When you're putting money into a new patio, driveway, walkway, pool area, or other masonry project, choosing the right pavers is a big part of the decision. There are a lot of products out there, but at Greenway Landscaping & Masonry, two names we continue to work with are Nicolock and Cambridge.
We use them because we've seen what these products can do, we like the selection they give our customers, and most importantly, they make sense for homes here on Long Island.
Long Island Weather Is Tough on Masonry
Anyone who has lived on Long Island for a while knows what our weather can do. We can go from freezing temperatures and snow in the winter to 90-degree days in the summer. Add heavy rain, ice, drainage issues, and the constant freezing and thawing of the ground, and your masonry gets put through a lot over the years.
That is one of the reasons we like working with quality interlocking pavers.
When the base is prepared correctly and the pavers are installed properly, the system is designed to handle the seasonal changes we experience here. Instead of one large poured surface, individual pavers work together while still allowing some movement as the ground conditions change.
Of course, the paver itself is only part of the job. Proper excavation, base preparation, compaction, grading, drainage, and installation are just as important.
Why We Like Nicolock
Nicolock is a name Long Island homeowners see often, and for good reason. They manufacture a wide range of pavers and hardscape products, including their Paver-Shield products, with manufacturing right here on Long Island.
One of the biggest advantages is selection. Nicolock gives us a lot to work with when we're designing a project. There are different colors, textures, sizes, patterns, borders, and styles that can work with everything from an older traditional Long Island home to a completely renovated backyard.
We can use Nicolock products for patios, driveways, walkways, pool surrounds, steps, walls, fire pits, and other outdoor areas. That makes it easier to tie different parts of a property together instead of having every project look like it was done at a different time.
They also offer permeable paver options, which can be useful when we're working on properties where drainage and water management need to be part of the conversation.
Why We Like Cambridge
Cambridge is another manufacturer we've had great results working with.
Cambridge Pavingstones with ArmorTec come in a huge variety of colors, styles, sizes, and textures. That gives us a lot of flexibility when we're sitting down with a homeowner and trying to find something that works with the house and the rest of the property.
Sometimes the goal is a clean, modern backyard. Other times we're trying to create a more traditional look that feels like it has always belonged with the home. Cambridge gives us options for both.
Their product line also goes well beyond basic pavers. We can coordinate patios and walkways with walls, steps, borders, fire pits, outdoor kitchens, and other features. When you're renovating a larger portion of a property, having those choices makes a difference.
There Is No One Paver That's Right for Every House
We don't go into every job saying you need Nicolock or you need Cambridge.
We look at the house first.
What color is the siding or brick? What does the existing masonry look like? Is the homeowner keeping it? What type of landscaping surrounds the area? Is this going around a pool? Is it a driveway that will see cars every day? Are there drainage concerns?
Those questions help us narrow down the choices.
Sometimes a particular Cambridge color looks perfect against the house. Another time, a Nicolock paver may have exactly the texture or combination we're looking for.
That's why having access to both product lines is valuable. It gives our customers more choices and gives us more ways to design the project correctly.
The Installation Matters Just as Much as the Paver
This is something we can't stress enough.
You can buy a great paver and still have problems if what's underneath it isn't done correctly.
The part of the job you don't see when we're finished is often the most important part. The excavation depth, base material, compaction, pitch, drainage, edge restraint, and preparation all have to be right.
Long Island properties can vary quite a bit. We've worked on properties with sandy soil, poor drainage, tight access, existing patios and walkways that need to be removed, tree roots, elevation changes, and plenty of other challenges.
You have to build for the property you're actually working on.
Patios Are Only the Beginning
Nicolock and Cambridge products give us the ability to handle much more than a backyard patio. We can use them throughout a property for:
- Driveways
- Walkways
- Front entrances
- Backyard patios
- Pool surrounds
- Steps and landings
- Retaining walls
- Sitting walls
- Fire pit areas
- Outdoor kitchens
- Borders and accents
- Complete outdoor living spaces
For larger projects, we can also coordinate the masonry with landscaping, plantings, grading, drainage, and lighting so the finished property works together as one space.
A Better Choice for Your Long Island Home
We've been doing this long enough to know that homeowners don't just want something that looks good in a picture. They want something that looks good at their house and is going to continue looking good after living through Long Island winters, summer heat, rain, parties, kids, pets, cars, and everyday life.
That's why Greenway Landscaping & Masonry continues to work with Nicolock and Cambridge.
They give us quality products, plenty of design choices, and the flexibility to build everything from a simple front walkway to a completely new outdoor living space.
If you're considering a new patio, driveway, walkway, pool area, retaining wall, or other masonry project in Nassau or Suffolk County, give Greenway Landscaping & Masonry a call. We'll take a look at your property, talk about what you want to accomplish, and help you compare the Nicolock and Cambridge options that make the most sense for your home.