PebbleLock – The Ideal Ground Improvement Solution Around Your Home

Looking at doing some renovations and want to make sure they last? PebbleLock is a honeycombed, rigid matting that locks pebbles and small stones in place, helping create dry, stable, permeable paving areas. So, if you’re about to do any kind of ground improvements around your home or garden, PebbleLock offers a few sustainable solutions to get you going. Here are some ‘at home’ projects that permeable paving can help with!  

Garden shed

When building a garden shed, it’s a great idea (and sometimes required by council) to start off with a firm, flat foundation. Instead of using a hard, non-porous surface like concrete, PebbleLock offers a natural solution that acts just like a hard surface. By extending this foundation beyond the walls of your garden shed, you can create a dry, permeable pathway around the perimeter. Not only will this help to keep moisture away from the exterior cladding without the need for extra drainage, it will also give you a stable platform to put wheelie bins, work benches, hose or washing areas so that grass or dirt doesn’t track inside your newly built garden shed.By initially building a stable foundation, you’ll also take away any risk of the subsoil layers collapsing beneath the shed. You’ll simply be able to place a portable shed right on top of the gravel, making your garden shed project that much easier to build. 

Green houses

As with garden sheds, PebbleLock creates a perfect, permeable foundation when working in an environment with water and soil. Pot plants and raised garden beds can leave muddy stains on concrete or wooden flooring, but with permeable paving, the dirty excess water simply drains away through the floor, keeping your workspace clean and dry. PebbleLock is stable enough to put workbenches on. It acts just like a hard surface, meaning your work area won’t shift. It’s great for keeping a dry area around the perimeter of your greenhouse, ideal for any compost bins or wheelbarrows that are kept outside. By using stones, PebbleLock also creates a more natural looking floor area than something like concrete. You can retain an outdoor feel with PebbleLock permeable pavers that will make your greenhouse a dry, comfortable place to work. 

Under a spa 

There’s nothing worse than jumping into a spa pool and realising you had dirty feet. By creating a stable, permeable foundation underneath the entire area of where your spa pool sits, plus an extended pathway around your spa pool, you’ll always keep the water inside nice and clean, plus any water that does spill, will simply drain away. A stable foundation also means the spa won’t sink into the ground during the rainy season. That means you can put it anywhere you want, not just on the back deck. Got a private part of the garden? With PebbleLock permeable pavers, you can place your spa pool where it’s at its most private on your property. It’s also a great idea to create a pebbled pathway leading from the spa pool back to your house, so your feet always stay clean and dry after a nice, relaxing soak in the evening. 

Aircon/heat pump base

Quite often, your air conditioning or heat pump unit sits on the ground on the outside of your property. Long grass, muddy pathways, or water pooling after a storm can settle around your unit. With minimal effort, you can create a dry, permeable area that will help protect your unit. Just dig out an area beneath your unit, line it with geotextile, fill it with a drainage aggregate such as GAP 20, then place a single PebbleLock paver and fill it with small stones or pebbles. This is also a great idea for around gas tanks, making it easier for servicemen to refill your gas tanks on a dry, stable surface. 

BBQ zone and outdoor seating areas

PebbleLock permeable pavers are also great to use to separate outdoor entertainment zones. If your BBQ is stuck on the side of your wooden deck, the best way to prevent grease and oil spillages is to build a separate BBQ work area by using PebbleLock. Your BBQ will be easier to clean, the dirty water will simply soak away, and by removing the BBQ from your deck, you’ll free up more space to entertain your guests.  If you’re creating an entirely new backyard area, why not put seats around a fire pit built into the middle of a pebbled patio? Your entire area will stay dry under foot even if it has been raining, because the best thing about outdoor entertainment areas made with PebbleLock is that no matter the weather, the surface area will always stay dry and stable, meaning you can entertain all year round. Depending on the size of your new outdoor area, it will take less than a day to build. Plus, by using smaller pebbles that become locked in place within with the pavers’ honeycomb grid design, PebbleLock becomes easy to walk on, even in high heels. You can easily create areas to place an outdoor bar beneath a kitchen window, a stable area to put eskies on, a dry area to put a large outdoor table and umbrella, or just somewhere in the garden to put the sun loungers on. By being permeable, these natural looking spaces will always stay dry so you can enjoy the outdoor space of your home for much longer throughout the year. 

Got a trampoline?

Now you can stabilise the ground beneath your trampoline. All that pressure of the kids (and adults) bouncing on the tramp can create uneven surfaces where the legs meet the ground, which may pose a danger if the bouncing direction becomes erratic.A stable, permeable PebbleLock platform will also prevent the trampoline frame from twisting due to the ground becoming uneven. The rigid framework that PebbleLock has along with its ability to prevent rutting and potholes means the ground area under your trampoline will always remain stable. And by creating a defined, pebbled platform beneath the tramp, you’ll stop grass from growing right next to the legs, making it much easier to mow.

Doggo making a mess?

Got a dog that’s sending you crazy by digging up holes in the back yard? Dog areas can get dirty, especially when it’s wet, but PebbleLock permeable pavers let you create and maintain a cleaner, healthier space for your best friend. Excess water drains away, meaning no more muddy areas, and the smooth stones are comfortable for your dog to walk on. A lot of the dirt and debris that dogs naturally attract will remain trapped within the pavers, preventing your dog from bringing the mess inside. Maintenance is easy, just ensure to give the paved area a spray wash every so often. Fortnightly should do the trick.  

Paving around trees in your backyard?

Creating a stunning home landscape means incorporating natural features such as plants and fruit trees in the backyard. However, these beautiful trees need protecting, particularly around the root zone. Finding the right solution can be difficult, as different kinds of driveways and paths can damage or even kill plants and trees in your garden. For example, laying concrete over tree roots can prevent the absorption of water, meaning your trees will lose out on valuable moisture to keep it healthy and growing. This is where PebbleLock permeable pavers become the ideal solution. The paving system is porous and free draining, which enables a more consistent water flow to the tree roots. Also, with some councils having specific restrictions on the amount of non-porous paving such as concrete or pavers allowed on your property, by using PebbleLock permeable paving, you can still pave around your trees without breaching these restrictions while creating a beautiful landscape aesthetic.

Summary

PebbleLock permeable pavers offer a multitude of ground improvement and maintenance solutions. The possibilities are endless, just make sure you have everything you need to do it right the first time around. No matter what you have in mind, Strol has you covered, so if you desire a natural looking surface to your outdoor patios, pathways or garden sheds, PebbleLock offers a versatile solution that will surpass all your needs. Use our easy installation guides for tips and ideas and don’t forget to get your PebbleLock permeable pavers from your local Bunnings store!