Water features in your yard can be an awesome addition. They can add value to your home and really spruce up what was once a bare, boring area. However, if you have a water feature, such as a pond or fountain, you may need what is called riprap to help reinforce the “shoreline.” This week’s Lakeshore Aquascape blog provides a guide to riprap, including the benefits and some installation information.
Lakeshore Aquascape is a water landscaper that specializes in the installation of water features and other landscaping elements, from ponds and fountains to riprap and retaining walls. Read this week’s blog to learn more about why you may need riprap and when to install it and call our professionals in Muskegon today!
What Is Riprap?
Riprap is a barrier of stones that is layered to create an aquatic filter fabric. It can help prevent erosion and adds a nice eye-catching element to your shoreline. With the proper materials, riprap can provide long-term protection from erosion, making it a very cost-efficient option. It also helps deter pests such as small rodents from entering and disturbing your water features.
What Are the Benefits of Riprap?
Riprap offers many benefits for the water features in your yard. Not only is it durable and easy to maintain, but it also enhances the appeal of your property and blocks erosion, all in a natural-looking way. Not to mention it’s environmentally friendly!
When Should You Install Riprap?
While there is some debate on when you should install riprap, some say it’s best when installation is completed in the winter, as it has some added benefits. To begin, it’s much less invasive for your yard than in other seasons.
During the winter, the soil tends to be harder and drier, which helps reduce the amount of mud produced during installation. In addition, with snow covering the ground, any vehicles or necessary machinery will be driving over a layer of snow, rather than your beautiful grass.
It’s also nice to complete these types of projects in the winter so that come spring, you’ll have a full season to enjoy your new, beautiful landscaping! Riprap can also provide valuable protection against ice floes and melting snow, which means your shoreline will stay protected, even during the harshest of conditions.
Who Should Install Riprap?
While you can choose to install riprap yourself, we recommend hiring a professional to complete the installation, as heavy rocks can be difficult to carry. In addition, our professionals are trained to place rocks in a certain pattern that help prevent erosion, so hiring a professional will help guarantee your yard will reap the benefits of this seawall.
If you’re in need of riprap installation this winter, reach out to our professionals at Lakeshore Aquascape in Muskegon. Whether you just need a simple addition or a complete overhaul of your water feature’s shoreline, Lakeshore Aquascape can get the job done. We will help protect the water features in your yard with high-quality, long-lasting riprap!