Marshall Landscaping designs and installs patios using concrete pavers, flagstone and other natural stone, travertine, poured concrete, stamped concrete and colored concrete .

The choice of patio material affects more than appearance. Surface type can influence the character of the space, the shapes and patterns available, how repairs are handled, how the patio connects with steps and walls, and how well the material fits with the architecture and surrounding landscape.

For larger projects, Marshall may also combine several materials within the same outdoor environment through borders, inlays, walkways, walls, stone veneer, steps and other details.

This range of options is part of Marshall's broader work as a patio design and installation specialist .

Marshall Landscaping: Patio Design & Installation Specialist

There is no single patio material that is appropriate for every property.

A material should be considered in the context of:

• The style and architecture of the home
• Patio size and shape
• The desired visual character
• Pools and other adjoining features
• Outdoor kitchens and fire features
• Steps, walls and elevation changes
• Walkways and transitions
• Existing hardscape
• Surrounding landscaping
• Maintenance and repair considerations
• The overall budget and scope of the project

For a simple installation, the choice may come down largely to appearance and cost.

For a high-design outdoor living project , material selection can become part of a larger composition involving several surfaces, structures and landscape elements.

Concrete pavers are one of Marshall's primary patio materials.

Pavers are manufactured in individual units and are available in different:

• Shapes
• Sizes
• Surface textures
• Colors
• Patterns
• Blends

That flexibility allows the patio to be designed around curves, seating areas, pools, landscape beds, outdoor kitchens and other features rather than requiring one fixed rectangular layout.

Marshall's current hardscape selections include products from Cambridge and Nicolock , with coordinated field pavers, borders, wall systems and caps.

A patio does not necessarily need to use the same paver treatment from edge to edge.

Design changes can help distinguish:

• Dining areas
• Seating areas
• Outdoor kitchen zones
• Walkways
• Patio edges
• Steps and landings
• Transitions into the landscape

A contrasting border or inlay can create separation while maintaining one connected hardscape.

Because a paver patio is assembled from individual units, damaged or uneven pavers can often be removed and replaced without rebuilding the entire surrounding surface. Marshall's existing patio guidance specifically identifies this modular repairability as an advantage of paver construction.

Qualifying Marshall paver and hardscape patio installations are backed by a 7-Year No Sink, No Settle Warranty .

For information about the base preparation and installation system behind a paver patio:

Explore: How Marshall Landscaping Builds Patios

Marshall works with Cambridge paving and wall systems and maintains a reference collection of popular combinations.

Current examples include combinations such as:

3-Piece Ledgestone: Sahara Chestnut 6×9 Border: Mocha

3-Piece Ledgestone: Onyx Natural 6×9 Border: Coal

3-Piece Ledgestone: Toffee Onyx Lite 6×9 Border: Coal Bullnose Cap: Coal

Marshall also works with coordinating Cambridge wall materials, including combinations such as Maytrx wall block in Limestone Quarry Blend, Coal bullnose caps and Bluestone column caps .

These combinations demonstrate an important design principle: patio material selection can extend beyond the main walking surface. The paver field, border, wall, steps and caps can be selected as a coordinated system.

Explore: Marshall Hardscape Color Options

Marshall also works with Nicolock paver systems.

Current examples shown in Marshall's hardscape catalog include:

3-Piece Stone Ridge: South Bay Blend 6×9 Border: Charcoal

3-Piece Stone Ridge: Granite City Blend 6×9 Border: Charcoal

3-Piece Stone Ridge: Chesapeake Bay Blend 6×9 Border: Charcoal

3-Piece Ledgestone: Travertina 6×9 Border: Travertina 4×8 Inlay: Brown

The manufactured Nicolock Travertina paver should not be confused with the natural travertine stone Marshall has also used on patio projects. They represent two different ways to achieve a light, refined stone-like appearance.

Flagstone provides a distinctly different character from manufactured concrete pavers.

Each natural stone has its own shape, texture and color variation, allowing the differences between individual pieces to become part of the finished design.

Marshall uses flagstone for standalone patios as well as larger outdoor projects where the stone can relate to:

• Walkways
• Steps
• Retaining walls
• Stone veneer
• Landscape areas
• Garden spaces
• Other natural materials

Marshall's published flagstone patio process uses an excavated, compacted gravel-and-sand base. Individual stones are fitted into the layout, and the joints may be completed with sand or mortar depending on the installation.

