Herbs Coastal Landscapes / Paving & Limestone
Paving & Limestone
Retaining, walls, steps and hard surfaces set out to survive Perth conditions.
What it involves
Perth sand drains quickly and compacts unevenly. Hard surfaces stand or fail on what is underneath them, base preparation, compaction and falls, far more than on the paver that was chosen.
Limestone is the local material and it weathers well when it is laid and detailed properly. Laid badly it stains, spalls and holds moisture against whatever it is retaining. The difference is in the base, the drainage behind the wall and the finish.
Retaining above a certain height needs engineering, and depending on the council and the boundary it may need approval. That gets identified at concept rather than partway through a build.
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Commonquestions.
What people ask about hard surfaces and retaining.
Why do people’s paving and walls fail here?
Almost always the base or the drainage, not the material. Perth sand moves and compacts unevenly, so a surface laid on poorly prepared ground will settle no matter how good the paver is. Water sitting behind a wall does the rest.
Does limestone stain?
It can, particularly where water sits against it or where reticulation sprays it repeatedly. Laid with the right base, drainage and detailing it weathers well and improves with age. Sealing helps in some situations and is unnecessary in others.
Do we need approval for retaining?
Often, once it passes a certain height or sits near a boundary, and the thresholds differ by council. We check what applies to your property before design is finalised rather than after the quote is accepted.
Can you match existing paving?
Sometimes exactly, more often closely. Older ranges get discontinued and existing surfaces have weathered, so a perfect match is rare. Where it matters we look at deliberately contrasting instead, which reads better than a near-miss.
Thinking about paving & Limestone? Let’s walk the site.
Free, no-obligation quotes across Perth and surrounds.