Category: McLean VA

Hardscapes in McLean VA: Cleaning Pool Pavers

There are many benefits to keeping your pool’s paver hardscapes clean at your McLean home. These are:

  • Improving safety: above all else, safety is the most important benefit to keep your pavers clean and well maintained. Your pool pavers are around water constantly, which makes them susceptible to mold, mildew, and algae. These are health hazards for many reasons, including respiratory issues from breathing in the mold and mildew, and slips and falls caused by algae. Cleaning your hardscapes in McLean on a regular schedule will go a long way to preventing these problems. A good sealer will also be required.
  • Protecting your investment and warranties: you’ve invested in some gorgeous pavers for your family pool; it only makes sense that you should spend some time and effort keeping those pavers in the best condition possible. Proper cleaning and maintenance can also help to protect any warranties that you have on the pavers.
  • Maintaining the beautiful color of your pavers: you chose those pavers because of their rich, gorgeous color palette, and how the colors compliment your pool. Those pavers are exposed to sun, chlorine or salt, wind, rain, and snow. Proper maintenance will keep these colors as rich as possible, and prevent the colors from dulling.
  • Keeping up appearances: pools get a lot of use, and pool pavers see a lot of foot traffic, spills, wear and tear from pool furniture, etc.  Timely cleaning of spots is especially important for grease or candle wax spills. The longer these sit, the more set in they are. General cleaning on a schedule is necessity is you want to keep up the overall appearance of your hardscapes in McLean.

The best way to keep your hardscapes in McLean cleaner for a longer period of time, is to have them cleaned and sealed by professionals. If you have questions or concerns about your pool pavers in McLean or anywhere else in Northern Virginia, please contact the experts at Premier Paving & Planting. Established in 1987, Premier Paving & Planting, Inc. delivers a full complement of high-quality landscape services, including concrete work and lawn and garden services, along with the installation of permeable and non-porous paver and hardscape surfaces and structures.

Experienced Landscapers for Large Front Yards in McLean VA

Experienced landscapers understand that landscape design is very different for large front yards in McLean, VA. In general, there should be more curvey lines, mixed surfaces, great plantings, and more “outdoor rooms.”

Landscapers who design for large front yards in McLean VA take stock of the yard area available for improvement, and break it down into smaller – yet connected – “outdoor rooms.” They look for a balance of paved surfaces, plantings, and lawn.

These paved surfaces – such as a driveway, one or more patios, sidewalks, walkways, and pool decks – make use of curved lines. Plantings will include big “focal point” trees drawing the eye upward, perennials that provide big color for most of the year, and shrubs or bushes that are used to define the outdoor rooms. Lawn management means creating areas where the growing turf will survive and look great.

Mixed surfaces can mean more than the materials used to create those surfaces. We’re talking surfaces of various heights and grades, such as building stone retaining walls that draw the eye to an area of the property, and provides tiers for planting.

For example, a long driveway should make visitors feel like they are going to a lovely destination. A long curved driveway with hedges that is graded in tiers to crest on hill, installed with a mix of surfaces (like pavers and flagstones) and the focal point of a fountain, can be infinitely more interesting than just a long, straight driveway.

Another design could have a good portion of a large front yard used to create a courtyard. This courtyard could be used for gatherings of family and friends – or walled off on three sides – a courtyard can make that area of the home feel like a get away from the outside world. Surfaces for a courtyard could be interlocking pavers or stained and patterned concrete to provide interest. A water fountain, a shade tree, and a garden of vines and colorful perennials could complete that design.

For more information about beautiful and functional landscape design from landscapers in McLean VA, please contact the experts at Premier Paving & Planting. Premier Paving & Planting, Inc. is a hardscape and landscape service company providing attractive, affordable, functional, and environmentally beneficial landscape design and creation. Working together, we evaluate the existing conditions of your property, determine your requirements, explore your desires, and develop an innovative landscape plan to create a practical, comfortable, long-lasting outdoor space.

What Causes Problems with Retaining Walls in McLean?

When retaining walls in McLean start having problems – also known as “failures” – they must be taken care of right away. Small problems usually can be fixed, before they become big problems. Of course, some problems can be prevented with some forethought and care.

There are generally 3 different types of failures: frost-heave failures, wet soil failures, and blowout failures.

In frost-heave failures, the retaining wall was built without proper drainage or a footer. When the wet soil freezes, it can heave upward and severely damage the wall. The ways to avoid frost-heave failures begin during construction. The wall should rest on gravel (which allows for proper drainage) and the base or footer should be buried under the frost line.

Wet soil failures are also caused by drainage issues, causing the soil in the wall to become saturated. The hydrostatic water pressure and weight of the wet soil can cause the retaining wall to collapse. To prevent wet soil failures, gravel should be used to funnel the water away from the wall. Care should be taken that topsoil is only used in the top 6” behind the retaining wall.

When a retaining wall has a blowout, it’s because a load of weight is added within 3 feet of the top of the retaining wall. This causes the top of the retaining wall to start leaning, until it tips over. If you are expecting to drive near or put a shed or something else heavy near your retaining wall, tell your landscape engineer before wall construction begins. They can increase the size of the footer to manage the load, and increase the number of tiebacks to provide additional support.

Want properly constructed retaining walls for your home in McLean – the kind of retaining walls that last for generations? Contact the retaining wall experts at Premier Paving & Planting.

Flagstone Patios in McLean VA: Customized to Your Wants and Needs

One of the great things about flagstone patios in McLean VA, is that they can be customized to meet your wants and needs. You have your choice of color, shape, patterns, and finish for their new flagstone patios in McLean VA. Another big plus – flagstone patios are durable through our weather in McLean VA, and easy to maintain.

Colors
Flagstone pavers come in a multitude of colors that do not fade. The pavers used in flagstone patios are usually derived from slate, bluestone, quartzite, limestone, or sandstone. Some of the most common flagstone colors include red, brown, and blue. Other color options are moss green, charcoal grey, sand, and brownstone.

Shapes
Flagstone pavers also come in many shapes: rectangle, irregular, Hexagonal, Uni Décor, Spectrum, Diamond turf, and Apian. They usually range from 1-3 inches in thickness. The stone shape is dictated by the patterns that are chosen.

Patterns
Due to the the amazing number of shapes that flagstones come in, there is an unlimited number of patterns. Bottom line: any pattern you choose, can be created with flagstones. Flagstone pavers can be installed in diamond run, basket weave, Herringbone, cobble lock, Venetian parquet, random, and irregular patterns. Based on the pattern selected, your patio can have an Old World, Mediterranean, and Modern or Contemporary look.

Finishes
In addition, homeowners can also choose the finish of flagstone patios in McLean VA. Various finishes include calibrated surface, brushed, antique or tumbled, sawn, hand-cut, and chiseled.

For more information about customized flagstone patios in McLean VA, please contact Premier Paving & Planting. The experts at Premier Paving & Planting have been providing customized flagstone patios to homeowners in McLean VA and other Northern Virginia communities since 1987.