Earth-friendly, environmentally-conscious hardscaping and landscaping is gaining in popularity right here in Brockton, Massachusetts. Many municipalities are encouraging use of permeable pavers for patios, driveways and walkways, especially if the area has reached its limit for impervious area, according to EPA regulations and standards. There are two ways that you can reduce the amount of impermeable space on your property, while improving the look, feel and function of the outdoor space in your own backyard. The first is to do a simple concrete patio makeover by covering concrete materials with permeable pavers. The second is to use permeable Nantucket pavers and other natural stone materials that reduce runoff for any new outdoor living space you create.
What is a Permeable System?
In order to create a truly permeable system, you would need to remove all of the concrete from your property. Unfortunately, that isn’t always possible or affordable for most homeowners these days. Removing cement can be quite costly, so many homeowners choose to simply do a concrete patio makeover using better materials. While this is not an ideal example of a permeable system and because of the concrete below the surface, it will not provide all of the benefits associated with a permeable system, it is a step in the right direction. There are things that you can do to enhance the permeable function of the patio.
A truly permeable system has a base that is constructed of clean stone over top of a subsoil that has not been compacted. The idea is to assist the rainwater in absorbing into the soil. The stone layer base is constructed thick enough to stand up to heavy use by people walking, driving, parking or sitting on with furniture and the base stone itself is compacted. However, because it is stone, there is plenty of space for water to filter and percolate its way through down into the groundwater without flooding and creating a runoff situation.
The permeable pavers are then installed on a layer of 3/8 inch stone instead of sand, as is used in other outdoor living space projects. A larger joint is sometimes created to allow short grasses and other types of groundcover to grow in between the spaces and to allow even more water to run through and into the ground. Speak with a customer service agent or check the Nantucket pavers brochure and catalog for more information on how to properly install permeable pavers to maximize results.
Some of the benefits associated with using permeable Nantucket pavers and other quality brands of pavers for an outdoor living space include:
- qualifies as a “best management practice,” helping builders and Brockton homeowners earn credit toward LEED certification
- assists snow and ice into disappearing below the paving surface, reducing the need for salt and creating a safer surface for walking and driving
- has the potential to eliminate the need for a collection basin or drainage pond in a parking lot, allowing for additional parking spaces to be created
Improve Function With a Concrete Patio Makeover
For homeowners who want to increase the amount of rain and water that makes its way into groundwater instead of becoming runoff water and increasing flooding, pollution and other negative situations, there is a way that you can help and increase your outdoor living space at the same time. Even if you are unable to remove the concrete patio that already exists, due to cost or other situations, there are things that you can do in the installation of your concrete patio makeover that will be beneficial.
- Step One – Install permeable pavers, such as Nantucket pavers, over top of your current concrete patio. Instead of using sand as a base between the concrete and the new pavers, use a layer of small gravel. You will need to measure the amount of space that you have to build up based on the height of the threshold of your back door or siding patio door to ensure that you have enough room to create a beneficial gravel layer.
- Step Two – Increase the size of your outdoor living space by expanding your patio to at least two to three feet in either way. For example, if you start with an eight by ten foot patio, with ten feet being the length of your patio that goes alongside the house and eight feet being the depth that the patio goes out from the home, you would expand that to become a fourteen foot wide by ten foot deep patio. This can easily be achieved through the use of permeable pavers, many of which come in a standard twelve-inch by twelve-inch block. An extra two pavers beyond the original concrete patio makeover space will get you the additional outdoor living space you desire, but will also increase the water-absorbing abilities of your patio.
- Step Three – When installing the new permeable pavers outside the original space of your concrete patio makeover, take special care to ensure that you install a permeable system that is as ideal in construction as possible. Use layers of 3/8 inch stone to create the base instead of sand, to allow the rainwater to flow through to the groundwater easily. You can do the same pattern as the Nantucket pavers placed on the concrete base or opt for a visual change and use the permeable system area as a decorative border of sorts. This will allow you to expand the joint space between pavers for optimal results without it looking strange compared to the other area.
What all of this work will do is to create a permeable area around your impermeable concrete base patio, that will allow for water to runoff from the patio and into the filtering permeable system. While it won’t do a one hundred percent job because it is not one hundred percent created from permeable materials, it will create a simple and strategic drainage zone to help route the runoff water from your original eight by ten patio make its way down into the ground through the added square footage of permeable pavers on our expanded outdoor living space.
Where to Get Permeable Nantucket Pavers in Brockton
Homeowners in Brockton and elsewhere in the South Coast region can find a beautiful selection of permeable pavers at J&J Materials. Located right here in Southeastern Massachusetts, J&J Materials offers deliver service all the way from Pawtucket and Providence to Scituate. With a wide variety of Nantucket pavers and other permeable pavers, including Pavestone and Belgard, along with other natural stone materials that can be used for create a permeable outdoor living space, J&J Materials is your one-stop shop for everything you need to achieve your hardscaping goals. Stop by or give us a call to find out more about our full line of permeable pavers, multi-size gravel and stone, as well as other natural stone materials for homeowners and property owners.
