Poles are increasingly giving up on paving stones. They choose a cheaper and nicer solution

Over the last three decades, paving stones have been the undisputed leader when it comes to arranging home driveways and paths. However, it seems that this solution is slowly becoming a thing of the past.

As Wirtualna Polska writes, Poles increasingly notice the defects of paving stones. In summer, paved properties turn into hot, heat-trapping deserts, and during heavy downpours they prevent water from seeping into the ground naturally, which sometimes leads to flooding and overloading the sewage system.

There is no denying that paving stones are quite an expensive solution. Homeowners are slowly moving away from this solution in favor of cheaper and more ecological alternatives.

Paving stones have competition

One of them is the so-called island system. As the portal writes, it involves laying large concrete or stone slabs at certain distances from each other and then filling the free spaces with decorative gravel, crushed stones or pebbles. Wide plates create stable and comfortable lanes for driving on car wheels or paths for barefoot walking. Stone grit filling the free spaces allows rainwater to soak directly into the ground immediately and without any problems, which eliminates the problem of puddles.

The undoubted advantage of “island slabs” is simple installation. All you need to do is prepare a stable foundation for the driving lanes and paving slabs, and cover the remaining area with geotextile and cover it with the selected stone.

An increasingly popular alternative to paving stones is a lawn grid (called eco-grid). Made of extremely durable recycled plastic, it creates a honeycomb structure that stabilizes the ground.

The openwork grid is placed on a prepared gravel base, and its empty holes are filled with fertile soil and sown with grass or covered with fine, decorative aggregate. The material takes over the entire weight of parked cars, protecting the grass roots from being crushed and preventing the formation of deep ruts. As a result, instead of a gray square in front of the house, we have a green parking lot that can also be used by heavy delivery vehicles.