Landscape architects are passionate about potential. Potential for a space to become a place, potential for strangers to become friends, potential for rest and reflection within the projects they create. But for areas with harsh weather conditions and unpredictable climates, it can be challenging to balance the potential aesthetic of your project with the functionality it requires.
At Techo-Bloc, we have strong opinions about the durability of functionally aesthetic hardscaping materials. After all, we were founded in Canada by Canadians and even though we now employ more team members south of our border than we do to the north of it, designing products for tough climates is in our blood.
9 Elements to Consider When Choosing Hardscaping Pavers
Direct Sun Exposure
You’ve spent weeks looking through color samples, going back and forth with your client between the white and the cream, and you have finally found the perfect pavers to match the outdoor cushions your client loves. It would be a shame for the pavers to start fading due to sun exposure after only a few years.
If you live in a place where the sun shines year-round, make sure to choose paver materials resistant to fading and that can take a sealant for additional sun protection. You’ll want products made using thermodynamically-stabilized iron-oxide pigments. Those won’t fade in the sun.
Extreme Heat
If your paver project is located somewhere with extreme heat conditions, you don’t want pavers that will exacerbate the situation. Darker colored products will absorb the heat from sun’s rays making them impossible to walk on with bare feet. Color selection also contributes to the urban heat island effect.
Stick with lighter colors to reflect the sun’s rays and avoid creating a massive heat bubble that will make your design (literally) unbearable.
Frigid Temperatures
If you live in an area that sees abundant snow and frigid temperatures, you know to pay special attention to what kind of pavers you choose. More porous materials will degrade faster from snowmelt/refreeze. As the water gets absorbed and freezes, it expands, gradually weakening the material’s structure from the inside out. The surface will weather quickly and look rough and aged within just a few years.
Choose products that have an absorption rating of less than 5% and pay close attention to the ingredients used in the manufacturing process. For example, Techo-Bloc does not use aggregates larger than 5mm to ensure as tight a surface texture as possible. The tighter the material, the denser and less porous it is. That means it won’t be as dramatically affected by the melting snow so your client can enjoy their beautiful space for years to come. Plus, products manufactured with Techo-Bloc’s patented HD2 and HD2+ technologies offer even lower absorption rates ensuring the ultimate in harsh weather durability.
Deicing-Salts
Not only do you want to choose materials resistant to cracking from thawing and refreezing, but they should be resistant to deicing salts as well. Denser paving materials won’t allow high volumes of salt to get absorbed, causing erosion or physical damage.
Harsher chemical deicers can significantly damage some pavers to the point of needing replacement, and grit or sand can clog drainage systems.
Techo-Bloc’s pavers are built to perform in harsh conditions — and they’ve been extensively tested with saline solutions to be sure. They are the only commercial solution with a 5-year warranty that covers deterioration caused by deicing salt so you won’t have to worry when the next snow or ice storm hits.
Rain
When the rain simply won’t go away, you need pavers that provide safe solutions for you and the environment. No architect wants site visitors slipping and falling in their public spaces. A textured paver will increase traction to prevent accidents.
It is also important to choose a good drainage system like Techo-Bloc’s Segmental Permeable Pavement Solutions. These pavers have space between them and an optional built-in drainage system that will keep flooding to a minimum, protect the earth underneath and significantly reduce strain on your local sewer system.
Sea Spray
If you live near the ocean, you may notice a white powdery residue on some of the hardscaping around you. This is called efflorescence. It forms when masonry dries out and a white salty deposit is left behind. This usually doesn’t affect the integrity of the pavers, but it is definitely not aesthetically pleasing.
To avoid this, choose pavers that won’t absorb much water, and use high-quality washed bedding sand under your pavers that will keep soluble salts at bay.
Wind
If your pavers are installed correctly, there shouldn’t be any direct damage from the wind. The main threat is the dirt and debris carried by the wind that can accumulate and dirty, or even stain, your hardscaping. Make sure your pavers are high-quality and, if deemed appropriate, properly sealed to protect them from any physical threats. Techo-Bloc’s HD2+ and Klean-Bloc collections are manufactured with factory-applied protectants.
Heavy Pedestrian Traffic
When we think of harsh climates, we often think of naturally-occurring conditions like extreme temperatures, storms and severe environments. But sometimes the biggest threat to hardscaping is ourselves.
Natural ground cover is too uneven for masses of people to walk on, but traditional materials that have been used for high traffic areas have had a negative impact on the surrounding environment. Impermeable materials have led to contamination of streams and rivers, soil erosion, flooding, rising temperatures and stagnant water that is the perfect breeding ground for insects like mosquitoes and flies.
Recent innovations in pavers can now provide a safe, load-bearing, easy-to-traverse surface with solutions to minimize any destructive impact on the environment. Permeable solutions such as those found at Techo-Bloc are specifically designed for storm water retention and drainage systems that protect the surrounding habitats. Plus, they are versatile, easy to install, almost infinitely repairable and more aesthetically pleasing than other options.
Vehicular Traffic
For projects dealing with any sort of vehicular traffic, you need to be aware of the traffic load index for the given area. The pavers you choose need to be thick enough to withstand vehicular weight. Also, the aspect ratio shouldn’t be too wide, or they will literally crack under pressure. Consult this commercial paving application guide to see the numerous options available.
Interlocking concrete paving systems are flexible, durable, resistant to freeze-thaw cycles and help prevent skidding. Their durability, ease of maintenance and repairability make them an easy choice for those concerned with total lifecycle costs for a project.
We Design With Weather in Mind
Ultimately, the best way to protect your design from damage comes down to choosing the right materials and ensuring a good installation. Techo-Bloc’s innovative solutions have been tested against the harshest conditions imaginable so you can sleep soundly knowing your project will look just as good in a decade as it does today.
Check out our Winter Survival Guide to ensure your commercial building is designed to withstand the harshest storms.
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