A concrete pathway is a useful installation. The material is durable and easy to maintain. What’s more, whether you choose pavers or poured concrete, the pathway will be relatively easy to install. However, concrete is a highly adaptable material, so it’s also easy to customize your pathway. Below are five ways to design an unusual concrete garden pathway.
Concrete Stepping Stones and Grass
Man-made concrete can make a stark contrast with organic materials such as grass. You can use that fact with purpose. Start with a set of geometric pavers and have them installed as stepping stones in your yard. The goal is to have grass showing in between. You can stagger the stepping stones or have them lying straight.
Conversely, you can utilize poured concrete. With this method, you can choose any shape for the stepping stones, including a freeform shape. A freeform shape offers the benefit of also feeling organic. The grass should still show between the stones to create that sense of contrast.
Mural Walkway
One of the advantages of using concrete is that contractors can use colorful dyes for bold coloration. Therefore, you can design images for your pathway. The images could be a repeating pattern, or you could design an actual picture.
Dyed concrete can be combined with other decorative techniques, such as exposing the aggregate or stamping a medallion. So, let’s say you choose an exposed aggregate walkway. Instead of a single color, contractors can utilize two colors to show off a pattern. Or, with a medallion, you could keep the rest of the walkway a subdued color and let the brightly dyed medallion take center stage.
Mixed Materials Pathway
Another advantage with concrete is that you can embed items into the surface. For instance, you could have a simple slab walkway poured and decorate it with bricks. The bricks can run down the center. You could even add etching to emphasize the shape of the bricks. Conversely, have the bricks used as a border for your concrete walkway.
You can also use river rocks and pavers to create a highly decorative garden path. In this case, you would use the concrete slab as a foundation to embed the river rocks as a pattern. The pavers would go down the center to create smooth footing – and to add geometric appeal.
Overlapping Steps
If you have a sloped yard, a concrete pathway is a good way to solve that incline. Contractors can devise a walkway that consists of wide, shallow steps instead of a slope. The advantage of this approach is that you’ll have a series of flat spaces instead of a sloping walkway.
Concerning the shape and surface of the steps, you can get creative. For example, if you want a modern feel to your walkway, consider a series of overlapping circles. If traditional is more your speed, look into stamping and staining techniques that will make your overlapping steps look like brick or stone.
Geometric Backyard
Though concrete can be used in any design, it’s especially well-suited to modern style. If you have a modern or contemporary home, consider making over your entire backyard with concrete pathways. The goal in this case is to emphasize geometry since that’s a characteristic of the style.
So, imagine the natural paths you’d take in your backyard, and devise a series of straight paths throughout the whole yard. You could have contractors install pavers or pour slabs for the walkways -or a combination of both. The yard in between the walkways should be broken up into clear squares or rectangles.
You can customize concrete with shape, surface, and color. Because of the customization options, almost any design you come up with is possible with concrete. Visit P & L Concrete Products Inc. for help making your dream a reality.