The environmentalist’s guide to paving

There is no doubting the significance of the role that paving has played in our history and the importance of the role it continues to play today. It is however more important now than ever to consider the environmental implications for this industry.

Sourcing the Stone

There are a number of environmental and ethical issues to consider when buying pavement stone that has been imported from some of the developing nations. Take Indian sandstone for example – popular because of its quality and price, it is quite often quarried by children as young as ten, working in very poor and inhumane conditions.

This is before considering the environmental impact of spoiling the landscape through illegal dumping, polluted groundwater, and the significant energy consumption of transporting the stone half way around the world.

When buying paving it really is worth taking the time to research how and where the stone was sourced before making a decision about whether to use it.

Getting the Right Balance

It isn’t just the extraction site that becomes damaged – heavily concreted areas don’t support wildlife and often result in vegetation being removed. This prevents water from seeping into the soil naturally and recharging groundwater supplies. Paved surfaces also increase the speed and amount of water that rushes down gutters and into storm drains during a rain storm which can lead to flooding.

Allowing for some vegetation, planting some trees or plants and having some green areas where possible is a simple and effective solution to this. By using permeable paving blocks and permeable grass grids for hard standings you can reduce the environmental damage when paving over an area.

Like most environmental issues when it comes to paving it’s all about having the right information in order to make informed choices.

Bomax carry out rigorous checks to ensure that all of our materials and products are sourced ethically.

From cobbles to flags: The evolution of street surfaces

The history of our streets and how they have evolved is a subject of great fascination. People, buildings, roads and surfaces change over time and with it the look and fabric of the community. The streets we live in provide the backdrop to our daily lives and really make a statement about the area we inhabit.

Cobblestone curiosities

In Victorian times cobbled streets were part of the fabric of our towns and cities throughout the UK. Dickens novels depict scenes set among narrow cobblestone streets in densely populated areas, lined with tenement blocks and crowds of people. Today cobbled streets have an iconic status in the hearts of the British.

The word cobblestone comes from the English word cob which is used to describe small, round lumpen shaped items. These stones were known as cobbles and their shape and durability made them perfect to construct roads with.

Cobblestones were first used to build roads back in the early part of the 15th century, traditionally set in sand and sometimes bound in water. They offered many advantages as they did not develop ruts or get muddy like dirt roads. They made for extremely durable surfaces and weren’t prone to cracking in freezing conditions.

Fashionable Commercial flags

As new building techniques and materials became available cobbled stones began to fall out of favour. Granite setts, or Belgian block became the stone of choice, with its rectangular shape and smooth surface making it ideal for creating patterns that are aesthetically pleasing.

Today granite setts, sometimes called ‘commercial paving’ or ‘commercial flags’, are ubiquitous in towns and cities throughout the UK. Popular in parks, driveways and town centres where they are framed by kerbs, their versatility and design potential make them an ideal stone to use for street surfaces.

With a choice of finishes, colours and sizes it is easy to see why this stone became so popular. From a design point of view it is pleasing to the eye and nothing brightens up a tired old street like the arrival of a new surface.

Traditionally sourced from various parts of the UK including York, Gloucestershire, Wales and Aberdeen, increasingly we are beginning to see stone imported from more exotic parts of the world including India and China.

Flag stones can be bought either as new or reclaimed depending on the effect and look you are trying to achieve. More traditional type cobblestones also still have a place in modern Britain and are commonly used in restoration projects.