Adding And Looking After Concrete Pavers
Property developers, architects and landscapers depend on paving to improve the general appearance of commercial and residential property around the globe. Modern-day paving offers a practical method for creating a good looking living or working environment.
Quality concrete paving is durable and requires little maintenance if correctly installed. This is exactly why property developers often choose to install paved roads as an alternative to tarred roads in corporate parks and residential developments. The industrial sector has also figured out this trend as concrete paving, expressly designed and manufactured with this segment of the market under consideration, can readily handle heavy traffic which includes trucks and cranes. Due to the low maintenance required, the overall expense of paving is more affordable than tar over the long term.
Product Selection
According to Bosun Brick, a leading manufacturer of pre-cast concrete pavers and kerbs, the selection of the correct product to your application is essential for the long term reliability of the paved area.
Pavers are generally categorised as follows:
• 40mm height – pedestrian traffic; domestic applications.
• 50mm-55mm height – driveways, patios, pathways; domestic applications
• 60mm height – light to medium vehicle traffic; residential and commercial applications
• 70mm-80mm height – heavy vehicle traffic; commercial and industrial applications
• 100mm height – very heavy industrial applications, for example ports and airports.
Choosing a paver too “light” for your application can lead to failure of the paving, initially by cracking of the paving blocks, followed by subsiding of your paved area.
The manufacture of concrete paving blocks is actually a highly specialised process. Concrete pavers ought to be dimensionally accurate and satisfy the required compressive strengths and abrasion resistance standards. Product should ideally be sourced with a SABS accredited manufacturer. (SABS 1058 sets out the standards and tolerances for concrete paving blocks.)
Installation
A professional contractor will ensure that:
• the sub-grade, that will support the loads transmitted through the paving, is well drained and compacted;
• the base course is manufactured out of the best materials and in addition well compacted;
• the bedding sand used should be a well graded, washed river sand which is slightly moist whenever the pavers are laid on it;
• the correct technique of grouting is utilized for your application.
Maintenance
The golden rule to keep in mind when it comes to maintaining paving is that prevention is preferable to cure. Concrete is porous and will absorb various substances. Therefore , it is best to attempt to avoid spilling oil, grease, cement powder, concrete, plaster, clay, paint or harsh chemicals like acid onto the paving. Don’t use high pressure cleaning apparatus since 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 accumulation of dust and grime. It’s also wise to fill the areas in between the pavers with plaster sand once every year. This will make sure that the paving remains rigid and does not shift.
During installation and other construction processes, paved areas should be covered to safeguard the paving against damage and possible cement/concrete staining or paint spillage.
Stains
There are many methods of cleaning concrete pavers, dependent on the kind 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. Avoid the use of water to remove cement because this can lead to the concrete hardening and bonding with the concrete pavers
• Concrete, plaster and paint marks:
Call in a paving professional to help with the cleaning of the paving. Although it is not recommended, consumers may use a diluted acid-based cleaning product, which is available from hardware stores. It’s also extremely important that you follow the chemical manufacturer’s instructions, specifically concerning 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 might be not too difficult to keep up, as with anything, proper care will ensure the longevity of the product.
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