A paver is a paving brick, stone or concrete that can be used for exterior flooring. Concrete pavers are usually made by pouring concrete mixture along with coloring mixture. Now you can design your home with some concrete pavers and you can hire some concreter in this regard. They can design some concrete pavers at your garden area and they can also make the driveway with the same concrete pavers. More interestingly, you can easily repair the concrete pavers in future and you do not need to spend huge additional amount for maintenance of these concrete pavers.
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Types of Concrete Paver
Concrete pavers are one of the most common pavers that can be installed anywhere be it walkway, patio or even for interlocking the pavers. The concrete ones offer a wide range of colors, texture and design which can instantly change the look of any space. The common types of concrete pavers are as follows.
- Tumbles pavers: They usually have rough edges which tend to have appearance similar to slate or stone.
- Shot-blasted pavers or bush hammered pavers: They usually have stone like or a rough finish.
- Ground pavers: They are usually smooth and look like terrazzo, marble, granite and other stones.
Installation of pavers
One of the most essential parts of any landscaping project is proper installation. There are few essential steps that should be kept in mind for installation of the pavers. It is essential to choose the materials properly so that it provides the proper look as well as durability.
- Planning: It is important to have a fair idea of the entire area that has to be covered with paver. Firstly, the garden hose should be spread around the area and the straight edges should be shown. The slope should be checked properly. For areas with poor drainage system the rate of the slope should not be more than 1 inch for every 5-8 feet. After getting hold of the exact size and shape it is important to decide the number of pavers that would be required.
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- Excavating: Thee areas which would be exposed to only footfall would need 4-6” of base materials which driveways or areas in wet soil would need at least 12” of base material. The base material is usually crushed stone, coarse which usually contains irregular sharp edges. The base material must remain strong and tight when compacted and it should drain out properly. The base material must be laid slightly beyond the pre-planned boundaries. It would increase the stability of the pavers. After the base material, it is essential to add 1-1.5” sand layer which is followed by 2-3” of the paver. In total, it sums up to 6-12” which is needed to be evacuated before placing the concrete pavers. The sand does not allow the pavers to get displaced. Coarse sand must be used which would be screened smoothly to a uniform depth.
- Installation: Laying the pavers is a comparatively easier job. The pavers should be laid a 90-degree angle preferably around the corner that aligns to the house or any structure. The colors should be chosen carefully to give the space a striking look. It should be checked whether the pavers are flat using string or level that would determine the straightness of the rows. Walking on the sand is strictly prohibited. It is better maintaining a distance from the edges for a certain time otherwise the sand may get disturbed. The pavers should be cut properly before installing to fit into the edges.
Now you can hire the concrete paver designers to make the pavers as per your needs. They can show you their templates and you can choose the best design from their collection.