3+1 Reasons Homeowners Are Shifting To Sustainable Paver Materials

Your driveway has become the true entrance to your home. The place where you arrive at the end of a long day, a place where you chat with neighbours or where your kids play. When deciding on what material to use for paving a driveway, usually asphalt and concrete are the first that come to mind.

When selecting a paving material, however, so many more options are available. There are materials available that are more attractive in appearance and also give a more natural, sustainable finish to your project.

We asked lumber specialist Stubby D. Warmbold, developer of ProFlow Permeable Pavers™, a sustainable wood paving system, that has elevated projects such as Google and Facebook Headquarters, why more and more homeowners are deciding to turn to wood paving materials. 

Wait, wood? Yes, wood. 

For many years now designers and landscape architects have been turning towards new hardscape solutions that will help combat the severe rains and flooding issues in urban areas. Permeable wood pavers have been up and coming as a paving system when designing urban green spaces, playgrounds and green rooftops. Homeowners are now catching on to the architectural and landscape design trends. 

Black Locust hardwood pavers surface is softer and cooler on the feet compared to concrete. Google, San José, CA

1. Wood pavers durability

Picking the right type of wood material for paving is crucial. Using the wrong type of wood like oak, will result in early decay. During the past two decades Warmbold has tested a special non-tropical hardwood material called Black Locust wood. Black Locust lumber has a natural life span greater than 50 years and has rot-resistant and anti-fungal properties without the help of any toxic chemicals. Black Locust is a type of wood material that belongs in exteriors due to its longevity.

2. Surface strength of wood pavers

Seeing the natural characteristics of the wood ProFlow Permeable Pavers™ was developed. The small permeable wood paver blocks provide a highly durable surface that will last for decades. And just how strong is its surface? Just comparing it to concrete pavers that have a compressive strength of approximately 2500 PSI (pounds per square inch), Black Locust wood exceeds 10.180 PSI. It is strong enough to bear the pressure of a 60-ton crane driving over it. And as a bonus it provides a natural cooling effect.

A private residential terrace in Brooklyn, NY with ProFlow Permeable Pavers™ made of sustainable Black Locust wood.

3. Appearance: nature in its purity

An obvious reason why architects and homeowners choose wood permeable pavers systems is because of the beauty of the wood itself. Wood is nature in its purity and has a natural beauty concrete, brick and rubber can never achieve. Black Locust is a type of wood that requires minimal maintenance. No toxic oils or chemicals are necessary to preserve its natural beauty. After some time, Black Locust pavers will develop a silvery-gray patina due to exposure to the natural environment. The color, however, does not affect the durability of the paving system.

+1 Easy installation for homeowners

A bonus tip for homeowners is the extremely easy installation process for Permeable Proflow Pavers™. The pavers come in setts, that are made up of multiple Black Locust blocks attached to a recycled wire mesh. The modular design allows the panels to be laid next to each other over large areas for quick and simple installation finished of with a joint mortar. 

Easy to install Permeable Proflow Pavers™with ROMEX permeable fillers.

Conclusions

The world is heading towards a more sustainable future, thus it requires simpler, more natural solutions. It is always exciting to see how the architectural trends become available and widespread among residential projects as well. Other than environmentally friendly aspects, it's important to choose a driveway paving material that works best for your hardscaping needs. A proven wood material like Black Locust provides you the opportunity to enjoy its longevity for decades. 

For many years now designers and landscape architects have been turning towards new hardscape solutions that will help combat the severe rains and flooding issues in urban areas. Permeable wood pavers have been up and coming as a paving system when designing urban green spaces, playgrounds and green rooftops. Homeowners are now catching on to the architectural and landscape design trends.