10 Unique Suggestions for Landscaping with Pavers

pavers close up
Landscaping with pavers is an excellent idea if you want to combine a practical aspect with a great look in your backyard. The best part about it is that you can use your creativity and make up beautiful designs. Today we are going to look at a couple of tips and tricks on using pavers in your backyard, and then we will show you some unique suggestions for landscaping with pavers.

What are the Benefits of Using Bricks in Landscaping Instead of Pavers?

When it comes to landscaping with bricks, there are several benefits over using pavers. Bricks have a timeless and rustic appeal that enhances the overall aesthetic of a landscape. Additionally, they are highly durable and require minimal maintenance. Bricks also offer flexibility, allowing for various creative designs, and are eco-friendly as they are made from natural materials. All these advantages make landscaping with bricks a popular choice among homeowners and designers alike.

Landscaping with Pavers – Tips and Tricks

1. Are They Worth the Money?

Many landscapers aren’t sure if they should pay that much for landscaping with pavers. Indeed, the initial cost can be quite high compared to other options. However, one of the best advantages of this option is the fact that it’s very easy to install. Moreover, they require low maintenance and you can repair them just one paver at a time if you want.
Angled view of a beige alley made up of square pavers of different sizes, winding on the lawn
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2. Don’t Forget to Dig Deep

An important thing to remember about landscaping with pavers is to dig deep. First, you need to check with the local utilities to have them mark your cable, plumbing, or electrical lines. Then, dig below the roots of your plants, which is around 6 inches. If you live in an area with dry soil, water it the night before you dig. It will be easier for you to dig.

3. Use Landscaping Cloth

A landscaping cloth helps you make a barrier between the new base of sand and the old soil. This is very important for keeping weeds or other plants from growing under your patio.

4. Pack in the Paver Base

With the help of a tamper or a wacker plate compactor, you should pack in the sand or the paver base. A smooth and level base is essential before laying the pavers. If you add any extra material after that, remember to pack it as well.
Front shot at an angle of a walkway made of pavers with green grass growing in between and around them
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5. Allow for Drainage

Indeed, when landscaping with pavers it’s important to make sure the patio pavers are level, but at the same time, it needs to have a slope. The slope’s role is to direct water from the house’s foundation to an area that is already a drainage one or can handle some extra water. Ideally, the elevation should be a quarter inch drop every two feet.

6. Secure the Edges

In time, it’s important to try and minimize the movement of your pavers. As such, make sure you plan for a solid edge with extra pavers. Alternatively, you can add a cement lip, or use vinyl or metal for edging. This will also help with minimizing any weeds.

7. Vary the Colors

Using the same color for all the pavers will create a patchwork appearance, which is not that attractive. Instead, try to blend together different shades for a more natural look.
View of a red ground made of pavers, surrounded by grass and colorful trees
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8. Cut Them Perfectly

If you’re planning to create a certain pattern of your own with the pavers, make sure they are perfectly cut. They should fit together perfectly, so think about it beforehand.

9. Fill up the Cracks

Set all the pavers in place, then apply sand over and in between them. Fill up the cracks with as much sand as you can. This step helps them stay in place. Moreover, they allow for a good drainage and keep weeds at bay.

10. Have Some Extra Pavers

When you’re buying pavers, make sure you have some extra ones. You never know when you’ll need to repair the ones you used in your backyard or when they’ll discontinue a certain model.
Close up of some sliding pavers heading towards a patch of grass
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Landscaping with Pavers – Design Suggestions

Now that you know a thing or two about landscaping with pavers, it’s time to have a look at some design ideas. How can you integrate pavers in your landscaping design? Check out these original ideas.

1. Place them around a Fountain

If you happen to have a fountain in your backyard, it’s a good idea to fill the space around it with pavers. Add a personal touch and get some that are slightly colored for a more interesting effect. Combine various sizes to make it look more natural. Just as we mentioned above, if you decide to cut them differently, make sure they fit in together.

