If you’ve ever visited someone’s home and had to navigate a crumbling, overgrown and poorly lit walkway just to get to the front door, you know how unappealing that is. A relatively straightforward solution is to use pavers and updated lighting. Here are some ways how patio pavers and outdoor lighting create safer, more attractive walkways for Lake Forest, IL homes.
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1. A Clearly Visible Entry
You may be surprised at how many homes’ front doors aren’t obvious, especially if there is a side entry close to the front entry. A well-defined walkway guides visitors to the front door in a welcoming way. The walkway should be broad enough to walk comfortably. It should not be overgrown, and it must be well lit along its entire length.
2. Patio Pavers: Superior to Concrete or Asphalt
Many homes feature a poured concrete walkway. While concrete is grippy and safe when wet, it doesn’t hold up very well to the freeze-thaw cycle. Unfortunately, nearly all concrete walkways will develop cracks at some point. Once this happens, it’s only a matter of time before water works its way in and the freeze-thaw cycle starts to break apart the concrete. The concrete may heave, sink, or crumble - or all three, which creates a tripping hazard (not to mention, it looks terrible).
The problem is that a poured concrete surface is a solid unit, which usually can’t withstand soil movement or water infiltration. By contrast, patio pavers are individual units, which makes the surface less vulnerable to natural forces. Pavers are impervious to the freeze-thaw cycle which means the walkway will last significantly longer.
Patio pavers are also much more attractive. They come in a huge variety of styles to match your home’s architectural style and your aesthetic; your biggest challenge will be choosing among some great options.
One of the main benefits of certain patio pavers is that they can be installed on a permeable base. Permeable pavers have wider joints between them which allows water to seep into the ground and disperse into the soil. This keeps your walkway drier and safer, and prevents runoff. If you are changing out the walkway anyway, this is a great time to install a patio heating system that will completely eliminate the need to shovel or to use deicing salts.
Where possible, keep the walkway perfectly level. Use steps rather than a sloped walkway to take care of elevation changes, to minimize the risk of slipping; and be sure to choose patio pavers with a texture that remains non-slip even when wet.
3. Welcoming Lighting
Homes that feature a single post-mounted light at the front entry are at a disadvantage both in aesthetic appeal and safety. Single lights tend to over-illuminate certain areas, leaving other areas in complete darkness. This is uncomfortable at best, and dangerous at worst.
A better option is to use low-lying path lights that shine light where it’s needed: on the ground. This way, nobody is blinded by the light, there are no deep shadows to worry about, and the look from the street, the driveway, and the front door is equally attractive.
If you’re not a fan of the “runway look” where path lights line the walkway, consider a zig-zag approach where lights are installed as part of the landscaping, offering more general illumination that still makes the space feel safe and welcoming.
