Hardscape Hints - FOCUS: Landscape Installation

POINTERS FROM THE PROS. When working with hardscapes, planning and organization is paramount, advised Doug Young, landscape department manager, Professional Grounds, Lorton, Va. “You can’t wing a hardscape installation,” he pointed out. “In any project, planning and organization is extremely important, especially when you’re trying to organize a lot of different elements.”

In addition, John Pasour, production manager, Greenscape, Holly Springs, N.C., suggested ordering materials well in advance, when possible. Two weeks ahead of a project is generally ideal, he said, adding that materials such as stamped concrete are the most popular hardscape elements with his customers these days. With a range of patterns and colors, this is readily customizable and has a polished look, Pasour described.

Contractors should also work with several suppliers to ensure they can find the materials they need. When faced with last-minute requests to match an existing stone wall with new stones, for example, having these relationships in place is vital, Pasour advised. “You always have to have two or three different options.”

He added that his North Carolina location serves him well: most of his materials - such as bricks or clay pavers - come from in-state suppliers.

Young advised customizing equipment as much as possible, to ensure efficient and effective installation. “We’ve customized forks on a mini skid steer to carry pavers,” he said, offering a suggestion on how to streamline the hardscape installation process.

Young added that his company has found wet cutting saws to be the most useful in working with materials. “I’ve noticed a lot of contractors using cut-off or dry saws,” he said. “Wet saws are faster, easier and more productive. They’re also more durable - the blade will last longer.”

Knowing when to bring in a subcontractor is another trick to successfully working with hardscapes. Subbing out this highly specialized work can be a smart move for busy contractors, pointed out John Donahue, vice president of construction, Landscape Concepts, Grayslake, Ill. “Everybody has specialties,” he noted, adding that subcontractors can be less hung up on time concerns than contractors, which often makes for better hardscape installations. “When you get to things like decorative paver walks, subs can often do it in a cheaper and more artistic manner.”

CHALLENGES TO CONSIDER. As with any installation issue, working with hardscapes presents its own distinct set of difficulties. With wall construction (see Working With Walls below), a common mistake is using inappropriate materials, such as blocks that are too small or too light, Donahue pointed out. Not reinforcing materials into the subgrade can be a lethal error, he added. “Putting blocks on top of blocks without following design parameters is just asking for trouble,” he noted. “Walls should be engineered, with a level base, proper drainage and pressure.”

“Without a good foundation, anything is going to fail,” Pasour added.

Aesthetic issues are always a challenge as well. After all, with hardscapes, customers pay a premium for the privilege of making their landscapes more attractive. A common mistake in walls, for example, is not stepping them down properly, Donahue described. “Make sure to set the wall so it steps down in a gradual fashion,” he said. “Otherwise, it looks too abrupt and sloppy.”

Pasour agreed. One of the biggest challenges is dealing with changes in elevation and getting crews to properly terrace or put step downs in walls or patio landings, he pointed out. “You want stone walls to look random,” he said.

One of Professional Grounds’ biggest hardscape issues is working within the parameters of local building codes, which often come into play when the company is installing a timber retaining wall, for example, according to Young. “Making sure we’re up to speed with construction standards, managing projects around inspections, utility markings - that’s typically the thing that’s the most challenging,” he related.