There are many areas you can use gravel starting from building a foundation to home gardens. The main reason as to why many people prefer using gravel is because it is cheap and readily available. Using gravel for your garden landscaping and pavements brings out the natural view. Gravel is eco-friendly and wildlife-friendly too. Installing gravel does not require a lot of capital and can be done in a short duration. On the other hand, maintaining the gravel in position will require more effort. You will learn that after some time, the gravel pieces tend to move to the edges, especially on a sloppy ground during rains. Using gravel helps in conserving the environment. Gravel helps in reducing soil erosion by reducing the speed of runoff water. Finding the right gravel material might be easier said than done. You require some guidelines to help you find the one that suits your needs.
Gravel comes in different forms. There is that which comes in small particles while another one comes in big particles. Before buying gravel according to the appearance, you must ask yourself how you want to use it. You can imagine having the one with big particles for your path. This will inconvenience you while walking around. Not anyone using a wheelchair will be in a position to drive from one point to the other. You should consider the one with small particles for your walking pavements. Your budget is another factor to look into. Gravel comes at different prices according to the type, size, and availability in your location. Choosing local gravel might save you a lot of money. This is because you will not incur a lot of costs to transport the material to your home. On the other hand, local gravel might look monotonous if not professionally installed.
You must avoid damaging your hardwood floor. This can be achieved by looking at the size of your shoe treads. The gravel you choose should have particles that are big enough to avoid carrying them with your shoes into the house. You will not have to keep on sweeping the house all the time. You should remove the topsoil before laying the gravel. This will ensure that the spongy ground is removed and the gravel will lay on a hard surface. If the area is flat, you can consider raising the footpath at the center so that it drains water to the sides. You have to consider the color of the gravel you choose. The color should match properly with the other landscaping colors. You have to ask the one doing the landscaping to guide you on the best color to choose from. Choose according to where you want your gravel applied. If it is to be laid on a low-water garden, then you should choose the one with big pieces. It should crash or compact even when under a load. This will ensure that water has paths to flow and thus enhancing drainage. With this knowledge, you can choose comfortably from the three types of gravel. The three types are pea gravel, crushed rock, and decomposed granite.