Get Inspired by the Belgard Idea Book
Posted: April 22, 2013 Filed under: Outdoor Living, Pavers 2 Comments »
Every homeowner has their own personal style when it comes to their outdoor living space. If you prefer an organic appearance, your style can be described as natural. If you’re drawn to the traditional, timeless look, your style is characterized as classic. If you like a contemporary appeal with clean lines and distinct looks, you likely have a transitional style. Whether it’s natural, classic or transitional, Belgard has designs and colors to fit any aesthetic and every lifestyle.
From amenities and features, to paver colors and styles, and even recipes for entertaining outdoors, the Belgard Idea Book provides advice on designing and enjoying the perfect outdoor retreat. You’ll learn tips such as what patterns help to make an area look more spacious, and what paver colors coordinate best with your home’s style.
Visit belgard.biz/request for a FREE Idea Book to help you get started.
Contractor’s Corner: How to Become a Belgard Authorized Contractor
Posted: April 15, 2013 Filed under: Belgard News, Contractor's Corner, Pavers Leave a comment »Contractors play a pivotal role in helping homeowners bring their outdoor living visions to life. Each month, we’ll offer a Contractor’s Corner post to share tips to help our contractor partners offer even more to homeowners and their landscapes.
15,000 sq. ft. of Belgard pavers installed
We love our contractors and that’s why we want to help them and their business succeed. Our Belgard Authorized Contractor program offers a number of benefits including listing on our online search tool, the Belgard Rewards program, the Belgard Tool Kit including the Preferred Payment Program and other sales tools. We also back any product installed by an Authorized Contractor with our lifetime warranty.
The next question is, how do you become a Belgard Authorized Contractor? We take our BAC qualification very seriously because we only want the best for our homeowners. All contractors looking to become a BAC must complete the following requirements:
- Be recommended by a Belgard Authorized Dealer or Sales Rep based on an acceptable credit standing
- Provide documentation for at least one ICPI certified staff member
- Satisfy three of the following:
– 15,000 sq. ft. of Belgard pavers installed
– Installation of two vehicular applications
– Successfully use polymeric sand on five projects
– Installation of ten paver projects
- Provide proof of insurance
- Provide proof of home improvement or state license if state required
- Workmanship guaranteed for at least two years
- Belgard inspected project (Minimum installed for 1 year)
- Belgard inspected project under construction (Verify ICPI installation guidelines)
- Understand status will be reviewed every 12 months
In addition to the initial requirements, all BACs must submit to these yearly requirements:
- Install 15,000 SF of Belgard Pavers
- Attend a minimum of 1 continuing education program offered by Belgard
- Place BAC logo on business cards, letterhead, or website
- Submit to a yearly review by a Belgard Representative
Once you’re part of the Belgard family, we’ll help you with the tools for success in making your business grow.
For more information on becoming a Belgard Authorized Contractor, visit http://belgard.biz/docs/bac_requirements.pdf. To find a Belgard Authorized Contractor, visit http://belgard.biz/contractors_search.php.
Daydreaming of Summer: Our Favorite Pool Decks
Posted: February 25, 2013 Filed under: Outdoor Living, Pavers Leave a comment »While the temperatures outside in many places aren’t quite calling for pool season, we can’t help but daydream of warm summer days and relaxing by the pool. Now is the perfect time to start planning your Belgard pool deck so it’s ready in time for cannon ball season. Here are a few of our favorite pool decks to help you get in the summer state of mind.
Cambridge
Dublin
Mega Arbel
Mega Arbel
Mega Bergerac
Mega Lafitt
Old World
Urbana
Permeable Pavers At Work and At Home
Posted: February 4, 2013 Filed under: Environmental, Pavers Leave a comment »A misconception of permeable pavers is that they are only for commercial projects, or that they aren’t available in a variety of styles that a homeowner would want to use for their driveway, walkway, pool deck or patio.
Throw of all of those thoughts out the window because this week we’re going to talk about how being environmentally friendly is a beautiful thing for the workplace and the home.
The key to understanding permeable pavers is to think of the pavement and the base aggregates – or the small stones and gravel that form the base under and around the pavers – as a system, instead of separate products. As water rains down on the pavement, it begins its journey by seeping through the pavement, and then through the base aggregates, which naturally filter the pollutants. As it travels down, the water is stored in the base, until it reaches the natural underlying soils and recharges the ground aquifers. Thus, permeable pavement serves as an underground storage basin that filters the water while allowing pedestrian and vehicular traffic on the surface.
Belgard permeable pavers are a beautiful solution to manage storm water and lessen homeowners’ environmental footprints. Besides a stylish aesthetic, benefits of permeable pavers include:
• Reduces pollution from rain water runoff
• Reduces runoff from the common rain storm by as much as 100%
• 50 year life-cycle for surface
• Outperforms similar systems in harsh climates or freeze thaw cycles
• Replaces detention/retention ponds
While there are pavers specifically labeled as permeable because they are more porous than regular pavers, any Belgard paver can be laid with aggregate material, such as this pool deck featuring Urbana pavers. So you can feel good about protecting the environment for the future while making your outdoor space look good for the party today.
