, skilled labor, and materials that are needed for big projects. However, there are some people who are perfectly happy to work on their yards on their own, especially when working on smaller projects improvements or implementing them in phases over time.
Are you one of these DIY enthusiasts?
Before you can get started, you need to know what landscaping materials are needed to get the job done. Continue reading and we’ll walk you through some of the basic materials used in landscaping, as well as some handy calculators to help you determine amounts of material you’ll need.
Fertilizer and Soil
People are always surprised when they find out just how much dirt they need to complete a project.
Your current soil may need new nutrients and be mixed or replaced with fertilizer and soil in order for your plants to thrive. You may be working with clay or some other unusable soil and will thus have to replace it.
You’ll nearly always need additional topsoil when you’re adding raised flower beds. Here is a handy topsoil calculator to figure out how much you’ll need.
Quality Mulch
There are several reasons as to why mulch makes for great groundcover. First, it’s able to trap moisture under the layer. This means that plants can be watered less frequently.
Also, the layer doesn’t encourage weed growth. And as time and water affect the mulch, the nutrients from the mulch will move into the soil.
Along with providing help for your plants’ health, high-quality mulch makes your landscape look great! This is a very popular finishing touch for any garden project.
Click here for a mulch calculator to see how much mulch you’ll need to buy.
Decorative Landscape Gravel
Along with mulch, landscape gravel can also help retain moisture for your plants. In addition, it helps water drain better from your garden or landscaping space. Like mulch, gravels can add nice color and texture to the overall look and design of your landscape.
Need to know how to calculate how much gravel you’ll need? Check out this easy gravel calculator.
Natural Stone, Bricks and Pavers
Nothing makes a yard pop like a patio or stone path. Stone, bricks, and pavers are able to offer a more flexible alternative to concrete. Pavers and bricks generally take less time to install than natural stone.
You can usually purchase these items by the pallet. Both of these types of stonework come in wide ranges of sizes, shapes, and colors.
Before you install them, make sure that the ground is both level and compact.
For the best installation, you’ll want to dig down a few inches in order to place a layer of sand or fine gravel.
Sand
When you’re making a path, walkway, or stone floor out of bricks and pavers, and especially when you’re using unworked stone, it’s important that you plan to use sand. For small jobs, you can usually purchase a few bags for your project. You’ll want to use sand to make sure that you can keep the stonework level. It will act as a buffer, it’s good for drainage, and it will allow you to reposition the stone more easily.
After installation, you will want to pour more sand or small gravel between the bricks or pavers in order to prevent them from moving around and to add a more finished look.
Know the Materials Used in Landscaping and Get Your Hands Dirty!
Landscaping is a fun activity that provides both aesthetic and functional benefits. And by knowing what materials are used, you can be better prepared and make more informed decisions about how to manage your lawn or backyard.
Are you looking for high-quality landscaping supplies for your next project? If so, contact us today and let us know about your project.
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