The Paving Blog

Block paving for driveways are an interesting and developing technology in the modern driveway search for creative and more beautiful driveway solutions.  Block, or brick, pavers offer a segmented, modular look of a wide variety of patterns, designs and colors.  There is a nearly limitless variation owing to the ability now of manufacturers to create specialized patterns with the additionally interesting technology of adding tremendous and resonant colors to what were once a pretty much uni-colored environment.  Now riotous colors can greet visitors, along with shapes and forms of brick work totally attractive and interesting to the eye.

Block paving has many advantages in the sense that they are a somewhat “flexible” alternative to monolithic pours of cement or asphalt.  Where heaving and breakage occur in both asphalt and concrete, the modular nature of block paving for driveways means that the structure can bend or heave and not resist.  In other words, it will not break and require copious amounts of labor and reconstruction to fix.

When a block paver breaks in a driveway, one removes it and replaces it or others with new ones.  Lifting a paver out of the driveway is easy work, and certainly more preferable to having a crew come in to remove existing pavement and then reapply – in a different shade – what was once good to go. This ease of replacement is one of the paramount benefits of block paving for driveways, among many others.  One can rest far easier with a block-constructed driveway, fully knowing he will have fewer problems in the long run.  For what it;s worth, appraisers and real estate seller also understand the greater value of the block paver driveway.

While we deal with the structure and durability of the paving materials themselves, there is another completely separate consideration which bears attention: the spaces between the pavers.  Improper filling and inappropriate colored grouts and even the sands between manufactured paving stones can add or detract immeasurably to the final result, strictly aesthetically speaking. Where the spaces are small, it still bears on the issue.  Pavers reveal as little as an eighth of an inch between them, but they are so numerous and so evident, the appropriately colored sand used for dry grouting can be amazingly helpful. Needless to say, where the spaces between the stones is wider, we see yet another combination of opportunity: either helpful or harmful to the overall effect.

I have included some pictures of what the better-looking grouts can accomplish. In a sort of whimsical view, we also have the very cool area of fantasy and serendipitous grouting that actually can make stones look literally fun. What you see in these examples are examples of successful grouting – where the use of the proper grout can make the colors stand out more or can even overtake the overall look with some entirely different effect.

The general rule of thumb is to provide some congruent tone and texture that takes a back seat, highlighting the stones themselves.  But there are also case and situation where it can be equally desireable to highlight the grout in order to present a different effect.

Bear in mind, there are sealers we can add to the poaving itself to lock these grouts into place.  Apparently piled up sand can be sturdier than one initally believes owing to a sand-lock sealer which binds it in a sturdy fashion.

Concrete driveways were once the state of the art and still remain are a more than adequate driveway material. Hard, durable, light in color – even able now to take a dye – thus potentially colorful – concrete’s durability and strength achieve a high mark for an enduring and serviceable driveway surface. While concrete has disadvantages I will address below, it remains a high-value surface, sought by many homeowners and builders interested in a mid- to high-quality product. The durability issue tends to be it’s major strength, certainly more so than asphalt.

Artistically, concrete serves one major function as being light colored and generally neutral regarding color. Thus, a house or garden, if somewhat colorful itself, will positively glow in contrast. Another feature in concrete can be its finished top. There are methods of producing somewhat arresting finishes by the handwork almost always applied to a concrete still-wet surface. Whereas most concrete driveways receive a “broom finish”, where the bristles from a broom makes tiny channels, somewhat roughened and therefore non slip, they can also receive a “swirl and shine” finish, whereby the finisher swirls his trowel in small circles, resulting in a massive series of the same swirls permanently embedded in the finished top layer. Hundreds of small swirls, all similar make a satisfyingly complex top finish, easy in the eye and quite complex.

