Drainage for Hardscapes
Why is drainage important for landscape projects?
Hard surfaces such as patios act as large areas for water catchment. So dealing with this water in a responsible way is key to prevent maintenance problems, flooding, and for optimum plant health.
Three solid drainage options:
Use an open graded base for patio installs
install drains that are similar in shape and colour to the finishing product
Use hidden drainage techniques for ease of maintenance without sacrificing look.
Open graded base is a game changer in a lot of ways. It still gives us the compaction values that we need for our surface materials such as pavers, but it also adds a huge amount of value in being used as water storage, and for allowing water to seep back into the local water table. Pairing open graded bases with modern permeable jointing compounds is an excellent way to make sure your projects are going to drain well, and look beautiful.
Choosing the correct size of drain is important so that it matches with the finishing product. Also simply laying out the patio or walkway to have the drain positioned so that there aren’t awkward sliver cuts or a bad angle around it is key.
Getting clever with our drainage techniques can add hidden drainage solutions that keep the landscape looking very clean and seamless, and functioning properly for ease of maintenance. Such as this example:
Whatever drainage solution you choose, tying your accurate use of string-lines and laser levels together with your vision for your project will yield nothing but success!