Paving stones come in dozens of different shapes, sizes, textures and colors. Paving stones are also commonly referred to as pavers, pave stones, and interlocking paving stones. Each paving stone project can be customized to combine your choice of different colors and laying patterns to create exactly the type of effect that you want to create.
Two types of brick paving surfaces: Mortarless vs. Mortared Block.
Mortared brick paving consists of paving units with mortar between the units and always laid in a mortar setting bed. This type of paving is rigid, non-flexible, and unfortunately, susceptible to cracking.
Mortarless block paving stones are laid on a road base material which is compacted and very stable and firm. This road base is called "Class 2" base, and consists of varying sizes of crushed gravel, stone or recycled concrete. Because of these varying sizes, the base can be compacted to a very high degree to form a strong and stable base surface for the pavers.
Once the base is laid down and compacted, a one inch layer of coarse sand is put down. The paving stones are then laid on top of the sand layer. Then sand is put on top of the paving stones and pushed down into the gaps between the stones, locking them together. The motarless paving stone system is flexible and will not crack.
This type of system's formal name is interlocking concrete paving stones, and it is the fastest growing segment of the paving industry today.
Paving Stones and Types of Traffic
Paving stone or any type of paving material is exposed to continual vehicle and pedestrian traffic. Of these two types of traffic, surprisingly, pedestrian traffic can cause the most wear and tear. The force of high-heeled shoes causes the highest degree of abrasion. Tires, without studs, do not have such a drastic effect on paving stones, although brick streets will gain a polished look over time with repeated tire traffic.
Quality of Materials and Installation Is Extremely Important
The longevity and performance of interlocking concrete paving stones have been proven through hundreds of years. Whereas a concrete or asphalt paving installation will last a decade, require maintenance and will eventually crack, concrete paving stones will last a lifetime, require little maintenance, and we offer a lifetime guarantee against cracking. The excellent performance of paving stones is the result of proper design, proper selection of materials and good workmanship. In fact, one of the main factors that have a great impact on paving stone performance is quality workmanship. This is why it is vital to select a paving stone installer whose quality goes beyond merely "good." You want a true artisan!
