"Eco" Permeable Pavers
The importance of protecting the environment has led to the emergence of a new category of pavers: Permeable Pavers. Permeable pavers are manufactured from the same materials in the same process as standard pavers; however, they are installed quite differently. A traditional paver or slab installation has a solid stone base underneath and tightly filled joints. The surface is almost completely impermeable and is graded to force water to flow into the ground around the hardscaping area. With permeable pavers, the base is effectively a deep cistern of clean stone which can hold large quantities of water for cleansing and absorption into the ground over time. The joints between permeable pavers are filled with tiny (1/4" to 3/8") stone, enabling water (e.g., heavy rain) to pass straight through the pavers into the basin below. Different permeable paver designs allow different degrees of water flow.
Increasingly, as part of waste water management, communities are establishing guidelines and regulations regarding the amount of impermeable surface which will be permitted on an individual property. Permeable pavers offer a way to meet these new regulations while still enjoying a beautiful outdoor living area.
Whenever the installation method features joints through which water flows into a catch basin below, the area is considered permeable. However, specific paver designs create different degrees of permeability. The permeable paver product lines of our brands are listed below. The links will take you to the manufacturers' websites for pictures and more technical information.
Techo-Bloc Permeable Pavers - including Pure, Antika, Villagio, Mista, the Blu Family
Keystone Hardscapes Permeable Pavers - including Roman Cobble Green, ECO-CityLock, ECO-Venetian, and Turfstone
Related Blog Articles
Interested in learning more about permeable pavers? Check out these articles from our blog: