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Toronto Landscaping design & interlock driveway paving company

M.E Landscaping provides landscaping services such as Interlocking, driveway pavers, outdoor kitchens, Stonework, Woodwork and Patio Design in the greater Toronto area

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How to repair driveway cracks

Custom-Landscaping-Toronto-interlock-driveway-and-pool-deck01Let’s face it. Cracks happen. In your driveway, that is. There are few landscape features outside your home that draw negative attention to it more than a cracked or damaged driveway. If you’re trying to sell your home, your realtor will tell you in between sips of her $5 double Mochachino that it hurts your “curb appeal” thanks to the weeds growing through the cracks. When your beer-bellied neighbor loses a flip flop and stubs his big toe on a slab of uneven concrete at the end of your driveway when cutting across to his car parked out front, he’ll angrily tell you it’s a tripping hazard – and threaten to call a city inspector unless you fix it.

In some cases, the obvious solution is driveway paving from the experts at ME Landscaping; in others, it may be possible to temporarily repair driveway cracks in a few simple steps until you can afford a permanent fix. For more than a decade, we’ve been the leading custom landscaping contractor in the Greater Toronto Area and have paved or repaired thousands of driveways, walkways, and other paved surfaces in a manner best suited to our customer’s needs.

For the average homeowner, it’s possible to repair small cracks or potholes in a concrete driveway with a combination of basic skills, tools, materials, and time. None of these are insurmountable; it’s really just a matter of how badly you want to do the work yourself, and how confident you are to get the job done.

What materials are needed for driveway repair?

For a few quick questions, call the driveway paving experts at ME Landscaping or check in at the contractor’s desk at your local home improvement warehouse. Once you describe the nature of the crack or the pothole, you’ll be directed to a ready-made or ready-to-apply product you can buy and take home for immediate use.
Make sure you have the right tools
Despite your best efforts, you’re not Mr. Miyagi from The Karate Kid and you can’t trim your front lawn with scissors used for an origami display. You need patience for that, or better yet – a lawn mower. To repair cracks or patch a pothole in your driveway, you need the right tools and materials for the job:

  • Concrete
  • Concrete float
  • Concrete patch mix
  • Cement
  • Cold chisel
  • Hammer
  • Finishing trowel
  • Garden hose
  • Work gloves
  • Wire brush
  • Pointing trowel

Is it a hairline crack, or something larger?

In most cases, hairline cracks can be fixed with the right mix of Portland cement and water, or even a polymer based product under the right conditions. Repairing larger cracks or holes takes more time and effort, but nonetheless can be accomplished if you’re careful and thorough. One of the biggest steps is first clearing out the crack or pothole so the damaged area is free of small stones or other debris.

Got questions about repairing cracks or other damage to your paved surface?

Call the driveway paving experts at ME Landscaping on 416-455-9296.

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Top questions to ask before getting your driveway paved

Interlocking driveway pavers in torontoDriveway paving is serious business. If done right, a properly paved surface will add value and functionality to your home or business for years to come. And with the proper maintenance, a paved driveway could last for decades. At ME Landscaping, we’ve worked with hundreds of satisfied residential and business customers on driveway paving projects, each one completed to exacting specifications, and with attention to detail and superb customer service.

Whether you’re considering a driveway paving project on your own, or you’re in the market for the most qualified contractor possible, there are many questions you should ask before getting started.

Here are the top questions customers ask about driveway paving:

  • Should I seal my new concrete driveway? We always recommend that customers apply a high-quality sealer to all new exterior driveway paving, especially in the Greater Toronto Area with is significant freeze-thaw conditions. This helps protect the concrete from moisture, chemicals, grease and oil stains, and color fading. Always apply sealer based on the manufacturer’s instructions.
  • What if my driveway cracks? If driveway paving has been handled by a licensed contractor, chances are good your drive has a warranty for workmanship and other factors; call the company immediately. One way to protect against cracking is through the use of joints, which are really “planned” cracks that allow for contraction and expansion, minimizing chances for random cracks. Keep in mind, however, that joints will not protect the driveway from sustaining cracks elsewhere, but even small cracks will not lessen the long-term durability of your driveway. If you have questions about how to prevent random pavement cracking, call us today for more information and tips on how minor cracks can be fixed.
  • The color isn’t what I expected, now what? Matching the colour of concrete isn’t like taking a swatch of fabric to a paint store and getting paint to match a particular colour. All driveway paving will experience colour variations, and it’s nearly impossible to match poured concrete to a showroom sample, your neighbor’s driveway, or even photos or other samples. The colors of a poured concrete driveway can also be affected if more than one load of concrete is required, but these variations are minor and will usually fade over time.
  • Do you offer a warranty? Yes. At ME Landscaping, all of our work is backed by a 100 percent customer satisfaction guarantee. We offer a warranty on workmanship, while most of the materials we use are backed by individual manufacturer warranties. Please contact us today for more information.
  • How do I find the best contractor? The number one way to find the best contractor is to look for work samples right in your own neighborhood. Be sure to ask for references, or even call a local builder to see who they’ve worked with in the past. Make sure to ask how long the contractor has been in business, if the company is licensed and insured, and how many driveway paving projects they’ve completed successfully.

