The Paving Blog

Slab paving is an interesting and fairly dicey idea.  Currently, there are an abundance of slabs available for paving. almost of of which follow the same rules and specifications that the smaller pavers follow.  High PSI (8500, often), highly compressed concrete, up to 9 foot square in size (3′ x 3′), these large items make a dazzlingly effective look. They actually go down faster from an installer’s perspective, covering more territory with fewer pieces.  They offer the same ability to replace when damaged or discolored and, while not altogether as flexible as the smaller pavers, are indeed far more flexible than monolithic pours such as asphalt or cement.

Another supreme benefit is the options of colors and style.  Owing to their size, large paving slabs offer some intriguing mixing possibilities.  The :checkerboard look is often chosen and it can be surprisingly effective if not entertaining. Naturally, bands of color are easily inserted, either by bordering a driveway or by intersecting it across.

There is however a caveat.  Owing to their large size, the need for a perfectly graded and drained subsurface is even ore vital than for the smaller editions of pavers.  The reason is in their size.  Tires from cars and truck are dispersed by weight far easier than on these larger units.  A tire can place an imbalanced amount of weight on just one corner of one of these and, with an inadequate or deteriorating base, can cause rocking. And with rocking, comes an increasing compression underneath, yielding eventual breakage or worse, an uneven driveway.

As in all driveway constructions, pay strict attention to the subsurface.  Drainage issues also figure largely here, especially where water can flow beneath a large slab and conduct the material underneath elsewhere.  This will cause the problems listed above.