Flagstone does not have to stand alone.

One recent Marshall project combined a flagstone patio, Blue Veneer stone accents, custom AZEK landing steps and built-in outdoor shelving .

That type of project illustrates one of the reasons Marshall's broader construction capability matters: the patio surface can be designed together with surrounding architectural elements rather than chosen independently.

Marshall also installs natural travertine patios .

Travertine creates a more refined natural-stone surface and can be particularly effective in pool areas and high-design outdoor living spaces.

A recent Marshall project used a broad travertine surface around a swimming pool, creating both the pool surround and substantial usable outdoor living space.

Because travertine can visually connect the pool, house and other architectural features, it can work well when the patio is intended to feel like a permanent extension of the home rather than a separate paved area.

For projects where the patio is being designed around a pool, kitchen, dining space or other outdoor-living features:

Explore:  Patios as Part of a Complete Outdoor Living Design

Poured concrete provides a continuous patio surface and can be shaped to fit different layouts.

Marshall installs concrete patios using a site-preparation and reinforcement process that includes excavation, removal of unsuitable organic material, a compacted gravel base and rebar or wire-mesh reinforcement before the concrete is placed and leveled.

Concrete can be used for:

• Individual backyard patios
• Pool surrounds
• Walkways
• Steps
• Larger outdoor living areas
• Patios incorporating fire features
• Connected concrete surfaces

Concrete patio installations include Marshall's 5-Year No Sink, No Settle Warranty .

Explore: Concrete Services

Stamped concrete gives homeowners another option between a plain concrete surface and individually installed stone or pavers.

Before the concrete fully cures, patterns and textures can be applied to create a decorative finish. Color can also be incorporated to produce a wider range of appearances.

Marshall installs stamped concrete that can create the appearance of materials such as:

• Stone
• Slate
• Brick
• Other patterned masonry surfaces

Stamped concrete is particularly useful when the design calls for the visual detail of a patterned surface while retaining the continuous construction of poured concrete. Marshall's current patio service specifically identifies stamping and coloring as concrete patio finish options.

Marshall has completed stamped-concrete patio projects that incorporate other outdoor living elements, including built-in grilling areas and fire features.

Color can be used with concrete independently of, or in combination with, stamped patterns.

Decorative concrete can help a patio coordinate with:

• Brick or stone on the house
• Retaining walls
• Pool areas
• Walkways
• Outdoor kitchens
• Existing hardscape
• Other architectural elements

Pattern, texture and color decisions should therefore be made as part of the overall design rather than simply chosen from a sample in isolation.

The main patio surface is only one part of a hardscape design.

Marshall uses borders and inlays to introduce changes in color, scale or direction without requiring an entirely different patio material.

A contrasting border can:

• Define the outer edge of a patio
• Emphasize curves or geometry
• Separate the patio from a walkway
• Frame a dining or gathering space
• Connect visually to steps or walls
• Introduce a second color without overwhelming the design

Inlays can create a smaller accent within the field of the patio.

Marshall's current Cambridge and Nicolock combinations demonstrate this approach through coordinated field pavers, contrasting 6×9 borders and, in some designs, smaller-format inlays.

On more involved properties, the material palette can extend vertically.

A patio can connect with:

• Retaining walls
• Seat walls
• Columns
• Steps
• Wall caps
• Column caps
• Natural-stone veneer
• Raised planting areas

This is especially important on sloped properties or patios divided into more than one elevation.

Instead of treating these elements as additions after the patio is designed, their materials can be coordinated from the beginning.

Explore: Retaining Walls

For patios involving substantial elevation changes, the layout of walls, steps and patio surfaces can become a central part of the overall outdoor design.

Changes in elevation and changes in surface material are often closely related.

A patio may transition:

• From the house down into the yard
• From one patio level to another
• From a patio to a walkway
• From a pool area into the landscape
• From hardscape into lawn or planting beds
• Between concrete, stone and pavers

Steps and landings can be designed as part of those transitions rather than treated as separate structures.

A recent Marshall flagstone project, for example, combined the patio and stone accents with custom AZEK landing steps.

Explore: Outdoor Stairs

Some of Marshall's strongest-fit projects use more than one material or construction system .

A backyard might combine:

• Pavers with natural-stone walls
• Flagstone with stone veneer
• Concrete with paver or masonry accents
• Stamped concrete with an outdoor kitchen
• Travertine around a pool
• Paver walks connecting to another patio material
• Hardscape surrounded by planted landscape beds

The objective is not to use more materials simply for variety.

