Pavers are an excellent option for many of your hardscaped surfaces, from your patios and walkways to your driveway. Pavers can create a beautiful look that sets these surfaces apart and helps to elevate your property.
One of the many benefits of pavers is that they come in a wide variety of styles, colors, and types, allowing you to meet your design goals for any space. Pavers can also be permeable or semi-permeable, which refers to how well they let water drain through to the soil.
Permeable Pavers
Permeable pavers allow for the most drainage between the two paver options. These pavers are installed over a gravel base, and they have a large gap between them. The system allows for rainwater to pass through the patio or driveway and into the ground below, rather than running off or pooling and creating problems.
Providing this kind of drainage prevents stormwater pollution and erosion, and is therefore better for your property and the local environment.
Semi-Permeable Pavers
Semi-permeable pavers are installed in a similar manner to permeable pavers. However, they are not usually installed over a bed of gravel, and the gap between them is not as wide. Therefore, some water can still run through the paver joints, creating some drainage, but some water will still run off.
Pros and Con
The benefits of permeable pavers are clear: They help to reduce stormwater pollution, reduce erosion, and provide a beautiful look for the property. The two downsides to using permeable pavers is that they are a bit more expensive to install (because of the gravel base and the joint filler), and they require a bit more maintenance. Over time, those larger gaps can get clogged with debris and will need to be cleaned out and re-packed with aggregate.
The benefits of semi-permeable pavers are that they are less expensive, are faster to install, and require less maintenance (those smaller joints don’t get clogged as easily). The downsides are that they can create problems with erosion and stormwater pollution. These problems are exacerbated if you have a large area that you are covering with pavers.
Hire the Design Experts at Triad Associates to Create Your Paved Hardscape
There are pros and cons to both kinds of pavers, and the designers at Triad Associates will help you determine what solution will work best for your property and your budget. One important note to consider: Some communities have stormwater management or other regulations that require you to maintain a certain percentage of your property as a permeable surface. Our associates will help you understand what the regulations may be where you live, and will counsel you about how to meet the requirements while still getting the look and functionality you want for your new hardscape. Our consultations include a site survey, and we will give you feedback about what type of pavers will work best in your space and make recommendations for how to get the best results. Call us today to schedule your consultation and get started.
