We’re Hiring! Start your career at Unilock and 
A Unilock Premium Quality Natural Stone patio does so much to increase your home’s value and your enjoyment of the great outdoors; and to make the space even more unique, pay special attention to borders. Borders are a way to express your personality, and to tie your patio in with your home and landscape. To give you some inspiration, here are 4 stunning borders for a natural stone patio on Long Island, NY.
Related Read: Matching Patio Pavers and Furniture to Create 4 Hot Designs
A pop of color
If you like a contrasting look, use a darker or lighter hue as your border. This can be achieved by laying smaller pavers of a different color to your main field pavers, or different pavers altogether. Contrasting colors are a bold way to create a dramatic patio with a lot of visual interest. For best results, keep in mind the color temperature of the pavers you’re using for the field and the border: warm, cool, or neutral. Complementary colors are a good way to integrate a curved patio into the landscaping in a very soft and beautiful way.
Varied textures
Change up the texture for a custom look – either using contrasting colors and textures, or the same color but a different texture. If you have used smooth-finished natural stone on your patio, such as Unilock Limestone, use a border with a more textured surface.
Different sizes
If your patio is constructed of large natural stone pieces or a more random mix of large, medium and small slabs, use medium-sized pavers or natural stone slabs for a square or rectangular patio, and small pavers or natural stone slabs for a rounded patio. Alternatively, if your patio is constructed of small pieces, use large pavers for a dramatic and substantial border. Unilock Sandstone, for example, is available in a range of sizes, and can also be cut to size by a Unilock Authorized Contractor, for a range of different border effects.
Related Read: Perfect Patio Pavers and Designs for Your Landscape
Laying patterns
If you prefer a more subtle border, use narrower field slabs in the same color, as the border. Lay them either soldier course (sideways/perpendicular to the field), sailor course (horizontal to the field) or at an angle. This still gives you a sturdy border but without the drama of contrast. A modern approach is to lay the field pavers at a 45-degree angle to the home, and the border either perpendicular or horizontal to the home. If your patio is curved, border pavers in a soldier course create a more substantial-feeling border than if they were laid in a sailor course.
What’s right for you?
With so many choices, it’s best to start by choosing your field pavers or natural stone pieces: the main pavers on your patio surface.
Next, decide if there are any elements you’d like to match using a border: perhaps the color of your roof, natural stone in the landscape, a sandy beach, etc. This will help you decide whether to use contrasting or matching borders.
Then, decide whether you want to incorporate different textures or sizes into your border.
And finally, decide on the orientation of your border pavers: either horizontal to the main field, perpendicular, or at an angle.
If you have any questions, your Unilock Authorized Contractor will be happy to assist!
The title image features a Unilock Sandstone patio.