ME Landscaping is the Greater Toronto Area’s number one company for landscaping and outside construction projects, including driveway paving, patios, decks, and many other projects.

Call us today at 416-455-9296 for driveway paving.

 

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Enjoy the benefits of an interlocking patio

custom-landscaping-toronto-driveway-interlockingTimes are tough for everyone, and in an effort to spruce up and add value to their residence, many home owners have installed an interlocking patio as an alternative to other patio construction materials like concrete, wood, or composite surfacing.

At ME Landscaping, we’ve installed hundreds of interlocking patios for customers all across the Greater Toronto Area, and we’re committed to quality, value, and customer service. There are two steps to having the interlocking patio of your dreams installed: Select a reputable company with expertise and the best trained staff; and choose the right pavers, which are available in hundreds of colours, shapes and sizes, and finishes to meet any style or budget.

For decades, the default material of choice for a patio or other hard surface area has been concrete because of its low cost and ease of installation. But as many homeowners can tell you, concrete isn’t indestructible. It can crack due to the change in weather, particularly freeze-thaw cycles, damage from chemicals, poor installation, or even pressure and weights it wasn’t designed to handle. This can result in broken sections that can only be repaired by starting from scratch. This can be prohibitively costly for some customers, making an interlocking patio a better option for many reasons.

What are the advantages of using pavers for an interlocking patio?

  • An interlocking patio has lower repair costs, relative to concrete. If a concrete patio is cracked, entire sections may have to be dug up and replaced; but if an individual paver is damaged, all you have to do is remove it and put a new one in its place. If you’re worried about ongoing maintenance or even replacement expense, pavers offer a low-cost option to other patio materials that can last for decades with the proper care.
  • Pavers are naturally low maintenance. See a weed? Pull it out; if you can’t get to the root, carefully pry the paver lose, remove the weed, spray weed killer into the hole in the ground where the roots may be hiding, and put the paver back. For the most part, pavers naturally prevent the growth of weeds and are easy to clean.
  • An interlocking patio is highly durable. At ME Landscaping, we work hard to make sure paver patios do not chip, crack, flake, expand or shrink, and are extremely flexible under brutal weather conditions, especially in the Greater Toronto Area with its regular freezing-thaw cycles. Thanks to their density, pavers are very strong and can withstand pressure of heavy loads from vehicles and other items placed on them.
  • They are aesthetically appealing. At ME Landscaping, our expert designers can help you select the right pavers to match existing landscaping or other home features.

An interlocking patio offers distinct advantages over other kinds of patios, but the key to having one successfully installed is working with a company you can trust and has years of experience with this kind of work. If you have questions or are interested in a no-hassle consultation, please contact us today or visit us online.

M.E Landscaping has been the interlocking contractor of choice in the greater Toronto area. call us today and learn how we can help you to

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Choose the best pavers for your patio or walkway

If you’re looking for ways to upgrade your landscaping, there are many areas outside your home – from walkways and edging to driveways, garden areas, patios, and pool decks – that would benefit from the beauty and durability of paving stones, also called interlocking pavers.

At ME Landscaping, we’ve been the premier landscaping company in the Greater Toronto Area for more than a decade, specializing in innovative designs and professional installations for projects ranging from patios to pergolas and everything in between.

Interlocking patio pavers are made from a wide range of materials including brick, clay, concrete, natural stone, and poured and stamped concrete, and come in a near dizzying array of colours, shapes, and textures that will match any landscape design or architectural style you choose. Few hardscape surfacing materials offer as much versatility for designers, professional installers, or experienced do-it-yourselfers as pavers. Thanks to their durability, ease of maintenance and installation, and simple repairs, pavers are the ideal choice for any outdoor area.

