Most of the original shapes of paving stones would connect together like pieces of a puzzle, thus the name interlocking pavers. Now, with the variety of shapes and styles available, it is also the method of installation that creates the interlocking system. When properly installed, the combination of base rock, edge restraint, bedding sand, pavers, and joint sand creates the interlocking system that provides a flexible and unified pavement.

Yes. Pacific Interlock paving stones are an excellent choice for residential vehicular traffic. While the paving stone itself may have a minimum compression capacity of 8000 psi, the quality of the base rock installation can enhance or diminish the overall project. Proper base installation is imperative to insure the stability and success of your project. The determining factor for the depth of the base rock is the composition of the native soil and the planned usage of the project. The typical base rock depth for light duty installations such as sidewalks, patios, etc, would be 3- 4 inches and medium duty installations such as driveways or minimal use roads would be 5- 7 inches. If the native soil tends to be unstable, such as heavy sand or heavy clay, the base rock depth would need to be increased to improve the stability of the project. If soil conditions are less than ideal or exposure to heavy water drainage is needed, increasing the depth of the base is warranted and should be determined by a qualified engineer, at which point the engineer specifications will supersede standard recommendations

Not always. You can install 1 Paver Tiles onto an existing concrete patio, walkway, driveway or porch using thinset or masonry adhesive to get an installation that is cost effective and adds a beautiful new look and durability to an existing paved surface. Surfaces should be free from debris, major cracks, heavy settling and potholes. However, for the best possible outcome, replacing the existing concrete allows for proper base preparation and paver installation.

Yes! The base is very important. It absorbs the loads applied to the surface. If a proper base is not set, results can be failure of the installation. Some examples of failure are areas that are sinking or causing ruts. Please consult your Pavingstone manufacturer or your contractor for proper base installation.

This is called bedding sand or concrete sand. It is a coarse, angular sand that has been washed to remove dirt and clay. This fills the paver joints from the bottom up and also allows for removal of minor height differences between pavers during the first compaction. It should not be used to fill large depressions in the base material. Bedding sand is typically installed at a one-inch depth and should be loosely and evenly screeded. Be careful to cause no compaction of the sand before setting the pavers. Screed sand and lay pavers in small sections at a time.

Joint sand is an angular washed sand used to fill the joints of the pavers from the top. Although you can use the same sand you used for your bedding sand, it typically makes for an easier installation if you use a finer, coarse sand (approx. 20-30 mesh). It sweeps and vibrates easily into the joints assuring a good interlock.

Yes. If no edge restraints are installed, the installation could fail because your pavers will not be fully interlocked. If your pavers are up against the house or an already existing fixed edge you do not need to install artificial restraints. You would use artificial edge restraints on any freestanding edges. Some types of artificial edge restraints are plastic, concrete, metal or wood.

Because the pavers are of such high strength and quality it is recommended to use a circular saw with a masonry blade or a wet saw with a diamond tip blade. A masonry chop saw is usually available at local tool rental businesses and greatly facilitate the speed and accuracy of installation. Another option is a guillotine splitter although the cuts are not as precise.

Using a plate vibrator helps to settle the pavers into the bedding sand and reduce height variances in the finished surface. It also helps insure the top sand completely fills the joints to complete the interlock system. WARNING: Damage to Textured Pavers will occur when using a vibrator without a pad or protective barrier.

The fabric you are wondering about is actually known as a geotextile. It is a heavily woven plastic fabric that allows water to pass through and keeps your base material from migrating into your existing soils. This material is not installed to prevent weeds from squeezing up through the paver joints, however, it has been known to slow the process or in some rare cases prevent it. It is recommended to use the geotextile if the nature of your native soil is unstable, such as heavy sand, heavy clay or excessive water drainage. It stabilizes your project to prevent your base material from mixing with the native soil and compromising the solidity of the installation. Please note that products used to prevent weeds are not as strong as the geotextile.

No. You may choose to seal your stones to add to the beauty of your pavers. Some benefits are color enhancement, joint sand stabilization and stain resistance. When applied, the sealers soak into the pavers and joints. The sealer in the joints helps keep the joint sand in place and reduces weeds and ants. Sealers are essential for areas around swimming pools. However, you may choose not to do this. Remember, sealing the pavers is not permanent and should be reapplied every two years depending on foot traffic. Be sure to follow the instructions as printed on the sealer container for best results.