Visit Belgard.biz to request a complimentary Idea Book and start planning your permeable patio today!
Choosing the Right Shape
Posted: January 28, 2013 Filed under: Outdoor Living, Pavers Leave a comment »Shape combines with pattern for a one-two punch and Belgard pavers allow homeowners to demonstrate their artistic flair. But if you’re not as design savvy as you’d like to be, below are a few helpful tips.
- For structures with straight lines and little ornamentation, pavers with interesting shapes installed in a simple geometric pattern work nicely.
- For ornate Victorian-style houses, repeated curves of arched windows and doors can be echoed through the design of curved edges.
- For rectangular, colonial styles, repeat the shape by using brick-shaped pavers.
- The patterns you choose will help create the unique look you’re after. Narrow spaces like paths and alleys can be designed to appear wider simply by laying the pavers on a diagonal or in rows running across the area.
- Wide spaces can seem narrower simply by running rectangular pavers the length of the area. Large expanses require greater visual interest and provide an opportunity to let your imagination run free.
Our versatility gives you the ability to design and create circles, curves, fan-shaped patterns, and much more. Visit www.Belgard.biz to order a complimentary Idea Book and see more inspirational images and helpful tips.
Contractor’s Corner: New Products for 2013
Posted: January 21, 2013 Filed under: Belgard News, Contractor's Corner, Pavers, Walls 2 Comments »Contractors play a pivotal role in helping homeowners bring their outdoor living visions to life. Each month, we’ll offer a Contractor’s Corner post to share tips to help our contractor partners offer even more to homeowners and their landscapes.
A new year brings new beginnings, new inspirations and new Belgard products, of course! We are excited to introduce new product offerings including Lafitt™ Grana Slab, Wellington Wall™ and Mega-Tandem™ Wall.
Lafitt™ Grana Slab
Lafitt Grana Slab pairs sleek, contemporary style with modern durability and design innovation. This three piece modular slab features large scale units and a smooth finish, providing increased area coverage with fewer pieces and giving every outdoor space a grand appearance.
Lafitt Grana Slab, which was used in the 2012 House Beautiful Kitchen of the Year, is regionally available with plans to expand nationwide soon.
Wellington Wall™
Wellington Wall system provides the rough-hewn appearance of hand-laid stone that will complement any hardscapes project. The versatile, multi-piece Wellington Wall system can be used to create attractive, curved or straight retaining and freestanding landscape walls and is great for use in a wide range of residential projects.
Wellington Wall can be used for either retaining or freestanding wall applications and requires no pattern for a random look. Wellington Wall is currently available in the Midwest.
Mega-Tandem™ Wall
Belgard is launching the newest innovation in segmental retaining wall design with Mega-Tandem Wall. Mega-Tandem can be used for residential or commercial applications. Walls may be built up to 10-feet high without reinforcement and 25-feet high with reinforcement.
The face of Mega-Tandem has a texture reminiscent of natural stone. The front veneer panels are attached by connecting members to a back panel and the wall system is filled with net aggregates for structural integrity. Design versatility allows for radiuses and right angle corners with 2.5 degree setback. Mega-Tandem will be released in late spring of 2013.
Contractor’s Corner: Caring for Hardscapes in Cold Climates
Posted: December 17, 2012 Filed under: Contractor's Corner, Pavers Leave a comment »Contractors play a pivotal role in helping homeowners bring their outdoor living visions to life. Each month, we’ll offer a Contractor’s Corner post to share tips to help our contractor partners offer even more to homeowners and their landscapes.
One aspect of being a trustworthy source of information for your customers is keeping up-to-date with industry education. This month, we’re diving into a subject that can help homeowners in even some of the milder climates – how winter’s weather and deicing salts can affect pavers.
With the goal of helping our contractors speak to homeowners about maintaining pavers during freeze season, Belgard published a whitepaper on the effects of deicing salt, Caring for Hardscapes in Cold Climates.
While deicing salts can effectively eliminate slippery conditions, they also may adversely affect interlocking concrete pavers, often used in the landscape, walkways and driveways, by causing visual and structural damage. However, properly manufactured and maintained pavers can resist the degradation caused by the salts. The whitepaper educates readers on why damage occurs and how it can be managed.
“I’ve seen salt damage pavers in as little as three years,” said Lou Mangiaracina, vice president of sales in the Northeast for Belgard Hardscapes, which makes pavers for patios, walkways and driveways. “After a while, salt buildup can disintegrate pavers if they are not properly manufactured and maintained. Care is critical during the wintery seasons to ensure your driveways, walkways and patios maintain their beauty for years to come.”
According to the whitepaper, resistance to salts is related directly to a low absorption rate and a high compressive strength, and pavers generally outperform solid concrete and asphalt in both areas. While no paver is truly deicing salt proof, most are deicing salt resistant.
