Anyone who has thought about constructing or renovating a driveway, patio, or landscape would have had to painstakingly choose between the many options available for such a project. One such option is blocks of interlocking concrete which are not only aesthetically pleasing to look at, but also require less maintenance and repair compared to other materials.
It was in the Netherlands that the idea of interlocking concrete first came up. It is said that necessity is the mother of invention and the same thing happened with the first usage of interlocking concrete. Plagued by the unique challenges offered by the country’s location, officials in the Netherlands were at their wit’s end on how to construct roads as they couldn’t use concrete because the Netherlands was below sea level and there were also a lot of movements in the earth in that area. They used individual stones to form roads, but then later realized that concrete was stronger than stones and they could use concrete blocks to form roads. Later, this concept of interlocking concrete grew popular around the world. Interlocking concrete has many advantages that make it suitable for a variety of purposes. The advantages are discussed below.
It’s understandable that some people are worried about the cost aspect of installing an interlocking concrete driveway or landscape, but it more than makes up for the slight extra cost through its durability and low maintenance requirement. Interlocking concrete is more durable than other materials used for constructing driveways and landscapes like concrete blocks, gravel, or flake. The high durability of interlocking concrete is achieved because of its structure. Since interlocking concrete driveway is constructed by using many concrete blocks interlocked with each other, each block has the necessary space for itself to expand or contract as the temperature changes which cannot be achieved in a construction with one single block of concrete. The tiny amount of space existing between concrete blocks in an interlocking concrete installation is filled with tiny polymer sand which allows it to expand or contract as required without cracking.
In addition to being highly durable, interlocking concrete also offers a multitude of choices in terms of color and shape. The choice is entirely up to the customer as there is no shortage of variety in the size and looks of concrete blocks. On the other hand, the choice is restricted in terms of shape and color when it comes to other materials.
Since interlocking concrete involves using individual pieces of concrete, it offers one of the most useful advantages of easy repair and replacement. In the case of a crack or deformity in any of the tiles, the owner just has to replace that one affected tile without worrying about ruining the overall look of the interlocking concrete installation which is not possible when using other materials. If concrete is used then in the case of a crack, the whole block would have to be removed as it is not possible to repair a concrete block and maintain its overall look. Similarly, asphalt requires timely filling of gaps while a brick installation will pose problems because of the use of mortar.
While interlocking concrete has clear advantages over other materials, it is vital that you choose a quality interlocking paver that will provide you with your expected results. As a customer, there will be a wide variety of options for you to choose from in terms of the shape, size, and color of interlocking concrete blocks. Choose a style that would go well with your existing landscape and complement it. Land-Con is a reputed name in the business providing the service of interlocking in Toronto and they cater to a wide customer base offering their services to customers who are building a new house as well as to customers who want to replace existing concrete or brick driveway/landscape with interlocking concrete.