Finished geopaver driveway that serves as a fire department
access at a dormitory. Geopavers are a practical and
durable paving option for driveways and parking areas. They
allow stormwater to drain through them rather than running
off and contributing to problems in areas with poor
drainage. While installing them is simple, it is a labor
intensive project. Here is a guide to making the project
successful.
!! Steps !!
Plan your project requirements. If you don't have a set of plans
created by a civil engineer, you'll need to design your own project.
Consider the following points before you invest your time and money
in the project:
* Soil conditions. Geopavers need a stable subgrade material with at
least moderate drainage to be effective and structurally sound.
* Topography of the location. Geopavers are best suited for fairly
level, flat surfaces. Special conditions may require the use of a
geotextile fabric to insure the stability of the finished project.
* Permitting. Local government agencies may have specific permitting
and engineering requirements for surface pavements, including
geopaver installation.
* Accessibility. Heavy materials must be installed at the location
you choose, so make sure you have a means of handling them safely
and effectively.
* Select the geopavers you'll use for your project. They come in
various sizes and configurations, so contacting potential
suppliers will give you ideas of what is available and what is
suitable for your project. Always check the manufacturer's
installation instructions, if available; this article details a
specific product, and other products may have requirements that
differ substantially.
Determine the size of the area you'll be paving. Geopavers come in
a number of configurations, including the 16 inch by 24 inch (40cm
by 60.9cm) pavers shown in the illustrations. Multiplying the
width times the length of your project area, then dividing the
result by the size of the pavers will yield the approximate number
of pavers the project will require. In the example in the
photographs, an irregularly shaped area about 75 feet by (average
width of) 30 feet (22.8 meters by 9.1 meters) meant about 1800
pavers were required. Also consider the following materials you
will need:
* Subgrade fill. This is the additional soil (or a quantity of soil
that needs to be removed, if an excess amount is present) to give
you a subgrade that is prepared for installing base.
* Base material. This is a stable material that gives the finished
project the desired structural properties. For heavy duty use,
like the fire department access ramp in the illustrations, crushed
concrete base material was installed over compacted fill to a
depth of 8 inches (20.cm), then packed to a 95 percent density
using a plate compactor.
* Setting sand. Clean concrete sand is placed on the base material
at a thickness of about 1 inch (2.cm), to allow the individual
pavers to be leveled when they installed.
* Fill material. Usually, clean sand is used to fill the joints and
cells of the pavers, but the engineering requirements for the
project in the photos meant filling them with #57 limestone
aggregate.
* Order the materials from the appropriate suppliers in your area.
Do this after you've calculated the quantities, requested prices,
and established the exact materials you'll use to meet your
specific needs.
* Clear the area for the installation. Remove plants, large rocks,
and other items which will interfere with installing the pavers.
Relocate any underground utilities that may be affected, such as
phone and cable television lines and lawn sprinkler pipes and
heads.
* Grade the subgrade area to a depth of about 12 inches (30.4cm)
below the finished elevation of the pavement. This can vary
according to the amount of base material you need and the
thickness of the geopavers you choose.
* Compact the subgrade material and then add the base material,
grading it to the elevation your project requires. Compact the
base material with a plate compactor (or even a vibratory roller,
for large projects), then recheck the grade.
Grading the sand setting bed with a landscape rake. Install the
setting bed of graded, clean concrete sand. This material should be
approximately 1 inch (2.5cm) thick, and must be leveled and compacted
so that the pavers will set flatly on it. Using an asphalt rake (or
landscape rake) makes leveling the sand easier. If you don't have an
experienced eye for leveling the material, use a straightedge and
screed the sand flat.
* _ Starting a row of pavers at the edge of a sidewalk. Set
a paver on the edge of the area where your layout begins, and ease
it into place. Square it up, using a stringline if no appurtenance
is located to that location for you to abut to.
* Preparing to set the next paver in the row. Tap the
paver with a heavy rubber mallet to set_ it in the sand, then
place the next paver on its edge adjacent to the first. Lay it
down the same way, making sure it is aligned with and flush to the
first paver. Make sure the joint between the two pavers is kept
tight, and continue laying pavers along the edge until you come to
the end of the pavement area.
* _ Continuing to lay the pavers, making sure the joints of
the edges stay tight. Begin the next row of pavers. Proceed in
the same way followed in the previous step, keeping the side
joints_ tight, and the top of the pavers level.
_ Cutting a paver with a drycut diamond blade on a
demolition saw Cut any pavers that do not fit correctly, so the
individual lines of pavers remain true. Geopavers may vary in
shape and size significantly depending on the manufacturer, and
these differences may result in accumulative gain_ in individual
rows of pavers if not addressed as they're installed.
* Wear a respirator to protect you from being contaminated by the
paver dust.
* Notice the edge is jagged along this radius, placing a
concrete toe curb here would look much better. Cut any pavers
along the edges if they don't accurately fit the footprint of your
paving project, or if radius edges or other out-of square shapes
are used.
* Inspect the levelness and trueness of the pavers when you've
finished laying them. Tap down any pavers that aren't flush to the
adjacent pavers with your rubber mallet. If possible, avoid
raising low pavers, as the addition of setting sand to accomplish
this will not be as stable as it should be.
* There pavers are filled with limestone aggregate, not the
initial author's preference. Fill the pavers with the material
you choose for this purpose. Generally, clean masonry sand or
concrete sand is a good choice if no overriding conditions mandate
the use of other materials.
* Clean up. Sweep the sand or other fill material into the paver
joints and cells with a push broom, allowing plenty of excess so
all voids will be filled completely. You may use water to wash
the material into the joints, especially if fine sand is used.
!! Tips !!
* A backhoe or front-end loader makes hauling the material
much easier.
* Consider renting equipment for clearing or grading large areas, as
this can be a back breaking task.
* Secure the help of friends and family members for this project if
possible.
!! Warnings !!
* Pavers are very heavy, and can be easily broken if handled
carelessly.
!! Things You'll Need !!
* Construction materials including base material, fill sand, and
pavers.
* Tools, including shovels, rakes, a rubber mallet, and a concrete
saw if cutting is necessary.
* Safety equipment, including gloves, safety glasses, and boots.
* Tools and equipment for grading, clearing, and compacting the work
area.
!! Related WikiHows !!
* How to Install Pedestal Pavers
* How to Install Tactile Pavers
* How to Remove Fat Splashed on Pavers
* How to Install Permeable Pavers
* How to Install Pavers
!! Article Tools !!
* Read on wikiHow
*
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