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As a builder, architect, or landscape designer, you are likely always on the hunt for materials that can elevate the exterior of your clients’ properties. Smart landscaping and hardscaping will increase curb appeal, minimize long-term maintenance costs for owners, and even qualify them for LEED credits.
Permeable pavers can be just as versatile in style, color, and design as regular pavers, allowing you to build stylish hardscapes for your clients that will last for years and benefit both their property and the environment. So, in this guide, we’ll go over the elements of a permeable paving system, the major benefits, and some top manufacturers who can provide you with the best materials for your next build.
Elements of a Permeable Paving System
A permeable paving system is composed of at least 4 elements:
Paving stones made of concrete, natural stone, or another engineered material
Permeable joint material to fill in the gaps between pavers
A layer of open-graded material, often gravel
A layer of open-graded material, often larger pieces of crushed stone
Beneath these layers, some systems incorporate underdrains or an impermeable liner that catches water and diverts it to a rainwater harvesting system.
Benefits of Permeable Pavers
Stormwater Management
- Reduce runoff that enters storm drains and waterways
- Prevent flooding and erosion
- Recharge groundwater through increased absorption
- Improve water quality by filtering debris and pollutants
Sustainability
- Support ecological health by maximizing vegetation’s water absorption
- Qualify your projects for LEED credits
- Minimize the urban heat island effect – open joints promote cooling through evaporation
- Can be integrated with water collection infrastructure
Functionality
- No water pooling results in safer surfaces, reducing hydroplaning, splash, and ice formation.
- Durable and long-lasting with lower maintenance costs over time.
Additional Considerations
- Permeable pavers typically cost more up front, but this price is often offset by lower long-term maintenance and infrastructure costs.
- Installation may require compactors and rollers, but the process is similar to how regular pavers are installed.
- Permeable pavers are less ideal for fine soils. Systems perform best where underlying soils are sandy or loamy, not clay-heavy.
Permeable Paver Manufacturers
A number of large corporations such as Temron, Techo-Bloc, and Unilock produce quality permeable paving systems, but below, we’ve highlighted manufacturers that you won’t find in big box stores. These companies stand out with unique design and material approaches, such as Borgert’s incorporation of grade A, locally mined granite.
Featured Brand
Ackerstone
Corona, California
Since the mid-1980’s, Ackerstone has been paving the way (pun intended) with innovative manufacturing techniques that produce durable, sophisticated permeable pavers for a variety of outdoor solutions.
- Eco-friendly design promotes natural water infiltration, while maintaining ADA compliance
- Versatile applications – ideal for driveways, patios, walkways, and parking lots.
- Ready made pavers available quickly, plus customized orders with unique color blends, special finishes, and an array of aggregates
Featured Brand
Nicolock
Lindenhurst, New York
For over 50 years, Nicolock has pushed the boundaries with technologically advanced paver solutions, including unmatched color blending and colorfastness, strong finishes that protect the aggregate, and a recyclable end product.
- Imitation stone comes in nearly 1000 combination of color, shape, and texture – square, oversized brick, and mixed sizes for patterning
- Their Checker Block and Turfstone product lines are designed to be combined with grass in a grid pattern improving drainage even more – available in kits for easy installation
- Lifetime warranties available on some products
Featured Brand
Belgard
Atlanta, Georgia
Belgard specializes in high quality modular permeable paver systems that make building faster and easier. They commit to creating pavers with a high quality of durability and resistance, backed by a lifetime transferable limited warranty.
- Open lattice grid design for turf infill – 40% surface opening with void space for creating a grass pavement.
- Interlocking spacer bars for increased structural performance – optimal joint openings for infiltration and maintenance.
- Can be installed mechanically and dimensions are calculated for design optimization
Featured Brand
Ecoraster
Ontario, Canada
Ecoraster creates unique permeable paving grids with a patented locking mechanism and expansion joints that minimize the effects of temperature changes. Backed by a 20 year warranty, the grid can be filled with gravel or paving blocks.
- Durable plastic resin is composed of 100% post-consumer and post-industrial plastic waste materials – nontoxic to wildlife, weatherproof, and UV-resistant
- Cost-effective paving solution with lower maintenance costs than asphalt and concrete (less likely to crack)
- 20-year warranty
Featured Brand
Borgert (TCC Materials)
Saint Joseph, Minnesota
Borgert manufacturers permeable pavers made of locally mined granite, which is known for its strength, hardness and indestructibility, perfect for long-lasting projects.
- Same durability and strength as traditional Interlocking concrete pavements (ICP)
- Does not frost, heave or crack – made from a “no-slump” concrete mix that is compacted under extreme pressure and high-frequency vibration
- Available in a variety of dimensions including 5″x10″ 6″x6″ 6″x12″ and “12”x12″
Featured Brand
Stepstone LLC
Carson, California
Since 1963, Stepstone LLC has been manufacturing precast concrete products and pavers with elegant finishes, including their pervious line, for sustainable hardscape solutions.
- Custom aggregate and pavers in unique shapes, dimensions, and colors
- Finishes include: sandblasted, imitation slate, smooth, stippled (added safety for foot traffic), broom brushed, imitation wood grain
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