Pittsburgh Landscape Maintenance Lawn Service

Paver walkways, patios, & driveways

New Era of Building Stone Technology In the 70's and 90's, customers were left with very few options in wall stones and stone pavers. Retaining wall stones were a gray 4" thick tongue and groove concrete looking block. Another option was the so-called Life Time 6x6 or 6x8 timber walls.

Neither product was durable. The gray stone walls have been rebuilt by owners, over and over again, only to see them fall over. Landscape timbers, over 10 years old, have decayed and turned into a breeding ground for termites. paving stone used for driveways and patios were a clay or soft 4x8 brick which cracked and fell apart.

In the 90's, a new wall and paver stone was introduced by various companies. These products are called "Interlocking Segmented Retaining Wall Systems" and "Interlocking Paving Systems". They have been engineered and constructed to outlast products of the past. The engineering and architectural community has approved these products which is demonstrated by their use in every type of project. They can be seen around shopping malls, schools, parks and residential homes. Interlocking wall systems have been constructed 50' to 100' supporting various land masses and buildings.

A well constructed wall or paver system will always be a significant selling point to a future home owner instead of a sticking point when closing a home deal. A cracked driveway or a retaining wall ready to fall over could mean "buyer Beware".

For years, most consumers in this part of the country have been sold on asphalt or concrete for patios, driveways, and walkways. For the most part, building contractors have left them with little or no other option. Concrete is cheap. Asphalt is cheaper. Pavers are more expensive. All of this is true.

Builders have used concrete because it is fast and it looks good to the buyer. Pus it keeps the cost of the house down. You really can't blame the builder, can you? Here's what the customer should know;

Average thickness: 3" to 4"

Product Life: 2 to 10 years
Guarantee: maybe 1 year

Durability: poor (cracking, settlement

Maintenance: High. Requires sealing yearly and if settlement occurs, it is difficult to repair.

Includes stamped and exposed 4" - 5" aggregate

Product Life: 2 - 10 years
Guarantee: in 90% of all installations there is NO Guarantee
Durability:
Maintenance: this is what contractors don't' tell you:Concrete must be sealed often and a good sealant is expensive. Expansion joints will need repaired once the bituminous joint filler has deteriorated Epoxy filler is required. Spalding due to salt. Concrete does not like salt. Salt damage occurs when salt meshes and passes thru the pores in the concrete and reaches the rebar of reinforcing steel. Patching products stick out like a sore thumb. Driveways look like a checkerboard.
Repair: one slab 10' x 10' can cost $1000 dollars to remove and replace. You now have one new white slab that does not match the older discolored concrete.

Pavers come in many architectural shapes which must meet ASTM c936 (std. specification for Solid Concrete Interlocking Paving Units)
Product Life: 30 to 50 years.
Guarantee: 3 to 5 years

Durability: excellent since pavers are installed over a stone base that can move rather than crack.

Maintenance: no maintenance for the life of the paver

Repair: repair would only be necessary if an area would settle due to excessive excavation. Paver can be lifted and reset, restoring the area back to original beauty. Stained pavers can be replace or cleaned deasily.

Customer can be assured his or her driveway will oulast concrete or asphalut 10 to 1.

Pittsburgh Stone & Waterscapes has been educated and certified through the Interlocking paving instituteICPI. The ICPI is the world's leader in interlocking paving installation education for landscape contractors. When searching for a contractor for your next pavement project always check in the ICPI web site icpi.org to find a certified contractor in your area. Knowing a contractor is ICPI certified is the first step in knowing your not dealing with an unqualified contractor.

HIC no. (Pa030554)