Tips For A Successful Landscape Rock Project
Gravel, stone slabs, rock, and other stone products are great for creating beautiful and stable areas with good drainage with natural characteristics for your yard. The following article outlines gravel and rock ordering and installation recommendations to help your outdoor project be a success.
Prepare Your Yard
When you are planning to add gravel or another type of landscape rock to your yard, you will need to take some steps to make sure it is ready for a proper installation. If you are planning to install a gravel pathway or parking site, make sure to remove some of the soil from the area, to allow room for your gravel layers to sit upon the area, and remove debris and vegetation growth that will crowd out your gravel. You cannot install several inches of gravel over an area that has not been excavated because your gravel will end up too high in profile and will scatter over the yard. By excavating the soil, you will also create natural edges to keep the gravel in place and prevent scattering into surrounding areas.
However, it is also a good idea to install an edging material around the gravel installation site, which you can do with stone blocks, metal edging, concrete curbing, or brick pavers. These edging materials should be set into the soil as well so they stay in place. Otherwise, over time, the edging materials can become displaced and disturbed from heavy foot and vehicle traffic, freeze-thaw to the soil, and root growth displacement.
Order the Rock
When you are planning to work with gravel or rock in your landscaping, you need to determine the exact type of rock that would work best for the space. You want to gravel or rock to create a stable surface for a gravel driveway or walkway, or a good drainage area for a swale or mulch covering, as examples. So, you don't want to order pea gravel for a gravel driveway because you won't get the same type of compaction of the rock that you would with a crushed or angular gravel rock. Then, if you are planning a flagstone walkway, look for a stone that is flat and large enough to provide the surface area you want.
You can order rock and stone products from a local landscaping supplier, or you can buy these products from a home and garden retailer. The benefit of working with a landscape supply company is their ability to deliver the order to your property. Otherwise, if you buy bagged rock from a home and garden store, you will need to pick it up and transport it to your home with a truck or your own vehicle. A landscape supplier will deliver the product to you and deposit it on your property for it to be installed later.
For more information about landscape stone delivery, contact a local supplier that offers this service.