Hardscaping Products

Report Overview

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This study covers the United States market for hardscaping products, which are defined as hard goods used in landscaping activities.

Analysis of the hardscaping products market in the US is provided by product:

• concrete pavers, slabs, and planks
• lumber (e.g., wood, plastic, composite)
• blocks (e.g., stone, concrete, and glass)
• ready-mix concrete
• stone tiles, slabs, and veneer (natural and manufactured/faux)
• bricks (clay and concrete)
• aggregates (e.g., sand, gravel, pebbles, crushed stone)
• other hardscaping products, such as stone boulders; porcelain, other ceramic, and glass tile; metal and plastic edging; plastic or rubber pavers; and plastic faux rocks

In addition, demand is analyzed by material:

• clay
• concrete
• plastic
• rock and stone
• wood
• other materials (e.g., glass, rubber, metal)

Demand is also segmented by market, including new and renovation and repair applications:

• residential
• commercial
• recreation and infrastructure (e.g., parks, golf courses, playgrounds, roads)

Furthermore, demand is also segmented by end user: professional and consumer/do-it-yourself. Demand by application is also analyzed:

• patios
• walkways
• walls
• edging and other applications (e.g., sand traps, residential recreation areas, plazas, and surrounds and facing of outdoor fireplaces, kitchens, or other outdoor living elements

Lumber decking is excluded.

Finally, demand is examined by US region.

In addition, retails sales for hardscaping products are provided.

The hardscaping used to produce site-built outdoor kitchens and heating products is included, but similar materials that are incorporated at the manufacturers’ level into prefabricated versions are not. Also excluded from coverage in this category are hardscape products used in non-landscape areas like driveways or roadways. Additionally, bricks and blocks that are part of home structure are generally excluded. Products used in retaining walls are typically not included if the structure necessary to the integrity of yard or building.

Raised beds made from separately purchased lumber are included. Beds made from scratch with salvaged or recycled materials are excluded.

Historical data for 2010, 2015, and 2020 and forecasts to 2025 and 2030 are provided for demand in current dollars (which are not adjusted to account for inflation).

General Landscaping Outlook

Demand for landscaping products is forecast to advance 2.6% annually to $10.7 billion in 2025. Gains will be driven by a variety of factors, including:

• increasing participation in outdoor living, which is leading consumers to invest in upgrades to their home’s outdoor areas
• a healthy economic and consumer spending outlook, which will allow consumers to invest more in their landscaping, including the purchase of higher value products
• solid growth in construction and renovation activities, including the residential market, where the majority of landscaping products are sold
• elevated levels of participation in gardening, particularly among younger generations
• further investment in restaurants, hotels, and institutional buildings, including the installation of outdoor entertainment areas and urban greenspaces
• the popularity of home improvement and remodeling shows, which inspire homeowners to take on new projects to improve their homes

Effective and targeted marketing will continue to be important in developing further sales opportunities for landscaping products. This includes:

• marketing to aging baby boomers, who have more time and higher levels of income to invest in their outdoor spaces
• building on the growing popularity of the do-it-for-me (DIFM) trend by developing landscaping design tools and specialty products that target the professional end user
• marketing products to new homeowners, particularly in light of the recent housing market, and to younger generations purchasing their first homes

Demand by Product Type

Demand for hardscape products used in landscaping is expected to increase 3.3% per year to $3.9 billion in 2025. Gains will be supported by:

• continued growth in the popularity of outdoor living spaces, such as patios and outdoor kitchens, which are often constructed using large volumes of hardscaping and increasingly reflect indoor styles
• increases in construction activity in all markets, which will support new hardscaping installations – including patios that are often installed during new construction, and paths, garden edging, decorative walls, and other elements that are added as new installations on existing property at some point after initial construction – and the repair of old installations
• a healthy economic outlook, which will support investment by both residential and commercial property owners in more extensive landscaping projects
• increasing installation of permeable pavers in all markets, as these product types help prevent issues with water runoff and flooding
• hardscape products that offer easier construction, which can limit labor requirements

Concrete pavers will remain the dominant hardscaping product due to their versatility, strength and durability, and relatively low cost. Relatively strong growth is expected in a number of hardscape categories, with continued demand for outdoor living areas supporting all types of hardscaping. That said, some of the smaller, niche product types will continue to see strong gains, such as porcelain pavers.

Ready-Mix Concrete

Ready-mix concrete accounted for 9% of hardscaping product demand in 2020. This category includes both standard-poured and stamped ready-mix concrete hardscaping. Ready-mix concrete can also be stained to provide colors other than gray.

Demand for ready-mix concrete in hardscaping is projected to increase 3.9% annually to $375 million in 2025. Gains will be supported by:

• consumers upgrading their outdoor areas with patios and walkways, which often employ ready-mix concrete
• growth in housing completions, as walkways and patios are often installed during construction
• the development of more pervious ready-mix formulations, which feature coarser aggregates and little to no sand

However, ready-mix concrete will continue to see competition from concrete pavers and other paving materials such as stone and porcelain, which are easier to install and repair. Additionally, sales will be limited by growing demand for permeable pavers, since most concrete paving creates rather than prevents run off.

US demand for hardscaping products is forecast to rise 3.3% per year to $3.9 billion in 2025, supported by:

• growth in professional-grade improvement projects, the leading outlet for these products
• ongoing elevated spending on the addition or expansion of outdoor spaces
• increasing building construction activity and spending on public infrastructure
• growing preferences for higher value products, such as natural stone, that bring indoor aesthetics outside
• technological advances that enable lower cost materials such as concrete to imitate the look and texture of higher value materials

Pandemic-Driven Boost in Growth to Last Short Term Due to Professional Market

The COVID-19 pandemic had a positive effect on the hardscaping market in 2020, especially in the DIY market, where home improvement activity saw a sharp increase. Professional sales – the leading outlet for hardscaping due to the skill often required to install these products – did not grow quite as fast, as financial uncertainty, health concerns, and other factors prevented demand for larger scale projects to be fulfilled early in the pandemic. As economic conditions improved in 2020 and 2021, demand for these higher value projects soared, but labor shortages, long wait times, and supply chain slowdowns caused some projects to be deferred further. As these restraints continue to become less of a factor, more delayed projects will be completed, boosting growth for hardscaping products through the short term.

Expansion of Outdoor Spaces Will Benefit Commercial Market Over the Long Term

Like homeowners, commercial property owners are placing emphasis on creating outdoor spaces that can serve their needs. Business owners and property management companies are seeking to provide customers with space to dine or socialize outdoors or to improve aesthetics of the spaces they already have. Looking forward, these trends are expected to continue as more property owners see the value in having attractive and functional outdoor areas, promoting installations of patios, walkways, walls, and edging.

Outdoor Living & Gardening Trends Will Support Growth in Higher Value Materials

Though concrete will remain by far the most intensively used hardscaping material due to its low cost and wide availability, outdoor living and gardening trends are driving demand for higher value materials, boosting market value:

• Rock and stone will continue to benefit from the outdoor living trend of adding hardscaped outdoor areas that are complemented with higher value finishes.
• Wood will benefit from its use in several hardscaping applications, especially raised garden beds, as more consumers are gardening, at least in the short term.