What is Block Paving?

Block paving also known as brick paving is a commonly used decorative method of creating a hard standing path or driveway.

The main benefit over other materials to create a hard surface are that the individual bricks that go together to make up the block paved surface are able to be lifted up and then replaced.  This allows for remedial work to be carried out under the surface of the paving without any visible notice to the surface once the paving bricks have been replaced.  This is kind of brick paving is said to be flexible paving.

Typical areas of use would be for driveways, pavement, patios, town centres, precincts and road surfacing.

There are two common makes of block paving brick, concrete and clay.  Although other composite materials do exist to make up an individual brick.  Each with its own way of preparation that go to make up the construction of a paving brick.  The biggest difference is the way they set hard ready for use.  A clay block paving brick has to be fired in a kiln to bake the brick hard and a concrete block paving brick has to be allowed set.

The concrete paving bricks are a porous form of brick formed by mixing small stone hardcore, dyes, depending on the finished colour required, cement and sand in various amounts. There are other materials that can be added to make up a block paving brick but they are specific to each different manufacturer.

Many block paving manufacturing methods are now allowing the use of recycled materials in the construction of the paving bricks such as crushed glass and crushed old building rubble to replace the stone hardcore that is used.