Manufacturers
Belgard – Industry Leaders in Pavers
Belgard, the leaders in pavers & pool decking explain what has led them to be a top choice among pros in the pool industry as well as consumers.
When talking about higher quality products and materials used for pool decking, Belgard is a name frequently dropped into the conversation. Belgard is widely recognized as the industry leaders in Pavers.
The manufacturer has been long regarded in the pool industry for their high quality products. You will see Belgard pavers surrounding the finest swimming pools in the country.
Belgard Pavers – A Popular Choice For Pool Decks
Patios and decks are intrinsically tied to inground swimming pools. Consequently, when contractors are planning a project – Belgard products often come into play. Their wide array of paver products are often used in the application of the pool deck area and retaining walls. With one of the largest and well supported product lines, they have become one of the most popular hardscaping choices with both professionals and retail consumers. Belgard’s professional products are available at more than 2,000 dealers throughout North America.
Swimming pool decking can be quite elaborate. Homeowners look for options that will enhance and beautify their backyard as well as provide a cohesive and flowing dynamic to the pool area. Belgard’s wide selection of high quality products, customer & retail focused initiatives and innovative technology have been what has helped differentiate them from competitors.
Their line of Standard, Porcelain, and Permeable pavers provide incredibly flexible installation options for angular, curved, entangled, floating, modular, raised, and sunken paver applications.
We had the opportunity to speak with Joe Raboine – Director of Belgard Residential Hardscapes recently. Prior to joining Belgard, Joe had over 15 years experience as a contractor. Raboine is a highly acclaimed expert in the field of hardscapes and outdoor living design.
Belgard’s line of paver products are widely used in the application of pool decks. Raboine brings a contractors perspective to the conversation when discussing the benefits of pavers over stamped concrete. We asked him to help explain the benefits to home owners who are considering pavers vs concrete as an option.
Benefits of Pavers Over Other Deck Options
Pavers are a tremendously popular decking option for consumers. There are literally thousands of different designs and materials to choose from. However, pricing for pavers vs concrete is often on par or slightly higher. Joe Raboine is responsible for many of Belgard’s initiatives. As a leading innovator in hardscapes, Raboine offers some insight as to why consumers might choose pavers over other decking applications such as stamped concrete. “Often, consumers opt for pavers because of the cost savings in potential maintenance” said Raboine.
“When performing pool repairs, builders often opt for pavers because they are much easier to remove and reinstall. Accessibility is important to contractors. Conversely, pool repairs with a concrete deck will often involve a jackhammer and costly repairs thereafter.”
JOE RABOINE – DIRECtor OF BELgArD RESIDENTIAL HARDSCAPES
“Consumers also appreciate paver sealants which help make surfaces less slippery and tend to provide better contact surface grip.” Raboine explained. “They are also incredibly durable and have a much higher PSI strength in comparison to concrete decks which tend to chip and crack”.
Belgard Sets The Curve
You’ll find Belgard’s wide selection of products in most retail home improvement stores around America. Raboine explained how their continuous approach towards innovation is what has led Belgard towards establishing itself as a leader in hardscapes today. “We have released several exciting new products and design tools that will definitely help the pool industry. These include Belgard Design Studio, Rooms, and Artforms™.”
Design Studio
The recent release of Belgard Design Studio enables Belgard Authorized Contractors to provide customer access to 3D Virtual Walkthroughs of their paver products. With just a few site photos and a conceptual sketch of the outdoor living design, Belgard Design Studio can convert those ideas into a set of beautiful 3D designs. Their Authorized Contractor program allows for unlimited 3D renderings. This may prove especially useful to pool designers who often incorporate 3D designs in their sales presentations. It’s also incredibly beneficial for homeowners who want to visualize paver options and pool deck designs.
Rooms
With the release of Belgard Rooms, consumers now have a linear path to plan their outdoor living project. The new online tool provides an innovative and interactive process that guides homeowners through the initial stages of design. This includes product selection and outdoor room layout. Already the program has been helping retailers leverage automation to cut down on time spent during the design phase. Raboine has been closely involved with these projects, both of which have enormous applications for backyard remodeling and pool deck design.
Artforms™
Belgard’s newest product Artforms™ is the hardscape industry’s first fully finished modular concrete panel system for outdoor living. The new system has applications for benches, barbecues, counters, fireplaces, planters, and privacy walls. This innovative new product allows the pre-formed concrete panels to be easily configured and affixed. Artforms™ provides simple, adjustable stainless steel hardware, allowing for multiple, personalized configurations.
How Belgard is Keeping Up With Demand
Belgard has had a deep association with the swimming pool industry for years. This past year saw unprecedented increase in sales for inground swimming pools. Many attributed the spike in demand to Covid-19, which consequently led to homeowners renewing an interest in improving their backyards.
Analysts predict the 2021 Spring and Summer season will be a repeat of last year. There is still alot of pent up demand from homeowners that were unable to build last year. Already costs have been increasing across the board on labor and materials. Major manufacturers and distributors have announced price increases already, citing supply chain issues as the number one source.
We asked Raboine how Belgard has dealt with keeping up with demand and how they are shifting operations to deal with the pandemic.
“We’ve added new facilities and have been working 24/7/365 trying to stay ahead of demand.”
Joe Raboine – Director of belgard residential hardscapes
“We’re actively working with all of our dealers and distributors trying to forecast and predict order flow. This allows us to better plan. It also allows us to make sure that we have inventory available to better service our customers.” Raboine explained. The Residential Hardscapes division volume expects a spike. Consequently, they advise installers and retailers to get their orders in as quickly as possible. Ordering early will help them accommodate anticipated heavy order volume this season.
Featured Photo Credit: Alan Smith Pools – Gemstone Silver Pearl Radiant Fusion Finish with Belgard Lafit Grana Victorian pavers and Hancrete Cobblestone Light Sandblast – All other photos provided courtesy of Belgard.