Interlocking paving gives designers and homeowners the option of creating truly unique or theme-based patios in a way not possible with regular concrete or other materials. As with any outdoor project, homeowners need to understand the benefits of each option and what the project involves.

Key Questions you should ask your patio pavers

Before starting your project, we recommend the homeowner write down and answer a series of questions that will help them focus on the task at hand.

  • What is the best type of interlocking paver material to use?
  • Where will the pavers be installed?
  • Are you interested in a specific colour range or style?
  • How are pavers maintained and repaired?
  • What’s my budget?

Materials for Interlocking Pavers

One of the best ways for homeowners to decide on what kind of material to choose for their paver patio or walkway is to see real life examples. At ME Landscaping, we have several project examples you could review, not to mention customers we could refer you to for testimonial. Another method is to simply drive around your neighborhood or subdivision, as chances are good that a neighbor or someone down the street has used pavers for a recent landscaping project. Spring garden and home improvement shows normally have paver samples on display, as will your local home improvement retailer.

Here are the interlocking choices to think about:

  • Brick interlocking pavers come in many colours, shapes, and sizes. Installation is simply a matter of setting the individual pavers into a mortar bed or a sand bed. The drawback to brick pavers placed in mortar is they are more likely to crack because of movement in the ground, particularly in regions with frequent freeze and thaw cycles. The main attraction is they are strong, durable, inexpensive, and easy to install. For the experienced do-it-yourselfers, brick pavers installed in sand are the most popular option for a variety of paving needs.
  • Normally made from high quality ceramic shale, clay pavers are extruded or pushed into form and cured at temperatures up to 2,000°F. As a result, they’re tough, heat and water resistant, and not prone to fading with direct exposure to sunlight. If you’re looking to add warmth, elegance, and smoothness to high traffic areas like sidewalks, patios, plazas and roadways, there are few better options than clay pavers. They’re also environmentally friendly and hold up well to vehicle traffic.
  • Sturdy concrete interlocking pavers are made in a factory to imitate the look of clay using two ingredients: cement and aggregate. They’re available in a wide range of colours and styles, but should be sealed after installation to increase their lifespan.
  • Natural stone pavers are made from natural materials like limestone and flagstone. They’re also available in a wide range of sizes and shapes, with distinct colours and shades that vary from paver to paver. These are two of the most expensive paver materials on the market, and are usually featured in higher end luxury homes with custom landscaping.
  • Poured and stamped concrete pavers may give homeowners and designers the most durability and greatest range of options to choose from. Once the concrete is poured, intricate designs and shapes can be stamped into the slab, giving the appearance of individual pavers while benefiting from the overall toughness afforded by concrete. Like any type of concrete, poured and stamped pavers need to be sealed to protect against minor surface damage and colour fading.

Other Considerations When Selecting Interlocking Patio Pavers

A new interlocking paver patio can add beauty and elegance to any home, often lasting for decades with simple and regular maintenance. Depending on the materials used, this type of project may be more expensive because of design features and the skill level and experienced needed for a proper installation, but there are other considerations before making a final decision.

  • We always recommend that homeowners choose a paver that matches their existing architecture or landscaping. Even though interlocking pavers can blend in with different styles, they may not be the best choice for contemporary architecture, for instance. It’s also important to think about how much installation will cost, so don’t hesitate to ask for estimates based on different materials or where the pavers will be installed.
  • Many customers ask about the possibility of doing the work themselves, and while we would never discourage a committed do-it-yourselfer, we strongly advise homeowners to choose a paver to suit their skill level. In most cases, individual pavers are easier to install than stamped or poured concrete pavers, which require concrete mixers and other specialized equipment.
  • Finally, give careful consideration to how the weather may affect your pavers. Some materials are better at absorbing heat and reflecting sunlight, while others are better suited in colder environments. In extreme weather conditions, other paving surfaces like an asphalt walkway, for instance, may crack and require repair or maintenance. Interlocking pavers, on the other hand, are strong, easy to clean, and resist insects and weed growth while adding beauty to your outdoor area.

Are you looking for the best interlocking pavers in Toronto? Call M.E Landscaping today for a free consultation