Properly manufactured pavers, such as Belgard’s innovative range of paver and wall products, can resist the effects of deicing salt because Belgard uses aggregate materials that are high strength with low absorption rates with no deleterious material that may contaminate the finished product. Belgard pavers exceed the American Society for Testing Materials’ (ASTM) industry standard for solid concrete interlocking pavers.
Routine maintenance, as with any exterior surface, can also help minimize the effects of deicing salts. The Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute (ICPI) Technical Committee recommends these guidelines to limit the exposure to deicing:
• Mix the salt with sand, which is visible and the traction can be felt underfoot
• Follow the recommended application and don’t over-apply the salt
• Use deicing salt for melting ice, not for snow removal
• Remove the ice once it’s loose to avoid salt buildup
• Wash off the pavers in the spring, since the salt can continue to cause degradation even after the ice or snow has melted
The full, complimentary whitepaper is available at: http://www.belgard.biz/docs/hardscapes_in_cold_climates.pdf.
To provide your customers with even more tips of safeguarding their outdoor space, click here.
Questions? Use the comments section to get in touch with us. We’d love to hear from you.
Safeguarding Your Outdoor Space
Posted: December 3, 2012 Filed under: Pavers Leave a comment »
With winter comes harsh conditions like ice, sleet and snow and it’s important to safe guard your outdoor space to withstand Mother Nature’s wrath.
First, be sure to store or secure any items that are liable to blow away in strong wind storms. A flying patio umbrella through your back window is the last thing you will want to deal with in below-freezing temperatures.
A properly lighted path is crucial during the winter when the nights are longer and most homeowners leave for work and arrive back home in the dark. Walkway lighting also makes ice easier to spot so you don’t accidentally slip and hurt yourself.
Deicing salts can effectively eliminate slippery conditions, but they also may adversely affect interlocking concrete pavers by causing visual and structural damage. However, properly manufactured and maintained pavers can resist the degradation caused by the salts.
While no paver is truly deicing salt proof, most are deicing salt resistant. Properly manufactured pavers, such as Belgard’s innovative range of paver and wall products, can resist the effects of deicing salt because Belgard uses aggregate materials that are high strength with low absorption rates with no deleterious material that may contaminate the finished product. Routine maintenance, as with any exterior surface, can also help minimize the effects of deicing salts. The Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute (ICPI) Technical Committee recommends these guidelines to limit the exposure to deicing:
• Mix the salt with sand, which is visible and the traction can be felt underfoot.
• Follow the recommended application and don’t over-apply the salt.
• Use deicing salt for melting ice, not for snow removal.
• Remove the ice once it’s loose to avoid salt buildup.
• Wash off the pavers in the spring, since the salt can continue to cause degradation even after the ice or snow has melted.
Taking steps to ensure your outdoor space is safeguarded for winter can save you a lot of headaches and pain in the long run.
Pattern Perfect
Posted: November 5, 2012 Filed under: Pavers Leave a comment »When it comes to pavers, your options don’t just end at colors and styles. Belgard pavers are versatile and can be arranged in a multitude of styles and patterns for any application to create your own unique outdoor space.
From linear to herringbone, checkerboard to running bond, or modular to random – it’s easy to find the paver pattern that’s perfect for your project. Here are a few of our favorite photos that show how a pattern can change everything:
Old World and Mega Bergerac
Bergerac
Arbel
Bergerac
Dublin
Urbana
Be sure to discuss pattern options with your contractor when planning your next paver project!
Preparing for Autumn with Proper Lawn and Paver Maintenance
Posted: August 27, 2012 Filed under: Pavers 3 Comments »
With September on our heels and its cooler temperatures and falling leaves, it is the perfect time to start thinking about preparing for autumn with proper lawn and paver maintenance. You can do more now to impact how your lawn will look next year than at any other time of the year.
Fertilize your lawn with a winterizer fertilizer before the first heavy freeze to encourage strong, vigorous root development. This step allows grass to get off to a better start in the spring and increases resistance to disease and insects.
While nobody likes to rake leaves, it’s an important step in autumn lawn maintenance. If you have a lot of leaves, mulch them and apply them to your lawn where they act like a second fertilizer application for the grass.
Luckily, with Belgard pavers your job is easy. Our pavers require very little maintenance. Thanks to a manufacturing process that ensures quality, colorfastness and weather resistance, our unique Colorgard technology evenly disperses colors throughout each and every paver, wall, and curb unit we make. Belgard products resist UV rays, maintain their original color year after year, and hold up to stressful weather extremes.
Additionally, stained or broken pavers can be easily replaced without patches. Ants and weeds in joints can be prevented with sealers or herbicides.
You can still enjoy your outdoor space even during upkeep – involve the whole family and make it a fun activity. The chores will get done faster and you can get back to relaxing on your beautiful, leaf-free Belgard patio.
Who does the outdoor chores in your home?
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