Paver Patio Contractors Serving Portland Oregon
If you need a walkway, patio, driveway, or path you are wise to consider pavers. In fact, interlocking concrete pavers are often the clear choice. They are more attractive than concrete, more affordable than natural stone, and can enhance almost any space.
But who should install your new paver patio?
Trust Ross NW Watergardens to design and install your paver hardscape. Our designer, experienced crew leaders, and skilled craftsmen will work with you to create an outdoor space the truly works for you. Contact us today to set up a free consultation.
10 things the Portland homeowner should know about pavers:
1. Pavers are a flexible choice. They can be installed almost anywhere and work with just about any style. We have designed traditional, contemporary, and Japanese gardens that utilize pavers for paths or patios.
2. Pavers are superior to concrete. More attractive initially, pavers are not prone to cracking so they age much better as well.
3. There is an advantage over stone too. We love flagstone patios (who doesn't?!) but it is not the right choice for every situation or budget. Pavers are a uniform material, which makes them easier to install, and usually at a lower price.
4. The cost of a paver patio or walkway can vary quite a bit. But you should expect it to be between $20 and $35 per square foot, depending primarily on the paver chosen and site conditions. For more on the cost for a patio see this.
5. Permeable pavers are a green building choice. Allowing water to soak into the ground, instead of sending it into the sewer system, has many benefits. The City of Portland encourages the use of permeable, or pervious, pavers.
6. Design still matters. Many paver patio installations are simply boring squares and rectangles, installed by following a "system". But by incorporating natural stone and playing with shapes and contours we can make pavers functional and inspirational.
7. Skill matters too. Installing pavers is easier than working with natural stone. This can be an advantage (see item 2) but also a trap. There are many, many unskilled paver installers in Portland. Their experience consists of little more than a Saturday afternoon class at Ewing. While that is a good place to start, make sure your patio or driveway gets installed by someone with more skill and experience than that.
8. There are a ton of places to see paver choices. Most of our walkway and patio clients choose pavers from Western Interlock, Mutual Materials or Belgard. Those are a good place to start (and likely finish) but are certainly not the only places to select a paver. See a full list below.
9. That uneven weed filled patio your friend has? It was installed poorly, with a base that was not prepared the right. Depending on the location and use of your hardscape the base should be 4"-8"+ deep and consist of woven geotextiles, compacted 3/4"- gravel, and sand.
10. Edging and the joints often get overlooked. For a truly high quality paver installation consider upgrading to steel edging, which is much more attractive than plastic. Joints can be finished with sand- either a fine masonry sand or, even better, polymeric sand.
Ready to discuss your paver driveway or patio project with a team that possesses skill, craft, and experience?
Service Area:
We design and install paver and stone, patios, walkways, paths and other outdoor living spaces in the Portland-metro area. This includes Portland, Lake Oswego, Dunthorpe, Wilsonville, West Linn, Clackamas, Tigard, Tualatin, Milwaukie, Happy Valley, Beaverton, Hillsboro, Oregon City, Yamhill, Vancouver, Ridgefield, and Camas.
Interlocking Paver Resources:
The 10 best places to buy pavers in Portland, Oregon:
OSU's Guide to Paver Installation.