Why Mountain Strong Landscaping Uses GFTK 850 & GFTK 815 Instead of Polymeric Sand

When investing in a paver patio, walkway, driveway, or outdoor living space, the material between the pavers is just as important as the pavers themselves. At Mountain Strong Landscaping, we’ve made the decision to move away from traditional polymeric sand and exclusively use GFTK 850 and GFTK 815 jointing mortars because we believe they provide a superior long-term solution for our customers throughout Martinsburg, Hedgesville, Inwood, Charles Town, Falling Waters, Bunker Hill, Shepherdstown, Berkeley County, Jefferson County, and the surrounding areas.

Why We No Longer Use Polymeric Sand

While polymeric sand has been the industry standard for many years, we’ve experienced the limitations of the product firsthand. Over time, polymeric sand can be prone to erosion, cracking, washout, and inconsistent performance. Rather than continue installing a product that doesn’t meet our high standards, we’ve transitioned to GFTK jointing mortars to provide our customers with a more reliable and longer-lasting hardscape system.

Exceptional Longevity

GFTK 850 and GFTK 815 are designed to withstand years of foot traffic, weather, and everyday use while maintaining strong, stable joints. Although these products are relatively new to the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, they’ve been successfully installed throughout Europe for more than 50 years, proving their long-term durability in demanding climates.

Permeable for Better Drainage

Unlike traditional mortar joints, GFTK jointing mortars remain permeable, allowing rainwater to drain through the joints instead of pooling on the surface. This promotes proper drainage and helps protect your patio or walkway from standing water.

Safe to Power Wash

One of the biggest advantages of GFTK is its ability to withstand routine pressure washing. Homeowners can safely clean their patios and walkways without worrying about the joints washing out like traditional polymeric sand.

Rain Doesn’t Have to Delay Your Project

Weather delays can be frustrating for both homeowners and contractors. One major benefit of GFTK products is that they can be installed in wet conditions, allowing projects to continue even when rain is in the forecast. This helps us stay on schedule and complete projects more efficiently.

Built for West Virginia Winters

Our climate experiences freezing temperatures, snow, ice, and heavy use of de-icing salts. GFTK 850 and GFTK 815 are highly resistant to freeze-thaw cycles and de-icing salts, making them an excellent choice for patios, walkways, and driveways throughout Martinsburg, Inwood, Hedgesville, Charles Town, Shepherdstown, and surrounding communities.

Helps Prevent Weeds and Burrowing Insects

A properly installed GFTK joint creates a durable barrier that significantly reduces weed growth while helping resist burrowing insects such as ants. That means less maintenance and a cleaner, more attractive hardscape for years to come.

Bringing Industry-Leading Technology to Our Local Communities

Mountain Strong Landscaping is proud to be one of the first hardscape contractors in the Martinsburg area to fully adopt the GFTK jointing system. We’re committed to staying ahead of industry advancements so our customers receive the highest-quality materials and installation methods available.

Whether you’re planning a new paver patio in Martinsburg, a walkway in Hedgesville, a fire pit in Inwood, a driveway in Charles Town, or an outdoor living space anywhere in Berkeley County, Jefferson County, or the surrounding areas, you can trust Mountain Strong Landscaping to build it using premium materials designed for lasting performance.

When you choose Mountain Strong Landscaping, you’re choosing craftsmanship, innovation, and products that are built to stand the test of time. That’s why we’ve made GFTK 850 and GFTK 815 our standard for every qualifying hardscape project

Joan Betz
Joan Betz
2024-07-11
Mountain Strong just completed a patio and walkway for my home in Berkeley springs. It is so beautiful and exceeds my expectations! Keegan is a skilled professional who is both meticulous and creative. He worked to give me just what I wanted within my budget The job was completed in a timely manner and Keegan and his team were a delight with which to work I highly recommend Mountain String and look forward to working with them on future projects.
Lamar Orndorff
Lamar Orndorff
2024-06-25
Excellent job
April Grove
April Grove
2024-06-20
does great work always.
Ellen Kane
Ellen Kane
2024-05-24
We are so delighted with our new patio installed by Mountain Strong! Working with Keegan was a pleasure. He had a lot of good suggestions, was willing to sketch out our concepts to help us envision what the final patio would look like, and was very patient as we changed what we wanted multiple times. He and his brother did the installation when they said they would—and they finished right on time. They picked up all the debris and equipment and restored the lawn where it needed new grass. The patio looks great—and we will enjoy it for years to come!
Jan Prestopnik
Jan Prestopnik
2024-05-07
Keegan is great to work with, happy to discuss options and explain the process. The crew’s professionalism, skill, and attention to detail all resulted in a beautiful patio. Highly recommended.
Danielle Orlebar
Danielle Orlebar
2024-04-27
Keegan and his team do amazing work! We were in need of a walkway steps, and some landscaping to make the front of our house complete. Mountain Strong was amazing to work with throughout the entire process and made sure that the end was good and that we were informed and confident throughout the entire process. I will definitely be using them again for future projects!
Sunny Meadows
Sunny Meadows
2024-02-28
We hired Mountain Stong to do a display patio at our location. Keegan and Zach were great to work with. They were very communicative and did great work. These guys definitely know what they are doing. They are great customers of ours and I would highly recommend them to anyone that is looking for an outdoor living space.
Cindy Kelleher
Cindy Kelleher
2024-02-03
We loved the natural design and the execution was outstanding.
Emily Prestopnik
Emily Prestopnik
2024-02-01
Keegan and his crew did an amazing job. I got a 6x8 patio at the bottom of my stairs to help with my dog mud situation, and they created a beautiful chevron pattern landing that fits with my deck and house style. Strongly recommend!
Justene Clark
Justene Clark
2023-11-16
As a small business wonder myself, it was great to see Keegan with Mountain Strong Landscaping eager and willing to earn your business! He was flexible with my time frame, had great communication, provided ideas and worked well with his employees to get the job done! Keegan had posted on social media a patio that caught my attention. I screenshot it and looked at it often. As I am not a very good visualizer, it impressed me how this patio work I saw of his seemed to be the perfect fit for my home. It has since came to life, and I couldn’t be happier! It is Winter, so I have yet to enjoy the patio full affect - but I can’t wait! If you are looking for hardscaping - Keegan is your man!
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