Learn more about Paving Bricks (or Pavers)

Any outdoor area can be transformed into a warm and hospitable area when paving bricks are used. Paving bricks (which are also known as pavers) come in such varieties that there sure is to be one that will suit your needs. They vary in color, textures and installation patterns allowing you the flexibility of designing and creating your own unique patterns. Pavers can be used to transform a number of different areas, like driveways, sidewalks, patios, braai areas, around swimming pools as well as pavements.

The high temperatures they are fired at with, together with the raw materials that is used to create them is what give paving bricks their earthy colors and warmth. Good quality pavers have no artificial tints or dyes added, which will guarantee you that the paving will never fade.

Paving bricks can be set in two ways, either by setting them with cement or they can be sand set. This allows flexibility for them to be used in a wide assortment of projects. Setting them with sands also allows you to reuse them if they are ever needed to be taken out.

Paving bricks are considered to be an expensive choice because the price of initial buying and laying could be costly, but if you’re thinking of using them for a long-term, they would not cost you a cent to maintain as the paved surface does not crack, need reapplications or require maintenance.

Paving bricks (also called Pavers) hold many advantages over other type of solid surface products like cement slabs and asphalt. Some advantages are listed below:

• Cost efficient.
• Flexibility of design – as pavers come in an assortment of colors, shapes and textures, you get to choose one that will complements its surroundings and you get to lay them out in your preferred design.
• Adds value to a property – the aesthetic quality of paving bricks makes any property more appealing, adding value to your property.
• Easy installation – installation can be done by the homeowner himself with the aid of a reliable instruction manual.
• Expansion and contraction – segmented and sand set pavers allow for expansion and contraction without producing cracks in the surface area unlike tar or cemented areas.
• Easy to repair – if a paver has been damaged, broken or stained it can be easily replaced by lifting up the affected area and replacing it with new pavers. The whole surface area does not have to be replaced or re-laid like concrete slabs or tar surfaces which then leave unsightly and uneven patches.
• Cost free maintenance – paving bricks only require regular sweeping and once in a while they can be hosed down with water. If they do get stained they can be easily cleaned with an appropriate cleaning agent and a scrubbing brush. Pavers can be sealed to prevent staining.
• Easy drainage – the joints between pavers are permeable, thus allowing water to soak through the joints into the ground beneath them, saving you from puddles of water forming after a rain shower.
• Versatility- pavers can be used in both commercial and residential spaces.
• No waiting period – paving bricks can we walked or driven on as soon as they have been laid. Unlike concrete or tar surfaces that require a couple days to dry.
• Safety benefits – they are non-skid, thus preventing slipping when wet.
• Low traffic noise levels.
• Extra pavers can always be bought if the need to expand the area ever arises.
• The way that pavers are interlocked allows for a better load distribution than concrete slabs or tar.
• Reusable – if the area paved is no longer needed or is going to be used for other purposes, the pavers can be easily lifted up and stored or reused in a different location.