Many homeowners in the Bellingham, WA area face the challenge of living on hillsides and/or sloping property which means that there needs to be creative solutions for paths, driveways and terraced areas.
When building hardscapes on sloped property, factors such as proper drainage and safe, easily accessible walkways need to be considered.
Custom Concrete recently completed a project where the homeowner wanted a sidewalk and stairs installed on a hillside to improve access to their garage. This project was a perfect fit for our ACI Certified Flatwork Finishers who are experienced with handling concrete framing, pouring and finishing with a variety of texture options, even on challenging jobsites.
With this project, traffic flow areas were distinguished by using heavy stone textured concrete (dark grey in photo below) to make paths stand out from exposed aggregate areas of the patio – it’s an interesting design element.
The heavy stone textured concrete flows from a porch to the stairs, which leads people to other terraced areas around the home. Concrete ramps were also built so equipment, like lawnmowers or wheelbarrows, could be easily moved to and from the detached garage.
To create more dimension, and to further separate the pathways from the surrounding patio areas, aggregate concrete was used for the walls and edges of the sidewalk…as shown in the photo below.
Because the concrete hardscapes were installed on a hillside, proper drainage was critical – water now safely drains at the base of the retaining walls to control storm water runoff and to relieve pressure behind the walls.
Finally, the finished product was colored and sealed for a glossy, clean finish (it’s a look that is popular here in NW Washington). The overall project is visually appealing and designed for complete ease of access for the homeowners and their guests.
If your home sits on sloped property in Whatcom County, and you want to have new patios and pathways installed, contact Dave at Custom Concrete. We’ll work with you to create a design that just right!