Origins of Interlocking Paver Systems
Concrete pavers are a relatively modern building material, but the idea behind them goes back much further. For thousands of years, people have used small individual stones to create durable roads and surfaces.
Early Stone Paving
Long before concrete existed, ancient civilizations used stone blocks to build roads and public spaces. The Romans were especially known for this. Roman road construction used carefully layered stone and tightly fitted paving blocks. Many of these roads still exist today, which shows how durable segmented paving systems can be.
Later, European cities began using stone blocks you will know as cobblestones to pave streets. These small individual units created strong surfaces that could handle heavy traffic while allowing for some flexibility in the ground beneath them.
Enter Concrete
A mixture of sand, gravel and cement we all now know as concrete became widely used as a construction material during the 19th and early 20th centuries. As manufacturing technology improved, it became possible to form concrete into uniform shapes using molds.
This led to the development of concrete pavers. Concrete pavers are manufactured paving units designed to be similar in strength and durability to stone while being easier to produce and work with.
Modern Concrete Pavers
Modern concrete pavers began gaining popularity in Europe after World War II. Countries rebuilding damaged infrastructure needed paving materials that were durable, economical, and quick to install. Interlocking concrete pavers fit these needs well.
Use in Landscaping in North America
The technology spread to North America in the 1970s and 1980s as manufacturing improved and the landscaping industry expanded.
Concrete pavers are now extremely widely used in landscaping:
They are very strong, flexible, and come in a very wide range of colors and styles.
Modern pavers are typically made using high-strength concrete and produced under tightly controlled conditions.
For landscaping projects, concrete pavers give us very good durability, beautiful appearance, and amazing repairability. Individual pavers can be replaced if necessary, and the flexible installation system helps the surface handle natural ground movement over time which is especially good for Winnipeg landscaping where we have a lot of ground movement.
Earthworks Landscaping has been installing concrete pavers for 28 years and we offer a 5-year guarantee on all of our stonework.