A great way to create visual depth and curb appeal for your landscaping is to add a path, walkway, steps, or any combination of the three. Paths are typically made from natural materials like gravel or mulch and can be edged with retaining wall blocks while walkways are made from stable hardscape materials such as pavers, architectural slabs, or stone. Concrete, brick, and stone are all durable materials that can withstand foot traffic in both back and front yards. Pick from our concrete or brick pavers, architectural or porcelain slabs, stone, and retaining wall blocks to create your desired design.
Pavers
One of the most popular materials for walkways and steps are concrete pavers. With a generous variety of sizes, shapes, textures, and colors, paver walkways offer durability, flexibility, and the ability to complement any style choice. Expand your design options by using a combination of pavers for a versatile look. Concrete pavers are a lower maintenance choice than solid concrete that can develop cracks since it is easy to replace a few cracked or chipped paver pieces.
Holland Pavers are a good option for those wanting a more modern take on brick pavers since, dimensionally, they are the same. Add Double and Triple Hollands to really get creative with your design. Roman Cobblestone Pavers are perfect for those looking for a worn and tumbled appearance while Dominion Pavers could be considered for winding or curving paths.
Retaining Wall Blocks
While retaining wall blocks are not typically used for paths and walkways, they can be used to border a path or walkway. A block lined path is perfect for anyone looking to create a clean edge and prevent erosion. The path or walkway itself can be created from gravel, mulch, rocks, or paving stones. This type of path allows for customization with the variety of block shapes, sizes, and colors. Retaining wall blocks can also be used to create steps or staircases. Since blocks are interlocking and made of concrete, they are stable, durable, weatherproof, and easy to maintain.
Architectural & Porcelain Slabs
Our variety of slabs are a great option because they are durable, low maintenance, slip proof, stain resistant, and can be cut to shape your path or create stairs and steps. Plus they are a larger format paver, meaning you need less pieces to cover the same amount of square footage. They create a safe walking area for all seasons and heavy foot traffic. Choose from various colors and textures of slabs, such as smooth or slate, to create a contemporary natural look for your outdoor space. Homeowners should also consider slabs for garden pathways, around water features, and near pools where there might be water since they are slip resistant.
Architectural & Porcelain Slabs
Clay Brick Pavers
Brick pavers are a classic and long used option for paths and walkways. Produced from clay, these pavers offer rustic colors and a large selection of installation patterns. While these pavers have a more traditional look, you can add a dash of creativity by combining different colors in a unique pattern choice for your brick walkway, path, or steps. While red may be the first color that most people imagine of when they look at brick, we offer a few other colors beyond the standard Red Clay Paver.
Flagstone
Whether you want to add a solid pathway or a stepping stone path, natural stone can help you create a timeless look. A flagstone pathway can add a rustic look to any space. Creating a beautiful natural stepping stone pathway that connects to a paver patio is just one of the creative ways to add curb appeal to your landscape design and can be an easy DIY project. Flagstone can really complement a garden path and is textured, making it slip resistant. If you want the look of flagstone but are more cost conscious, consider our Slaton Paving Slabs. They are made of concrete but have a texture similar to flagstone and can be installed to display randomized joint lines like natural stone. For a modern natural stone look, consider Bluestone Architectural Slabs for your stone walkway or stepping stone path. For a natural stone steps option, you will want to check out our Limestone Steps, available in various light and dark colors.
Whether you choose concrete, brick, or stone pavers for your outdoor home improvement project, there are a number of step, path, and walkway ideas for you to select from. Why stick with only one product or a basic look to your steps? Manufactured and natural stone veneer can be used to line the vertical portion of your steps to create an elevated look with our coping units on top to support foot traffic. Seamlessly blend a brick walkway into a paver patio or the other way around for a rustic yet contemporary look. Have a retaining wall block edge path lead to an architectural slab patio. The possibilities and design style choices are endless no matter how creative you decide to get!
External Resources:
Five Walkway Materials to Consider
Tips for Planning Walkways and Pathways
Citations
- Mutual Materials – Hardscape Products
- Mutual Materials – Masonry Products
- Mutual Materials – Roman Cobblestone Pavers