Interlocking pavers are tiles made of brick or concrete used to produce cobblestone walkways. The individual interlocking brick pavers fit together to form a patterned driveway, walkway or patio. Since they need no mortar or grout, interlocking brick pavers are easy to install and even easier to maintain by yourself.
The magnificence of interlocking brick pavers may initially attract a designer or homeowner to apply interlocking brick pavers, but this flexible building material has a lot more to give. Concrete interlock pavers are made from a poured concrete which make them resilient and durable.
Since interlocking pavers come in a broad variety of shapes, you’re not bound to use standard squares which imitate European cobblestones. An example is the diagonal tiles with rectangular arrangement which makes the herringbone pattern. Same goes with the hexagons that fit firmly together. Some companies even convert interlock pavers to various designs imaginable.
You can save in installing interlocking pavers because it’s so handy to the homeowner. First, dig the part you desire to a depth of 2-4″ (5-10 cm), depending on the tile’s width. To make the surface even, put a thin layer of gravel and a thicker layer of sand. Set the tile on top in the designed layout.
Instead of connecting the bricks, you simply fill down fine sand particles by pouring grout between the joints. The sand stabilizes the interlocking pavers yet allows for some flexibility. Meaning, this kind of pavement will absorb stress such as freezes and thaws, slight ground erosion and small earthquakes by switching each tile a bit. Hence, they will not crack or collapse like concrete.
Vibrator, a tamping machine, is the only unique device needed for installing interlocking pavers. It actually vibrates the tiny spheres of sand until they are packed together. The sand doesn’t easily wash out with rain or garden hose water. You can choose for an extra sealer, but many interlock pavers come pre-sealed. A driveway would particularly gain from a sealer, as you won’t want oil and tire marks to blemish.