Patios are a beneficial space for a home or business. They create a space for people to gather and connect or take a quiet moment in nature.
For businesses, restaurants, and housing projects, patios are an amenity that can attract employees, guests, and residents.
For homes, patios extend the living space and can be customized to each family’s needs.
Patios are often constructed with poured concrete or concrete pavers, but while this material falls on the lower end of the price scale and can be durable, it comes with unique problems like cracking and discoloration over time.
Current building materials offer other patio paver options. Interlocking patio pavers can create a patio space that is welcoming and functional, but without the difficult installation methods and maintenance that come with concrete pavers or a poured concrete patio.
What Are Interlocking Patio Pavers?
Interlocking patio pavers can be manufactured from a variety of materials including wood, composite, concrete, and plastic. Regardless of the material, the premise is the same. Interlocking patio pavers are designed to lock together, which eliminates the need to fill joints with sand and which makes it easier to remove and replace damaged pavers.
Interlocking Patio Pavers vs. Poured Concrete Patio
A poured concrete patio is an affordable way to create a usable patio space for both residential and commercial applications. Poured concrete should be reinforced with steel mesh or rebar to prevent cracks. After the concrete is dry, about two weeks, crack control cuts should be made on the surface.
A poured concrete patio is affordable and can be a DIY project, but it has its own set of challenges, including cracks and discoloration over time. If these issues occur, they are difficult, if not impossible, to fix without removing and reinstalling the entire patio.
Interlocking Patio Pavers vs. Concrete Pavers
Concrete pavers are another popular patio surface option. Though often a budget-friendly material, they come with the same cracking and discoloration concerns as a poured concrete patio, though it is easier to replace a concrete paver than it is to repair poured concrete.
Aspire’s Interlocking Pavers Make Patio Installation Easy
Installing Aspire’s interlocking pavers to create a patio is a relatively easy project that can be done by a professional or experienced DIYer:
Get Started: Prepare the Surface
Preparing the surface for Aspire Pavers is much the same as preparing for any patio installation. Excavation of the site depends on a few factors, so to calculate the necessary excavation depth, use this formula:
Base Material Thickness + Sand Bed Thickness + 1.75” (Pavers) - ¼” = Excavation Depth
Once the excavation depth is calculated, the site can be excavated to the appropriate depth. After excavation, level the subgrade to a 95% proctor density. After excavation, base material can be added and compacted every 2”, making sure to create the proper slope for drainage. Then, install and level the sand bed which should be between ¾” and 1” and should not be compacted.
This is just an overview, so be sure to adjust based on the materials and freeze-thaw cycles at each individual site.
If using Aspire’s Resurfacing Pavers, simply clean the existing surface and remove or repair any cracked or unlevel areas. Once the area is clean and level, the grids can be placed directly on the existing surface and the pavers can be installed.
Install: How They Work
Aspire’s patented installation grids are loose laid side-by-side on the prepared surface. The pavers are then placed into the grids in the desired pattern, making sure that they overlap the grids in two directions. This ensures that the grids will remain secure without interlocking the pavers themselves.
Maintain: Repairs Are Easy
The pavers themselves don’t interlock, so in the event that you need to remove and replace a paver, simply lift the paver and put a new one in its place. Since Aspire Pavers resist fading, the new paver will likely blend with the existing pavers.
If the base material has sunk or heaved, the pavers and grids can easily be removed from the area and the base can be leveled. Once complete, the grids and pavers can be laid back in place, which allows the patio to be repaired quickly and efficiently.
Rest: More Durable and Stain Resistant
Concrete is a porous material, so it can absorb water. Once water has been absorbed, it can cause damage to the concrete from freeze-thaw cycles where the water freezes and expands and causes cracks in the concrete.
Aspire Pavers stand up to freeze-thaw cycles, and during testing, showed no visual signs of warping, cracking, or crazing after exposure to 52 cycles over 75 days. Our patented grid system allows water to flow through and escape through the bottom into the sand and gravel base. This further protects the pavers from damage that could result from standing water.
Concrete is also susceptible to stains and discoloration over time. With an Aspire interlocking paver patio, you won’t have to worry about stains or the color changing or fading.
Choose Aspire Pavers for Your Patio
Aspire’s interlocking grid and paver system is a beautiful, durable, and efficient solution for your patio. There are four colors and three sizes to choose from, so you can create beautiful patterns, including Herringbone, Block Lattice, and Basketweave among many others.
Installation can be done in less than half the time that it takes to install traditional concrete pavers, and they are one-third the weight. They are sustainably made and use up to 95% post-consumer recycled material, so they are also environmentally-friendly. In addition, manufacturing process produces up to 96% less CO2 and uses 95% less energy than conventional concrete paver systems.
Contact the experts at Aspire today to discuss how our innovative interlocking patio pavers can complete your patio project!