Pavers

All About Pavers

Why You Should Choose Interlocking Concrete, Brick and Stone Pavers

How often have you passed by a residence or commercial building and noticed that the driveway and walkways use interlocking pavers instead of poured concrete or asphalt?

“How many times?” may be impossible to answer. But it’s difficult not to notice how popular paving stones are these days. They’re being used almost everywhere today because they not only add curb appeal and value to real estate, they are incredibly cost-effective to install and maintain.

Pavers Continue to Grow in Popularity

The popularity of pavers, especially interlocking concrete and brick pavers, continues to grow for many reasons. Chief among these are beauty and durability:

Interlocking pavers are far and away more attractive than other paving surfaces because they offer an almost infinite palette of colors and designs to choose from.

Interlocking pavers are also more economical and cost-effective than other paving surfaces because they’re more durable and easier to repair.

Interlocking Concrete Pavers (ICP) provide longer pavement life, reduced maintenance costs and extended replacement cycles while conserving the use of raw materials. Other surfaces such as poured concrete, stamped concrete and asphalt simply can’t compete with modern pavers in the arena of beauty and durability.

Permeable ICPs Are an Ecological Solution

Permeable Interlocking Concrete Pavers, or PICPs, offer an ecological advantage that other paving materials cannot. And here in rainy Tampa Bay they’re a definite asset!

“Permeable,” from the word “permeate,” means “penetrate the pores and flow through.” In other words, the remarkable PICP is not only as strong and beautiful as standard ICPs, but rainwater flows through the pavers and into the ground, thereby eliminating puddling and environmentally destructive stormwater runoff.

PICPs not only remove standing water to create a safer pavement surface, they reduce the impact to existing stormwater infrastructure. It should be mentioned that in northern climates, PICPs help reduce the need for deicing salt.

Permeable Interlocking Concrete Pavers are the obvious best choice for architects, landscape designers and discriminating property owners wherever there’s a threat of frequent rainfall and flooding – and that’s a good description of Tampa Bay!

More About
Paver Types

All concrete, brick, and permeable pavers are basically “interlocking” pavers. Interlocking pavers cover a vast range of types, materials, applications and appearance.

Interlocking Concrete Pavers

Called ICPs for short, interlocking concrete pavers are manufactured from Portland cement and aggregate. They are cast into myriad shapes, sizes and colors, and appear in countless designs as varied as your imagination.

Shell Lock Pavers

Shell lock pavers have crushed seashells mixed into the concrete to convey a sort of visual “beach” atmosphere, especially attractive for pool decks and patio walkways here in Florida. They also offer a somewhat cooler surface temperature, and multiple color options are available.

Thin Pavers

What are called thin pavers are suitable for repaving as a veneer over existing, structurally sound hardscapes such as concrete patios, pool decks and walkways. Thin pavers can offer an economical alternative to extensive repair or entire replacement of a paved surface. Thin pavers are not suitable for heavy traffic areas such as driveways or parking lots, where standard thickness pavers are required.

Brick (Clay) Pavers

Brick pavers, made of treated and heat-cured clay, are very popular. Clay brick pavers have a long history of use in backyard patios and residential and commercial driveways, not to mention public plazas and city streetscapes. Brick pavers come in a variety of shapes, sizes and thickness, including thin veneers for use over existing hardscapes. They are also available as permeable pavers with all the ecological advantages described above for concrete PICPs.

Travertine Pavers

Travertine is a natural stone shaped into tiles and pavers that are suitable for both interior and exterior applications. Travertine is a little thinner and less structurally stable than ICP and brick. When used outside, travertine pavers are most often found gracing pool decks, quiet walkways and other light traffic areas. Travertine offers a little extra “earthy” feeling because it’s a natural stone quarried straight from Mother Earth.

When It Comes To Choosing Pavers It’s A Happy Collaboration

Unique Brick Pavers specializes in collaborative design and construction with our clients through every step of the project. We ensure that clients are fully informed about the suitability of the various pavers being considered. Our decades of experience helps clients choose the best pavers for the job – for aesthetics, economy and performance.

Get To Know Us

We do everything possible to make customers appreciate our decades of paver experience and expertise. Our attention to detail ensures top quality workmanship and customer satisfaction.

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