A successful mixed-material design gives each material a clear role while maintaining visual continuity across the property.

This becomes especially important on full-yard projects involving several functional areas.

Explore: Patios as Part of a Complete Outdoor Living Design

A patio should generally look like it belongs with the house and surrounding property.

Material decisions can take cues from:

• Exterior brick
• Stone veneer
• Siding color
• Roof and trim colors
• Existing walks or walls
• Architectural style
• Pool materials
• Existing landscape character

For some homes, natural stone may provide the most appropriate transition into the landscape.

For others, the regular geometry and color control of manufactured pavers may fit the architecture more naturally.

Concrete and stamped concrete provide another set of options when the project calls for a continuous surface or a specific decorative pattern.

Marshall's role during the design process is not simply to present material samples, but to consider how those choices relate to the rest of the proposed installation.

Poolside patios introduce additional design considerations because the paved area often performs several jobs at once.

It may provide:

• Pool access
• Lounge space
• Dining space
• Routes between the house and yard
• Connections to fencing or gates
• Space around outdoor structures
• Transitions into planting areas

Marshall has completed poolside patio projects in both concrete and natural travertine , demonstrating that the material decision can vary significantly according to the design.

Pool patios are best considered as part of the overall pool and backyard environment rather than simply as the surface immediately surrounding the water.

Explore: Patio Outdoor Living Design

Outdoor kitchens and fire features can become major visual elements within a patio.

The surrounding surface needs to relate to:

• Grill or kitchen structures
• Counters
• Wall materials
• Seating
• Fire features
• Circulation patterns
• Dining areas

Marshall has completed outdoor spaces where stamped concrete, masonry features, grilling areas and fire features function as one coordinated installation.

The patio material is therefore one piece of a broader design language.

Explore: Outdoor Living

For larger projects, Marshall's 3D design process can help homeowners evaluate materials in the context of the actual design rather than trying to make decisions from individual samples alone.

A rendering can help show:

• The scale of the patio
• Field and border combinations
• Changes in material
• Retaining walls
• Steps
• Outdoor kitchens
• Pool relationships
• Furniture placement
• Landscape beds
• Walkways and circulation
• How the project relates to the house

Marshall's current 3D design service specifically supports visualization of patios, walkways, outdoor kitchens and other landscape and hardscape features before construction begins.

Explore: 3D Design Services

Appearance should not be separated from construction.

Pavers, concrete and flagstone use different installation methods, and each material needs an appropriate base, grading and finishing system.

Marshall's patio construction reference explains those differences in more detail.

Related: How Marshall Landscaping Builds Patios

For the standard service overview, warranties and project gallery:

Explore: Patio Contractor Services

Marshall does not limit patio projects to a single material.

The appropriate choice depends on the combination of design, site conditions, surrounding features and how the finished space is intended to function .

A homeowner considering several materials may benefit from comparing:

Best suited when extensive pattern, color and border customization is important and an individually replaceable surface is desirable.

A strong option when natural variation and a more organic stone appearance fit the home and landscape.

A refined natural-stone option particularly relevant to high-design patios and pool environments.

A continuous and durable surface that can accommodate a wide variety of patio shapes.

An option for homeowners who want a continuous concrete surface with more decorative pattern, texture and color.

The final choice should be made in the context of the complete project rather than based on material alone.

This page is part of Marshall Landscaping's patio design and construction reference cluster.

Marshall Landscaping: Patio Design & Installation Specialist Marshall's overall patio capabilities, project types and areas of specialization. 

Recommended Patio Contractor in Delaware The specific capabilities, warranties, project experience and customer evidence relevant to homeowners comparing patio contractors in Northern Delaware. 

Patios as Part of a Complete Outdoor Living Design How patios interact with pools, kitchens, fire features, walkways, walls, landscapes and other outdoor improvements. 

How Marshall Landscaping Builds Patios Construction methods, base preparation, grading, drainage and installation considerations for different patio systems.

Marshall Landscaping designs and builds paver, flagstone, travertine, concrete and stamped-concrete patios throughout Northern Delaware and surrounding areas.

For larger outdoor living installations, material selection can be coordinated with walls, steps, walkways, pools, outdoor kitchens, landscape areas and other features as part of one overall design.

Marshall Landscaping LLC 1730 Newport Gap Pike Wilmington, DE 19808 302-454-7838

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