A Short history of interlocking paving stones.

The concept of tightly fitted paving units on a granular base is very old. The first segmental roads were built in 5000 B.C. by the Minoans. With free labor and military dominance, the Romans built the first interstate system over 2000 years ago. This consisted of an over 50,000-mile network of roads that withstood heavy traffic and harsh conditions. Since then, almost every culture continues to use segmental pavements.

During the extensive reconstruction of Europe following World War II, paving stones experienced a renaissance. Fritz Von Langsdorff, an engineer from Germany, developed a choice of shapes and integrated colors for concrete pavers that featured tremendous pressure resistance and low moisture content. The first paving stones were installed in Stuttgart, Germany. This is the hometown of the Mercedes and Porsche.

The Germans developed high efficiency machinery for the production of concrete interlocking pavers in the 1960’s. In the 1970’s, production technology quickly spread to England, the rest of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.

Today, Germany produces over one billion square feet. In the mid 1970’s, interlocking paver technology hit Canada and quickly spread to the United States. As of 1994, North American sales of interlocking pavers reached 160 million sq. ft. While this represents significant growth over 20 years, it is small in comparison to the other 4 billion-sq. ft. sold globally.

Interlocking pavements are flexible pavements. This flexibility means that loads are distributed through the base by point-to-point contact and interlock between the aggregate. The base protects the soil sub-grade from deforming under loads the base moves slightly when put under heavy load then returns to its original position. This gives them a distinct advantage over rigid forms of pavement such as poured concrete and asphalt, which tend to crack more readily should the base move from loads or natural settlement due to weather. Interlocking pavers are highly resistant to abrasion, freeze-thaw cycles, de-icing salts, chemical spills of oil and gasoline, which can quite literally melt asphalt. Interlocking concrete pavers are ready for immediate use after installation. There is no need to wait for curing or drying of the surface. Pavers are quickly and easily repaired without any special equipment or materials.