Roman Paving Stones, Lyon, France

Instead of connecting the pavers by pouring grout between the joints, as one would with tiles, sand particles are spread over the pavers and tamped down. The sand stabilizes the interlocking pavers, yet allows for some flexibility. In other words, this type of pavement will absorb stress such as small earthquakes, freezes and thaws, and slight ground erosion by shifting each tile slightly. Therefore, they will not crack or buckle like concrete.

The only special tool needed for installing interlocking pavers is a vibrating compaction machine or "Vibra Plate". This is used to compact the base material to 90$ density minimum and also to set and interlock the pavers into the sand bed. The sand doesn't easily wash out with rain or garden hose water. You can opt for an additional sealer to further lock the sand. A driveway especially benefits from a sealer, as oil and tire marks won't stain and it can also attain a wet look. Sealing is meant to protect pavers from the elements (i.e., rain, sun, etc.) and anything foreign that were to fall on them. It creates an invisible barrier on top of the pavers that repels water, oil,and anything else you might accidentally drop on your driveway or pool deck, so long as you wash it clean as soon as you spot it. Sealing also preserves the pavers' natural beauty for years to come.

 
[ click here to learn more ]