How to Select the Best Garden Stepping Stones for Your Outdoor Area
Apr 13, 2023
Garden stepping stones are an excellent way to customise your outdoor space. They can serve as a route for you to walk through your garden and as aesthetic elements. These stones come in various shapes, sizes, and colours, as well as different materials. They make for intriguing hardscape features in the garden.
Stepping stones are also great as gifts for relatives and friends. Choosing the right garden stepping stone to meet your personal needs and tastes can be difficult, with many different brands to choose from.
Each brand offers different features and is built to varying specifications. To guide you, we have put together a list that includes major criteria that you should look for in stepping stones.
Beginners Guide to Buying Garden Stepping Stones
Garden stepping stones are a fun addition to any outdoor space since they give a touch of nature and charm to any setting. They come in assorted shapes and sizes, making fantastic garden ornaments.
To add character to your yard, consider personalised garden stepping stones. With so many options available on the market, you are sure to discover one that matches your functional and aesthetic requirements.
What is a Garden Stepping Stone?
An elevated stone or other material used alone or in a sequence as a place to tread when crossing a garden is known as a garden stepping stone. They are a great way to make paths in your garden or other unpaved places around your house.
You can also utilise these stones to create little paved areas. Garden stepping stones also have a decorative purpose. They can be used as decorative elements in your landscape.
What Should I Look for in a Garden Stepping Stone?
Garden stepping stones come in various shapes, sizes, colours, and forms, with each arrangement having a distinct set of qualities. All of them perform certain roles and cater to a specific consumer base. As a result, choosing amongst the numerous possibilities is plainly tricky.
We understand that even with the list of top garden stepping stones, you will probably need more information to make an informed decision. To assist you, we will go through the aspects you should consider when buying garden stepping stones.
Material
Stepping stones can be crafted from a variety of materials, including concrete, metal, resins, and natural stones. Each of these components has its own set of advantages that you should consider when making your decision.
Concrete stepping stones offer an authentic and classic appearance and feel, but they are more expensive and hefty than natural stones. They are also prone to shattering, unlike natural stones that maintain their true nature for decades. Metal stepping stones are unlikely to break, but they must be treated for rust resistance in order to be useful.
Surface
Because stepping stones are mostly used for walking, you will want one with a level surface. You will also need the best surface texture stones that give your feet and footwear enough grip to prevent slipping and falling, even when wet.
Natural stones come in different types of surface finishes that are ideal for different scenarios. Choose one that perfectly aligns with your requirements and the weather of your place.
Weather Resistance
Because stepping stones are often used outside, they must be able to withstand the elements such as rain, snow, and sunlight all year. You want a stepping stone that is water-resistant, rust-resistant (for metal models), and can withstand long periods of exposure to direct sunshine.
Gardeners love natural stone pavers because they can endure up to 50-100 years if properly maintained. The pavers do not absorb water and may come with texture, particularly made for your use. As a result, water on natural stone pavers drains quickly to the earth underneath and does not form a slippery surface.
Weight
Another factor to consider is the stepping stone’s weight. When you walk on a stepping stone that is too light, it may not be as well-grounded and slide around. Furthermore, stepping stones that are excessively heavy may be challenging to install and transport and sink into soft soil.
Decorative vs Functional
Stepping stones in the yard can be both practical and ornamental. While some types of stones manage to achieve a fair balance between the two, others tend to prefer one over the other.
With this in mind, when selecting a stepping stone, opt for one that provides a good balance of function and style. You may even transform your garden in a unique way by using personalised garden stepping stones.
Conclusion
Garden stepping stones present an easy way to construct a beautiful pathway in your garden. These stones come in various formats. We recommend installing natural stone in your garden. They are a budget and environment-friendly option as compared to their manufactured alternatives. Make sure you select a surface texture stone for use as stepping stones as they will ensure your safety and will have a long life.