This white stuff is known as efflorescence. All concrete products contain cement which produces lime or water soluble calcium oxide. Lime can also be in the bedding sand, aggregate base materials, or soil. Moisture from rain, sprinkler systems, underground sources, poor site drainage or dew enters the microscopic capillaries that run from the interior to the surface of the paver. Calcium oxide inside the paver reacts with the water in the capillaries and forms calcium hydroxide. This rises to the surface and reacts with carbon dioxide in the air, and forms a white haze of calcium carbonate. When moisture on the surface evaporates, the white haze of efflorescence becomes visible. This is not a permanent condition nor is it a defect. It is a natural byproduct of hardened concrete and will stop when all of the calcium hydroxide is released from the pavers. Cleaners are available to speed up the process.

Yes. Being able to do this makes pavers the obvious choice for maintaining a beautiful project. We recommend that you save a few pavers from your initial installation, just in case you need to replace one or two. Pavers normally can be pried out using two flathead screwdrivers then carefully reset the new stone with a rubber mallet. Voila! You have restored the pavement to its original beauty.

Making repairs beneath the pavers will be like replacing a damaged paver. Remove the pavers necessary to make repairs to water lines, electrical, etc. When refilling the base rock remember to compact it firmly just like during the original installation. Screed 1 of bedding sand and re-install pavers. Be sure to replace the joint sand and compact the pavers to complete the interlocking system. When carefully done, the repair site is completely unnoticeable.

For long-lasting, durable colors, Pacific Interlock stones are saturated with color throughout - not a topcoat. To do this, we blend pure pigment into our special concrete mixture, using only the finest material. The normal wear and weathering may appear to change the color over time. Cleaning and sealing may restore and enhance color.

Most of Pacific Interlock pavers are the standard 60mm (2 3/8 in). We also have beautiful, large Patio Pavers that are 70mm (2 3/4 in). For industrial needs we have several pavers available in 80mm (3 1/8 in). Finally, for an economical facelift to structurally sound existing concrete, Pacific Interlock has a paver tile that is 25mm (1) in four profiles that can be laminated on.

60mm pavers generally weigh 27 lbs/sf irrespective of shape and size. The different shapes change how much square footage will fit safely on a pallet so the weight varies for each profile. Most pallets are over a ton, averaging 2650 lbs. Please contact the office for the correct weight for the desired paver profile.

Pacific Interlock has service available through Pacific Transfer to deliver the pallets to the job location. Most of the trucks are flatbed units that carry 16 pallets per load. There is also a specialty truck for those locations with limited accessibility that can break down into smaller loads and fit into tight places, however, it is limited to 14 pallets per load. When arranging for a delivery let the dispatcher know of any possible complications so the right truck for the job is scheduled. All of the trucks carry a forklift and each delivery is allotted one hour for off-loading materials at no charge.

Initially, some water will seep into the joint sand for the first few weeks but soon silts and dust in the air will fill any voids and water will then shed off the paver surface just like any other pavement. During installation a slope (or fall) needs to be designed into the base course of your paver project for water runoff. Typically, it is recommended that you allow for a slope of 1 inch for every 8 to 12 feet of paving to provide drainage away from your home.

While many human and surface characteristics influence slip resistance, Pacific Interlocks manufacturing process creates pavers that exceed the design standards issued by the Dept of Transportation (DOT) and the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG). FOR PEDESTRIANS: Pavers have high sand and cement content that contribute to high friction coefficients for walkways and ramps. Pacific Interlock also has many paver profiles with textured surfaces that increase slip resistance even more. Additionally, most pavers are made with chamfers on the top edges that help provide a smooth transition from unit to unit should there be any height misalignments. If a tripping hazard develops, the pavers can be removed, repairs made to the base, and the same units reinstalled without waste or unsightly patches. FOR VEHICLES: Pavement characteristics such as texture and roughness contribute to high skid resistance equal to or better than asphalt and Portland cement concrete (PCC) pavements. The chamfers form small drainage channels to help disperse water under moving tires and the aggregates required to meet American standards for the manufacture of paving stones insure a hard micro-texture surface that is less likely to polish under concentrated braking or accelerating tires. FOR AIRCRAFT PAVEMENTS: Tests conducted by airports and NASA demonstrated substantially higher side force friction values for concrete pavers than plain PCC surfaces. Again, the chamfers provide for water disbursement and the aggregates improve friction coefficients.