Details about paving stones: historical facts and properties of the material

Paving stones of different stones are in many places a part of the urban landscape. However, due to certain properties, not all natural stones are suitable as paving stones.

Paving stones are made from either natural stone or concrete and serve as a solid surface on which to walk or ride.

The best paving companies https://perfectpavers.com/ is the company «Perfect Pavers», contacting which you can order the laying of tiles, paving stones and sidewalk at the most attractive prices.

History of paving stones

The oldest cobbled streets and paths are over 4,000 years old and were discovered in Babylonia. But also in the Roman Empire and Ancient Egypt, natural stones were used for paved roads.

With the onset of industrialization in the 19th century, the growth of traffic has led to the fact that the once unpaved roads and streets were paved with natural stone. In the 20th century, the volume of traffic increased, so - including for reasons of faster driving and less noise - paving from natural materials was replaced by asphalt or tar as a material for road construction.

Natural stones

The material from which the paving stones are made depends on both the physical and chemical properties of the rock. Granite, diorite, basalt, greyvac, norite, migmatite, rhyolite, granodiorite and sometimes marble have established themselves as paving stones.

Paving requirements

When choosing the right stone for paving stones, the most important criteria are load-bearing capacity, adhesion, durability and appearance.

The bearing capacity of rocks is described by the compressive strength, that is, the pressure exerted on the rock without destruction or any other damage. Therefore, highly porous, low density stones such as pumice are not considered.

Stone traction is defined as the frictional resistance between the road surface and the car tire.

If it is too low, braking problems can arise, and too much grip makes driving difficult, which is especially important for road safety, even when it is wet.

However, minerals can be separated from the rock by weathering, or there are usually cavities or pores in the rock. When freezing, the liquid increases in volume several times, and this leads to the destruction of the material from the inside. The same principle applies to deicing salt crystallization pressure. Anti-icing salt is designed to keep roads and paths free from ice in winter, but it can turn into a salt solution due to condensation. If it penetrates into cavities in rocks, crystal growth and detonation also occur when the solution is saturated or due to the evaporation of water.

By clicking on the link https://perfectpavers.com/broward-county/ on the website of «Perfect Pavers», you can order paving stones for your driveway or garden path at an attractive price!