Pavers (flooring)

A paver is a paving stone, sett, tile, brick or brick-like piece of concrete commonly used as exterior flooring. They are generally placed on top of a foundation which is made of layers of compacted stone and sand. The pavers are placed in the desired pattern and the space between pavers that is created with the integrated spacer bar is then filled with concrete sand or a polymeric sand. No actual adhesive or retaining method is used other than the weight of the paver itself except edging. Pavers can be used to make roads, driveways, patios, walkways and other outdoor platforms. In a factory, concrete pavers are made with a mixture of sand, stone, cement and iron oxide pigments in a mold and then cured prior to packaging.

History

The first concrete pavers were created by Peter Stuart of the Stuart & Company who was a mass producer of concrete pavement in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1872. Selections of their product have been documented by the Historic Environment Scotland. In the United States Of America the push for better roads was heavily surfaced in the 19th century, but in Portland, Oregon it became a main focus as a new movement called the Good Roads Movement and the main people to push it were the League of American Bicyclists and the farmers of Oregon pushed for more industrialized roads and so concrete paver roads were installed.

Block paving Block paving, also known as brick paving, is a commonly used decorative method of creating a pavement or hardstanding. The main benefit of bricks over other materials is that individual bricks can later be lifted up and replaced. This allows for remedial work to be carried out under the surface of the paving without leaving a lasting mark once the paving bricks have been replaced. Typical areas of use would be for driveways, pavement, patios, town centres, pedestrian precincts and more commonly in road surfacing. Bricks are typically made of concrete or clay, though other composite materials are also used. Each has its own means of construction. The biggest difference is the way they set hard ready for use. A clay brick has to be fired in a kiln to bake the brick hard. A concrete brick has to be allowed to set. The concrete paving bricks are a porous form of brick formed by mixing small stone hardcore, dyes, cement and sand and other materials in various amounts. Many block paving manufacturing methods are now allowing the use of recycled materials in the construction of the paving bricks, such as crushed glass and crushed old building rubble. There are many different laying patterns that can be achieved using block paving. The most common of these is the herringbone pattern. This pattern is the strongest of the block paving bonds as it offers the most interlock, therefore making it a good choice for driveways and road surfacing. A herringbone pattern can be created by setting the blocks at either 45 degrees or 90 degrees to the perpendicular. Other popular types of pattern include stretcher bond and basketweave; with the latter being better suited to paved areas that will only receive light foot traffic, due to its weaker bond. A commonly used base is 'cracker dust' or commonly known as crushed bluemetal. The advantage of using this in residential living is that it compacts a lot harder than yellow brickies sand, which prevents weeds and ants from coming through.

Concrete pavers

Pavers come in a number of styles, shapes and tones. Pavers manufactured from concrete go well with flag, brick and concrete walkways or patios. Concrete pavers may be used where winter temperatures dip below freezing. They are available in hole, x-shape, y-shape, pentagon, polygon and fan styles. An interlocking concrete paver, also known as a segmental paver, is a type of paver. This paver has emerged over the last couple of decades as a very popular alternative to brick, clay or concrete. An interlocker is a concrete block paver which is designed in such a way that it locks in with the next paver. The locking effect allows for a stronger connection between pavers, but this interlocking system relies on the addition of joint sand swept between the gaps. The friction created by this joint sand distributes weight and makes the paving itself resistant to movement under traffic. Segmental pavers have been used for thousands of years. The Romans built roads with them that are still there. But it was not until the mid-1940s that pavers began to be produced out of concrete. It started in the Netherlands where all the roads are made to be flexible because much of the country is below sea level and the ground shifts, moves and sinks. Poured concrete is not an option because it will crack. Individual units not set in concrete, and placed in sand perform far better than concrete. Before the paver was made from concrete, either real stone or a clay product was used. The first production of concrete pavers in North America was in Canada, in 1973. Due to their success, paving stone manufacturing plants began to open throughout the United States working their way from east to west. The first concrete pavers were shaped just like a brick, 4 by 8 inches (100 mm × 200 mm), and they were called Holland Stones. These units turned out to be economical to produce and were exceedingly strong. In addition to being economical, interlocking concrete pavers are also widely available in water-permeable designs, which have added ecological benefits. By allowing water to drain through the pavers in a way that mimics natural absorption, builders and landscapers are able to limit surface runoff and prevent soil erosion or buildup of standing water in the surrounding land area. Some permeable paver installations are designed to harvest rainwater, which can then be repurposed for uses such as irrigation or washing a car. Permeable paver applications have also been found to offer benefits in filtering contaminants of the water being captured.

Modern installation method

Pavers must have a strong base, a flat bedding and an edge restraint.

Base

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