If you want to build a walkway in your garden with a rustic look, brick pavers and pea gravel are both attractive choices. Pea gravel is made from tiny, rounded stones that are laid on top of the dirt in order to form a walkway. Brick pavers are made from thin sections of brick that are connected together on top of a gravel base that stabilizes them and prevents them from shifting around when the soil undergoes freeze and thaw cycles.
Pea gravel and brick pavers are both inexpensive options for a walkway, and they both have an appearance that matches well with a rustic garden. However, brick pavers are often the superior option since they require less maintenance and they're a durable surface. To learn why brick pavers are a better choice for a garden walkway than pea gravel, read on.
Pea Gravel Gets Everywhere
One of the biggest downsides of using pea gravel for a garden walkway is that you'll track it inside your home. Pea gravel will stick to your shoes, especially if your shoes are muddy or covered in snow, and you'll end up with pea gravel strewn about your home when you walk inside from your garden.
Pea gravel will also migrate into your garden beds when it's blown by the wind, and it can also get stuck inside shoes and sandals if you kick up some pea gravel while you're walking on it. Overall, pea gravel is a messy choice of material for a walkway when compared to brick — you don't have to worry about getting gravel everywhere when you choose brick pavers for your garden walkway.
Brick Is More Comfortable Than Pea Gravel
Brick pavers are also more comfortable to walk on than pea gravel. Pea gravel is often chosen for walkways because it's made from rounded stones, which means there are no sharp edges that will stab your feet if you walk on it barefoot. However, the fact that the stones are rounded means they won't lock together. The pea gravel will shift underfoot as you walk on it. The pavers are a solid surface, so you don't have to worry about them shifting due to your body weight — they're less tiring to walk on compared to pea gravel.
Pea Gravel Requires More Maintenance
Pea gravel will slowly migrate over time as you walk on it and as it's blown around by the wind, which means that you'll need to periodically rake bits of gravel back to the form of your walkway as they shift away from it. You'll also need to add more gravel every once in a while, as you'll lose some from it being tracked inside your home and being blown away by the wind. Brick pavers require much less maintenance, especially when they're installed over landscaping fabric that prevents weeds from growing through the joints between the pavers. All you'll need to do in order to maintain your walkway is periodically clean it with a garden hose and soap in order to remove stains from pollen, fallen leaves, and tree sap.
While pea gravel and brick pavers are both attractive options for a rustic walkway in a backyard garden, pavers are usually the superior choice. They're easier to maintain, and you won't end up tracking gravel everywhere in your home in your yard. If you're looking for a beautiful rustic walkway for your garden that's hassle-free, brick pavers are the best choice. For more information about brick pavers, contact a local service.
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