The title image features Copthorne walkway pavers with Brussels Block accent pavers.
The last thing homeowners want is for a visitor to slip and fall upon arriving at their home. Since outdoor safety is always a top concern, how can walkway pavers keep your visitors safe in Seaford, DE?
Two things conspire to make a walkway unsafe: poor installation and slippery surfaces. Here is what you can do to minimize this danger and make your walkway a welcoming and safe approach to your home.
Proper Installation
The heart of any good hardscape project is quality materials and proper installation. Without good installation, even the best pavers could potentially be unsafe. You may have seen walkways that were poorly installed, and in those cases you may have noticed signs of puddling, settled pavers, uneven surfaces, borders falling apart, and an overall sloppy appearance. The right base material and the right installation techniques are the only way to ensure a safe surface.
This is why we recommend that your paver walkway is installed by a Unilock Authorized Contractor—a professional company that is trained in Unilock products and installation methods, and are renowned in the industry for providing quality work.
A Non-Slip Surface
Another issue to watch out for is slipperiness, especially when the walkway gets wet. Some materials are inherently slippery, such as travertine and marble (two types of natural stone), so you typically want to avoid those. Others—most notably textured concrete pavers—are naturally more grippy.
If you like the look of moderately textured pavers, Richcliff pavers from Unilock feature the amazing varied texture of flagstone, and Unilock Brussels Block feature the weathered look of tumbled quarry stone. Both would give your walkway a warm and welcoming look as well as surefooted passage.
If you prefer a sleek modern appearance, even smooth-textured Unilock pavers are designed to be non-slip even when wet. The smooth Senzo paver is a chic alternative to classic brick. Its oversized 8” x 16” format and non-slip texture make it ideal for walkways as well as patios, pool decks, and driveways. The honeycomb shaped Hex paver is also smooth, and it adds a fresh and visually striking look to your walkway.
If you want your walkway to have an even more defined and very modern texture, the brushed-finish Unilock Il Campo paver offers two sizes: a classic 4” x 8” brick or a larger format 8” x 16” paver that could be the ideal choice for a modern walkway.
A Permeable Surface Is a Dry Surface
Another good solution for keeping your walkway as dry and slip-free as possible is to install permeable pavers. These pavers feature larger joint space that allow rain and melted snow to seep through to the ground below, instead of causing runoff like you would see on a solid surface walkway.
Outdoor Lighting Considerations
Another factor to consider is proper landscape lighting. While this doesn’t really have anything to do with pavers themselves, proper lighting will ensure that there are no obstacles that could cause a tripping hazard. Landscape lighting can be integrated into the walkway itself—along the borders—for a runway-like effect that clearly and safely guides visitors along the walkway to the front door.
