Fitting And Looking After Concrete Pavers
Sunday, January 30th, 2011Property developers, architects and landscapers make use of paving to enhance the general appearance of commercial and residential property worldwide. Modern-day paving supplies a practical method for creating an attractive living or working environment.
Quality concrete paving is durable and requires little maintenance if correctly installed. This is the reason property developers often elect to install paved roads instead of tarred roads in business parks and residential developments. The industrial sector has also figured out this trend as concrete paving, specifically designed and manufactured with this segment of the market in mind, can readily handle heavy traffic which includes trucks and cranes. Because of the low maintenance required, the overall price of paving is a bit more affordable than tar over time.
Product Selection
Reported by Bosun Brick, a respected manufacturer of pre-cast concrete pavers and kerbs, selecting the proper product to your application is critical for the long term reliability of the paved area.
Pavers are usually categorised as follows:
• 40mm height – pedestrian traffic; domestic applications.
• 50mm-55mm height – driveways, patios, pathways; domestic applications
• 60mm height – medium to light vehicle traffic; commercial and residential applications
• 70mm-80mm height – heavy vehicle traffic; commercial and industrial applications
• 100mm height – very heavy industrial applications, which include ports and airports.
Choosing a paver too “light” for your personal application can lead to failure of the paving, initially by cracking in the paving blocks, then subsiding of your paved area.
The manufacture of concrete paving blocks is a highly specialised process. Concrete pavers must be dimensionally accurate and match the required compressive strengths and abrasion resistance standards. Product should ideally be sourced with a SABS accredited manufacturer. (SABS 1058 sets the standards and tolerances for concrete paving blocks.)
Installation
An experienced contractor will make sure that:
• the sub-grade, that will support the loads transmitted by the paving, is well drained and compacted;
• the base course is manufactured out of the proper materials and also well compacted;
• the bedding sand used should be a well graded, washed river sand which is slightly moist once the pavers are laid onto it;
• the correct technique of grouting is employed for your application.
Maintenance
The golden rule to remember when it comes to maintaining paving is the fact that prevention is better than cure. Concrete is porous and may absorb various substances. It is therefore best to attempt to avoid spilling oil, grease, cement powder, concrete, plaster, clay, paint or harsh chemicals like acid onto the paving. Do not use high pressure cleaning apparatus because this will damage the pavers as well as the grouting.
Consumers should sweep and hose the paved area down regularly to keep it free of debris and prevent the build up of dust and grime. It is also wise to fill the areas between the pavers with plaster sand once every year. This can make certain that the paving remains rigid and doesn’t shift.
During installation and also other construction processes, paved areas should be covered to guard the paving against damage and possible cement/concrete staining or paint spillage.
Stains
There are numerous strategies for cleaning concrete pavers, dependent on the type of stain:
• Oil, grease and clay:
When the stain appears sweep away dry excess, remove with soap, water and also a brush, then rinse.
• Cement powder:
Brush or blow off dry cement powder. Do not use water to get rid of cement as this will result in the concrete hardening and bonding with the concrete pavers
• Concrete, plaster and paint marks:
Contact a paving professional to help with the cleaning of the paving. Although not recommended, consumers can use a diluted acid-based cleaning product, offered by hardware stores. It’s also vitally important to adhere to the chemical manufacturer’s instructions, specifically with regards to the dilution. After using the acid-based dilution, wash it off thoroughly with water as soon as possible so as to prevent damage to the pavers
While pavers may be relatively simple to maintain, as with anything, good care will ensure the longevity of the product.
