County Materials Receives Top Honors at 2019 Excellence in Hardscape Design Competition
County Materials congratulates the contractors and designers who received recognition at the 2019 Wisconsin Excellence in Hardscape Design Competition. Six projects utilizing hardscape products manufactured by County Materials received awards, including the Best of Show winner. This year’s event took place on March 7th, at the Glacier Canyon Conference Center in Wisconsin Dells, WI.
The Excellence in Hardscape Design Competition is an annual award ceremony that features the best hardscape projects in Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The competition features the best use of pavers, slabs, concrete retaining wall units, landscape block and other related hardscape products, and creates awareness of landscape professionals who are creatively implementing hardscaping projects with quality craftsmanship.
Winning projects are selected by a panel of landscape professionals and are judged based on their overall excellence in design, creativity, functionality, selection and quality of products, installation techniques, craftsmanship, and finished appearance. The following projects were selected by the industry panel and were supplied by County Materials:
Timmers Lawn and Landscape won the Best of Show and received the Gold Award in the Best Pool Deck or Pool Surround Project category for their craftsmanship on the Scenic Lane Residence. This project was awarded for the creative use of pavers and retaining wall units, building a one-of-a-kind backyard living space and pool deck. The project utilized Tranquility® Pavers in Timeless, with Elements™ Paving Stones in Reflection as a border. Crest™ Bullnose Pavers made an ideal smooth pool coping. Tribute® Retaining Wall System, with its built-in grooves for efficient splitting and multiple pin channels, proved to be the ideal option for creating this project’s winding seat wall, outdoor kitchen, and water pillar features.
Paul’s Landscaping LLC won the Gold Award in the Best Specialty Wall Project category for their work on the Rain Dance Trail Residence patio and retaining wall. This lake ront home maximized use of the site and created easily accessible features with retaining walls. The walls not only enhance the look of the entire property, but they offer a stable foundation for this large outdoor living space. This project was selected for its impressive combination of size, design, and engineering skill. The large terraced retaining walls were constructed with County Block® Retaining Wall System units. County Block’s versatility and simple pin system offered a solution to leveling out the extreme elevation changes in the backyard, allowing for maximum patio space near the home. The project’s design includes an impressive round parapet built on one end of the wall, which creates an intimate gathering place around a firepit. The terraced walls in this project were engineered for lasting stability and performance.
Highway Landscapers Inc. received a Gold Award in the Segmental Retaining Wall Projects category for the installation of Rib Rock™ Landscape Block at Memorial Park in the Village of Kimberly, WI. This project was awarded for its ingenuity and installation techniques. Original project plans called for a traditional sized segmental retaining wall unit. The contractor turned to the larger sized Rib Rock unites to speed up construction by allowing more square footage to be placed at a time. In addition, Rib Rock’s interlocking design ensured easier installation and enhanced structural integrity for the life of the project.
Lizer Landscape and Nursery received the Silver Award in the Best Outdoor Living/Kitchen Area Under 1,000 sq. ft. category for their installation at the Palmer Driver Residence. This project was awarded for its innovative use of hardscape materials, converting a backyard with a seven-foot drop-off into an impressive backyard space. Tribute® Retaining Wall System was selected to raise the patio on this project because of the product line’s pinning system that offers enhanced stability. Tribute units were also installed throughout the project to create a unified look. Summit Stone® Landscape Units were used to create the project’s many features including the bar area and fire place. Elements™ Paving Stones allowed for a perfect combination of accent lines and borders throughout the patio.
Schneider & Sons Landscaping, Inc. won a Bronze Award in the Best Permeable Paver Residential Project category for the installation of H2O Pro® Pavers at the Rawhide Road Residence. H2O Pro Pavers were utilized on this project to create a simple patio surrounding a fire place and subtle pathways throughout the property. Permeable Pavers provided this project an option that met DNR storm water regulations for lakeside homes.
Milaeger’s Landscape Design won a Bronze Award in the Best Concrete Paver Commercial Application Under 2,500 sq. ft. for installing a refreshing patio space for the Reef Point Marina Racine, WI. Elements Paving Stones were selected to create this patio area. The patio was designed to accommodate multiple groups at a time by incorporating separate areas and multiple grills. The patio has a center square with two grills, and a fire pit table. There are four sections that branch out from the center to create individual picnic areas. There is also a pathway leading to a pool area, and a new path that exits directly to the docks. This intricate layout was made possible with the flexibility of Elements Paving Stones.
County Materials congratulates all the winners and participants in this year’s Excellence in Hardscape Design Competition.
