Many property developers rely on concrete pavers to give the areas around their projects, an aesthetic look. Those can be used for patio construction, walkways, under pergolas and if properly installed require almost no maintenance and can handle even heavy traffic.
The thickness of the concrete pavers can vary from 40mm to 100mm and while the thinner ones are suitable for pedestrian traffic, the thickest ones are suitable for very heavy usage like in airports and ship terminals. The pavers are manufactured to very strict quality standards where both the compressive strengths and abrasion resistance are given a lot of importance by the use of the right basic materials and additives. Dimensional tolerances are very important for pavers and a great attention is paid to this by using moulds that maintain their shapes.
Installation of pavers is a relatively simple affair that can be undertaken by most well equipped contractors. Proper attention needs to be paid to ensure that the subgrade which will ultimately support the load is properly drained and compacted to the required density. Soils vary and a soil laboratory will indicate the best density of the material on a site. Compaction is achieved to at least 95% of the theoretical density. The problem of drainage has to be taken care of by installation of drains where necessary.
A base course consisting of boulders or crushed aggregate is next laid on the compacted soil and this layer is also properly compacted using plate compactors & rollers. The pavers are ultimately laid on a bed of moist and well graded sand. It is very common to use pavers that interlock with each other. This allows the pavers to act in concert when taking up loads. The paved surface may then be again compacted with plate vibrators, if necessary. The joints between the pavers can be grouted if necessary, though a properly done job does not strictly require this. It makes sense to protect the sides of any paved area with continuous concrete curbing, as this prevents the pavers at the edges from moving out of place. Where pavers are not grouted, they can be removed easily for doing any underground work and then re-laid to give the same homogeneous look.
Many paver manufacturers offer pavers that can be made into various designs during the laying process. Pavers of different colors are also used to further enhance these designs. Concrete pavers can heat up in the sun and may not be the right material for pool areas, where you need to walk barefoot. Colors can fade over time. Their durability however is never in doubt and they make for moderately priced paving solutions.
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