Concrete is a versatile material that can be colored, stamped or scored to create stunning hardscapes throughout your yard. Retaining walls, walkways, columns and patios are all functional aspects of your landscaping, but with creative uses of concrete they can also be fashionable. Here are three ways that you can use concrete Canton MI to improve your yard, making it both practical and pretty.
Make a walking path. A concrete path in a high traffic area will protect your lawn and prevent it from becoming bare and worn. Popular places for a walking path are between a house and a workshop, to and from a swimming pool or from a gate in the fence to a backyard patio. Concrete that is stamped or colored will make it more visually appealing. For more interest, you may want to consider a path that winds past different points in interest in your yard such as a flower garden or a man-made waterfall.
No backyard is complete without patio—it should really be thought of as an extension of your home. The creative use of concrete can help your define different uses for your patio and create the appropriate atmosphere. For instance, you could inlay outdoor tile in a rectangular shape on a concrete patio to make it appear as if an area rug is under a dining table or patio furniture. Patios don’t have to be rectangular, however. You could soften the look of your hardscapes with gently curved, free-flowing edges that wrap around a flower garden. Concrete columns can be installed to create a quiet conversation area just a few steps from a busy barbeque area or outdoor kitchen.
Retaining walls are another way that you can use concrete to make your yard more usable—especially if your lot has uneven terrain. Retaining walls can be used to build terraces that you can use for different purposes. For instance, one terrace could have grass on it where children or pets can play, another could be used as a flower bed or vegetable garden, and yet another could feature a concrete pad for a hot tub. Building retaining walls requires a significant amount of engineering expertise, so be sure to hire a contractor who has experience with concrete in Canton MI .
