Drainage??? Yikes!!!

Every Homeowner is concerned about drainage. How do we keep the water away from the house? Downspouts and splash blocks are most commonly used and work well. However, when upgrading your landscape, drainage becomes a new issue.

Bed edging can create a barrier and prevent water from draining properly. A quick fix is downspout extenders to carry the water over the edging. A french drain is also useful and not quite as severe an eyesore.

The best solution is to incorporate the solution into your upgrade. Patriot Curbing offers custom splash blocks. These works of art resolve the drainage issues AND incorporate the solution right into your bed edging! Designs are based on each Client's needs as well as integrated with the curbing selection made.

Why Curbing?

Let's face it- we don't wake up one morning and say "Gee, I want to buy some curb!" Curbing doesn't exactly fall into the same category as needing a washing machine or a new vehicle. Curbing falls into the want column when curbing should be a need.

Love it or hate it, landscaping is necessary to maintain the value of your home. The better kept the landscaping, the higher the perceived value of your home- both by you and potential buyers. First impressions count- and that goes for your home as well.

Maintaining curb appeal can be a daunting task, and here in Florida maintenance is brutal due to the heat and humidity. Two common issues which add hours to time in the yard are grass creeping into your plant beds and mulch washing out of plant beds. Not only are these issues tedious to keep under control, but they are expensive. Replacing mulch adds up and tools needed to make sure grass stays in the yard get pricey.

Curbing solves both of these issues! Curbing creates a barrier between the lawn and the plant beds. Grass no longer grows into the beds, and since the curbing is 3 1/2 inches tall, the mulch no longer washes out. In fact, the money saved in replacing lost mulch ends up paying for the curb in the first two years.

What in the world is extruded concrete curbing?

We get this question a lot! Extruded concrete curb is a mouthful. In simple terms, it is bed edging formed by compacting concrete through a special machine. It reminds me of watching "Cake Boss" or the cake decorating center at WalMart. The concrete comes out of the machine much like frosting comes out of a cake decorating tool. It is continuous and it is shaped by the form at the end of the tube.

The concrete you see in the above video has been dyed black (as per the Client's request) in the mixing process. The extruding machine compacts the concrete to a strength of 3000 psi when cured.

In this video you see the troweling and finishing process. Our crew uses hand tools to complete the fine details such as corners, driveway tapers, and run completions. We also use these tools to insure a professional and clean finish to the curbing.

After the curb has its finished edge, we apply a custom stamp or texture. In this case, the customer selected a cobblestone texture. We can apply an accent color in this stage of the installation process, but since the Client selected black curb to match the house accents (i.e. shutters, facade accents, driveway customization) an accent color could not be used.

Once the customization process is complete, Patriot Curbing places control joints at crucial points in the curb. Control joints allow for the expansion and contraction of the concrete in the elements. These are used to insure any cracking occurs within the joint and not across the face of the curb.

Revitalize Your Existing Curb

Many Homeowners don't realize that curbing is an investment, and like any investment requires a little maintenance. Each year, you should clean your curb with bleach and water to keep mold and mildew at bay. You may need to reseal your curb at this time. Sealing your curb creates a barrier from the elements and reduces the amount of mold and mildew that builds up over time.

Occasionally, too much time passes between maintenance and homeowners become disgruntled with the appearance of their curbing. No worries! Your curb can easily be revitalized, bringing new life and a fresh look to your landscape.

First, never use a power washer on your curb. The force can damage the face of your curb. Instead, use an environmentally friendly cleaner (such as Simple Green) and water combination and a scrub brush. Lightly scrub off the mildew and mold and then rinse off with your hose. Finally, use a quality concrete sealer to reseal your curb. Some sealers are even tinted.

Patriot Curbing will happily provide this service for you! Call today for a free quote and design ideas! (352) 483-CURB (2872).