Tuesday, April 30, 2024

Landscaping With Decomposed Granite

backyard decomposed granite landscape design

A flagstone is considered one of the most authentic elements in landscaping. The flat surface stones support its timeless and handmade look. These flagstones can be made from different rocks including soft sedimentary rocks to tough marble and quartzite. A modern decomposed granite patio features excellent durability and stability. With many colors to choose from, you can go for a quirky combination of bright colors or by combining dark colors.

Decomposed Stone Patio Pros & Cons

That’s why today’s dream landscape is a beautiful, useful, and low-maintenance hardscape. It lends itself to effortless entertaining and outrageous curb appeal without all the trouble caused by lawns and fussy gardens. If you are a DIY home enthusiast interested in a low-maintenance yard, decomposed granite is a fantastic choice for your next landscaping project. Read more to discover the best ways to landscape with decomposed granite. Decomposed granite is a fantastic material for various landscaping projects, offering durability, versatility, and aesthetic appeal. Whether you're looking to create a serene garden pathway or a robust driveway, DG provides a practical and stylish solution.

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Decomposed granite (DG) offers an affordable, stylish landscape solution for spaces both small and grand. With proper installation, these natural crushed stones can transform into stunning walkways, patios, garden borders, and more. Choosing to DIY a DG hardscape is pretty straightforward where you need to find a flat surface area that’s also weed-free. If there are weeds, you can spray some weed killer on the area.

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First, it helps to know a little bit about decomposed granite and why it's such great material for landscaping. Decomposed granite is similar to small gravel; however, it containes more "fines" or rock dust. This natural stone product has a better look and comes in a wide variety of colors to suit any home exterior. Even better, it lasts longer than mulch, so you can spend less time on its upkeep. Create circular or rectangular DG patches around trees or statues to draw attention to them.

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backyard decomposed granite landscape design

The raw material costs $40 to $50 per cubic yard and is available from landscape suppliers (and at stores such as Lowe’s and Home Depot). The cost to have a contractor install a path or patio is approximately $4 to $6 per square foot, depending on conditions and whether stabilizers are added. If you do it yourself, the cost will be about half that amount. One of its advantages is that it breaks down, so any DG that migrates into lawn or planting beds does not cause problems the way gravel does.

It’s almost like walking on sand, – although, when stabilized and compacted, it can feel much harder than sand. If interested in creating this project, take a look at our blog post, What You’ll Need for Your Decomposed Granite Pathway. Header boards keep the decomposed granite contained inside the set pathway and prevent the scattering effects that harsh weather brings. Southwest Boulder & Stone recommends using a pressure-treated redwood or plastic extruded materials that are weatherproof. Place the header boards along the edge of the walkway or area before installing the decomposed granite.

How do I install decomposed granite?

Available in earthy neutrals like gold, red, brown and gray, these pea gravel-sized stones complement both rustic and contemporary garden designs. Now you have a brand new decomposed granite patio to enjoy for years to come. Note that this same procedure can be used for other DG hardscapes such as walkways. To finish up, you may want to use a broom or leaf rake lightly over the top of the DG to loosen up the surface for a more natural look. In addition, take some time to clean up your work area of any stray DG, building materials, and dirt.

You'll be able to find a shade and color that suits your exterior the best. Homeowners also have the option of using multiple shades and colors in order to add depth and interest to their yards. The best part about decomposed granite is that it's relatively inexpensive compared with other solutions such as concrete or pavers. The current home trend of using your outdoor area as an extension of your indoor living space isn’t going away. So if you worked on this project with an eye toward increasing home value, that’s a win-win. Buyers will appreciate the clean, carefree look of an outdoor living area that won’t have them working on it every weekend.

Known for its durability and earthy tones, DG offers a rustic yet elegant appeal to any landscape. Yard Surfer is all about loving your outdoor spaces, from your yard — front and backyard, to your garden + architecture designs. Adding decomposed granite is just one step in creating the perfect landscape. Whether you need to update the landscape for the front of a business or design the backyard landscape of your new home, you will need to start looking up ideas.

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This helps define a space but also makes it more inviting compared to harsh concrete or pavers. However, you'll need to be sure that you make some space between the DG and any entrances because it tends to stick to shoes and track. Line the area with 2” of DG or construction-grade crushed rock and compact it with a hand tamper. Use our helpful coverage calculator to determine how much material you’ll need for the project. Because of its small-to-particle-like composition, DG can handle a certain amount of incline when mixed with soil stabilizers that will keep it holding its own.

Because the installation procedures for each different edging type is outside the scope of this guide, we’ll move on to the next step. Make sure to double check the level and elevations of the edging so that the whole patio isn’t off kilter. Decomposed granite patios and walkways are an easy, affordable hardscape option. For these reasons and more, they are one of the most popular types of hardscapes we build in SLO County.

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