2. Blocks of Stone

Another original idea if you want to have a unique design of your patio or backyard is to go for huge pavers. Use blocks of stone and create a pathway out of them. The monolithic stones will make a great combination with stone dust set around them. If you think this idea is too harsh, you can try adding some colorful flowers or some greenery around it.
Small space with red soil and grey round pavers placed randomly on it, surrounded by green bushes
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3. Use them to Connect Areas

Get some inspiration for landscaping with pavers and use this idea of connecting different areas through them. For example, if you want to include a unifying element all over your outdoor space, choose the same paver pattern. Our suggestion is to use Belgard pavers that have a cobblestone effect and connect your pool deck to the bar and the fire pit, for instance.

4. Combine them with Bricks

When landscaping with pavers, you don’t need to exclude bricks from your arrangement. Try to mix some stone pavers with them. For example, if you have a bunch of stairs, you can use bricks on them, and leave stone pavers only on the upper side of the steps. The gray shade will contrast nicely with the reddish hue of the bricks. Moreover, you can complete the design by adding pavers in other parts of the patio as well, for a homogeneous look.
A round focal point with a spiral pattern made of gray and white pavers, surrounded by green bushes and flowers
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5. Circular Design

One of the most appreciated advantages of pavers is the fact that they are versatile. You can play around with their shape, colors, anything. As such, you can let your imagination take control and create a round shape. Circular designs can suit a huge array of patios and backyards, so there should be no problem in integrating it. Set it around a fire pit, a fountain or a round pool, for instance. Our suggestion would be to use pavers made of recycled granite in this case. Of course, you can use other shapes as well, if you want to, such as a hexagon, diamond, etc.

6. Party Patio

Just like we were saying earlier, pavers are great for unifying different areas. If you’re hosting parties often at your place, you might want to consider having a party patio with pavers. The entire area should encircle the barbecue, fire pit, pool, bar, etc. Choose different colors if you want to have a more creative outdoor space. Optionally, you can also add a modular block wall that frames the pavers area.

7. Creating a Focal Point

If you’re previously arranged a patio, then you must know about the need of a focal point. The focal point can be a fountain, a fire pit, or simply an area where you place lounge chairs in a circle. Landscaping with pavers is a great choice if you want to have a solid base around a fire pit, for example. They’re much safer than gravel in this case, plus they are less likely to crack in colder climates. However, it might be hard to clear ice and snow off it, so pay attention to that. Alternatively, you can also use some landscaping ideas with gravel if you want to include them all.
Close up of a ground with pavers set in a winding pattern, alternating between white and gray, with stone walls and stairs in the background
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8. Pavers and Soil

One of our original ideas for landscaping with pavers is to quit placing them one next to another. Instead, place them here and there on the ground. A light color of the pavers would contrast nicely with the dark color of the ground, which is great. The downside here would be that they might get very dirty when it rains. If you’re bothered by this, you can replace the dirt with stone dust or sand.

9. Pavers and Grass

Yet another one of the winning combinations when it comes to including pavers in your patio design this year is combining them with grass. Just like in the previous example, you need to place the pavers a couple of inches apart. Then, use grass in between them. The final effect will be an exquisite one, combining different natural elements. If you want less maintenance, you can always opt for synthetic grass.

10. Black Stones

The last suggestion we have for landscaping with pavers is to include black stones in your design. They have an exquisite elegant look that complements the roughness of the pavers. You can either space out the pavers and place the black stones in between them, or you can set different areas for both. One option would be to create a walkway out of pavers and leave the rest of the space filled with the stones.
Winding pathway made of colored pavers, placed next to a larger gravel pathway, surrounded by green thick bushes with big boulders placed here and there
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Conclusion

To sum up, it’s a great idea to consider landscaping with pavers for your own outdoor space. Pay attention to the tips and tricks we gave above and make sure your pavers will last. Finally, consider the suggestions we included and see which one fits your style better. Naturally, if you already have a certain design incorporated in your patio, you need to choose some pavers that match it. Luckily, there are plenty of creative ideas for every taste and arrangement. From a glamorous look with black stones to a natural one with grass or a geometric aspect, you can test your creativity by including pavers in your design. Image source: 1  
2 comments
  1. I like how you mentioned that pavers require low maintenance and you can repair them if you want. My uncle mentioned to me last night that he is planning to have a stone paver installed in their yard and asked if I have any idea what is the best option to do. Thanks to this informative article and I’ll be sure to tell him that we can consult trusted stone paver installation services as they can answer all our inquiries and will provide good-quality service.

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