I don’t know about you, but I don’t much about history. It’s been ages since I’ve been in school and to be frank, I don’t really care much for history. It hasn’t done anything for my immediate living situation — or has it? After I got a paver stones driveway installed, I realized that history played a much larger part in my life than I thought.

The history of interlocking paver stones is an interesting one, going all the way back to the Roman Empire. Sure, when you think of the Roman Empire you think of the coliseums, the battles, and the Caesars. You don’t usually think of paver stones. Besides having epic battles and ruler changes every few years, the Romans were busy creating new and helpful technology to make their society stronger as a whole.

When the Romans created their roads, they created a unique system that’s still used today. Their system consisted of a well-compacted base of limestone (or lime and gravel), which was then covered with a tight fitting cut stone pavers. By using this method, the Roman’s created the first paver stones style roadway that was both cheap and nearly maintenance free during the passage of time and weather.

When the Roman’s created their stone pavers roadways, they used materials that were available to them, particularly a natural stone cut. In today’s world, we no longer have to rely on completely natural materials. Using our technology, we were able to take this process and update it, using the natural stone pavers example and creating concrete paver stones which are much cheaper and stronger.

Before today’s modern paver stones were created, the stone paver still had a few steps of historical evolution to go through. Although the Roman’s came up with the initial process of the paving stones roadway, this system wasn’t updated until the 1940s, in the country of Holland. Holland had to pay special attention to their roadways and find a special method to create functional roadways since Holland is located below sea level. Being below sea level was a serious problem not just because of flooding but also because the ground often moved and sunk.

Holland ended up creating the first concrete paver stones. By creating strong paving stones that were interlocking, they were able to create a road that would be flexible with the ever-changing ground and require little to no maintenance. This interlocking paver stones method didn’t actually come to the United States until 1973.

Paver stones eventually made their way into the home improvement sector where they now play a prevalent part in today’s modern homes. Although historically it took awhile for paver stones to come to their modern form, they have been around for centuries, providing reliable roads for all types of environments. Even today, you can still find the interlocking paver stone roads in Holland, changed very little from their original forms.

Although I’ve ignored history, history wasn’t ignoring me - it has given me one of the greatest economical and useful investments I’ve ever made for my home.

The environment has become a hot topic among the recent years, particularly with the threat of global warming. The weather has become much more unpredictable, from being dry as a bone to dropping several inches of rainwater in a few minutes, creating many issues for those not using paver stones. Everyone wants to do their part to help the environment so their children and their children’s children will be able to grow up and go outdoors as they once did. Although there are many ways to help the environment, there is one way you can help without having to go out and join an organization: using permeable paver stones.

Permeable pavers are a great way to help the environment. Permeable pavers are stones that are able to take on heavy loads like vehicles while still allowing water to filter through the surface to the ground underneath. Permeable pavers are self-draining system that allows rainwater to get to the soil underneath the stones. This is a great way to help the environment as it helps prevent the runoff from going into natural waterways. For example, if you were to wash your car, all the chemicals you use to wash the car run off the car onto the pavement. From there, it will run off the sides of the driveway and can run into any waterways you have nearby your home. Permeable paver stones prevent that run off by letting it pass through and soak into the soil beneath.

Permeable pavers help protect our most important natural resource: water. We can’t live without water and water pollution threatens our resources on a daily basis. By using the permeable pavers, the water is able to drain naturally through the surface through voids in the pavement. This helps infiltration of rainwater and recharges ground water. Not only does using permeable pavers recharge groundwater, they also help prevent storm water runoff.

With the changing earth climates, thunderstorms have become much more severe, bringing with them much more rainwater, wind and creating debris. This debris will clog the storm drains and grating, causing all the rainwater to pool in areas, which can be both harmful to the environment as well as a safety hazard. The increased rainfall causes runoff that makes streams and other waterways raise up, leading to flooding. Permeable pavers help prevent this by allowing the rain to soak through.

Not only is using permeable pavers a great way to help the environment but it also helps to save you money. During the installation and construction phase, contractors have to look at whether a draining system is required and if so, installing this system. This can get very expensive, especially if you have to have a retention system. By using permeable paver stones, you are already providing a method of draining so you don’t have to worry about this option later.

Helping the environment can be done in many ways. From joining organizational groups to getting all eco-friendly materials in your home, there are plenty of ways you can help. Thankfully, helping the environment has gone outside the home as well, giving homeowners the ability to change the way they build their driveways instead of having a limited option like composting. By choosing to use permeable paver stones in your home improvement, you’re not only improving your home, you’re improving the planet.

If you have ever wanted to upgrade from the awful rutted gravel driveway you have, now is the best time to do it. The options are many, but you can save yourself a lot of headache by making the most logical choice – have a professional install paver stones in your driveway.

The use of pavers far driveways has a number of benefits over other materials like concrete or gravel for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, because of the way it looks.

Pavers are Sexy – You may not apply that word to your home on a regular basis but you can bet it's a buzz word that is starting to apply to home and landscaping projects. Welcome to the modern world, you're dressing your driveway in style. Pavers come in dozens of color varieties, patterns and shape designs. You can turn any outdoor area into a work of art, or keep it as simple and elegant as you like. You do, however, have the customization to turn your drab driveway into a red carpet.

Strength in Quality – While pavers can cost a touch more than other options such as concrete, they have the durability of Seinfeld (That show took forever to die off, didn't it?). Your paving stones won't crack or split, and they can tolerate an exceptional amount of weight. The price tag doesn't necessarily mean it's better by the way. If you don't believe me, pick up some flag stone and try to use it. Watch how quickly it breaks away due to weather erosion. Then of course there's the absorption of liquids and subsequent staining. Now, throw that garbage to the wayside and imagine a driveway that is flawless, elegant and looks just as new over a decade after you had installed it. THAT is what we mean when we talk about the incredible value.

Value doesn't just come from having pavers. Seek out the value that comes from having a company do a professional paving stones installation. The company you hire should ensure you are happy with the install of your interlocking pavers. You'll be happier knowing that the installation is backed by an excellent guarantee. That means there's no chance of you screwing it up by doing it yourself! A good company will stand by their installation and paver craftsmanship, ensuring that your design will look great for many years to come.

You'd be surprised how quickly a paving stones project comes together, especially when driveways are considered. The installs are always fast, even with large driveways. Paving stones lay easily, and form quickly in fluid project like this. Thankfully, with a quick finish project, you can turn your attention to other things

Like having the patio redone using patio pavers! You can use a lot of these same pavers to spice up your patio, pool deck or walkways that criss-cross your yard. Imagine the possibilities, and the fun you could have with your very own yellow brick road at home.

Or tanning deck. A BBQ pit? Whatever suits you. Call me when the ribs are cooking.