Colors can also be applied to concrete, either in the form of dyes sprayed on after the fact or in the cement mixing truck itself prior to the pour. “Stamped concrete” has rich and abundant colors thrown on as a dust which penetrates the drying cement just prior or following the actual stamping and embedding process. This results in a mineralized look, matching rock colors in nature. And, needless to say, concrete can be painted. There are now thick acrylics that easily cover concrete with a durable finish and which can result in come very interesting effects.

Special effects in paving are a chance for someone to show off his slight bit of weird and wonderful genius in an interesting and designer-pleasing way. Bridges, curved effects, cantilevered pool edges all show a special bit of pizazz and out-of-the-ordinary imagination that translates magnificently to the landscape fancier’s eye. These features are an overall part of any exterior landscape and they can thereby enhance not just the experience of those who live there, but they can also simply delight the sense of any visitors. For pure curb appeal and value enhancement, few items in the exterior can produce as much intense interest in a home.

The suspended bridge shown here was poured concrete which was then stamped and colored to produce an arresting and most interesting entry to this once-model home. Indeed, bridges over water features are a sort of Holy Grail to many homeowners. We thought this one performed that function perfectly.

The other picture is of what is commonly referred to as an “Infinity Pool Edge”. Water consistently flows over the front edge, collected and dispersed below. What is most interesting here is that the pavers shown in the foreground are atop a cantilevered 3 foot ledge over the water. Not only does the cantilever aspect form an interesting shadow over the water mere inches below it, but at night a bright light underneath the suspended slab shines brightly and outstandingly, hidden well below the edge.

Something crucial for every home owner when it comes to paving any path or driveway – lighting!

These cute little lights are a great addition to walkways and paths. Run off a low voltage lighting system, the wattage powering the lights is minimal but the rewards substantial. Soft lighting, well spaced and not at all dominating, their soft illumination offers a secure and well-defined edge alongside the exterior lines of the outer portions of a path.

Aside from the obvious enhancement of security, with a well-defined edge lit and sparkling in a muted way, these lights simply offer a nice look. They spread an ambient lighting effect throughout a garden and lawn, offering a mellow effect and highlighting bordering color, including lawns, flowers, foliage and blooms of all kinds. It is a warm feeling looking at something so intimately lit and cozy. The security for passersby and the gorgeous beauty of such understated, subtle lighting effects enhances the life of a home’s owners in a direct and satisfying way.

I use these small lights in whatever way I can, illuminating driveways, patios and walkways with the same arresting and warm effect. It is one of the most satisfying effects a landscaper can provide. Another true virtue is that they are relatively easy to install. It does not take an expert to trench for lighting wire, nor to insert it and bury. The initial hook up is totally simple and most of these implements are designed to bear weight and stay intact after traffic.

Cobblestone paving originally meant paving using found rocks, typically round and requiring little or no chipping, inserted into a lime or sand base. The durability of ancient cobblestone streets and roads is legendary and deservedly so. When originally used, these were simply the most rapid and available resource for making durable roads, suitable for carriages. Naturally, their rough texture and bumpiness caused an amazingly loud journey, complete with uncommonly bumpy rides. As the art of the cobblestone road grew more mature, however, qualities insuring quieter rides and less discomfort soon began popular usage, resulting in a more selective product being placed in the same manner, yet with a flatter side up.

More modern yet, the advent of cement and more studies pertinent to permeable surfaces, allowing rain to drain off and even through, have meant the cobblestones of the ancient past have transformed into a sleeker and more comfortable surface. In other words, far more utile. The other exciting development were the newer and easier methods of cutting stones, which has resulted in a far more reliable product, strictly in terms of function. Diamond blades and. now, plasma cutters, have reduced the cutting to minutes in a rather safe and normalized environment.

The upshot of it all is this: cobblestone paving has lost none of its permanence as a durable product. What is has gained instead, is a glowing patina of ultimate respectability. Functionally, no material tops granite stones as an enduring article of paving. Aesthetically, hardly anything can compare to the sheer primitive beauty of a granite driveway or patio. The workmanship behind the installation of a granite cobblestone paving project leave everyone ultimately satisfied.