Paving 101
Paving is installed outdoors, on the earth’s surface. The following Paving 101 principles will provide better understanding of the reasons why paving is installed in the way we advocate throughout the world.
Hence, certain rules of nature need to be considered:
- There is movement below the earth’s surface.
- Natural material in the soil decomposes.
- The elements are harsh, for example: the sun.
- There are minerals in soil, sand and stone.
- There is moisture in the soil.
It is expected that paving should provide a solid surface to walk or drive on, be functional for a lifetime, and add value to a property. In order to achieve this, a paving installation should comply with the following principles:
- You do not want paving to sag when trafficked.
- You do not want paving to creep sideways.
- You want water to drain from the paving.
- You want a smooth and even paved surface, with no high or low pavers.
- Paving blocks alone should not carry loads. Weight should be distributed to layers beneath the paving blocks.
- Pavers should be “interlocked” with grouting.
- Paving needs maintenance.
For more objective paving advice, please refer to the following information:
