Outdoor Pavers Guide: everything you need to know about durability, uses, and installation of outdoor pavers blocks made of Black Locust wood.
Have you heard about the new, sustainable pavers material on the block? ProFlow Permeable Pavers™ is the perfect sustainable paving solution for outdoor pavements. Made of Black Locust lumber, a hardwood type with the durability of 50+ years, and a Janka hardness scale of 1,700 lbf (7,560 N) makes it a natural, green paving solution for architectural projects. We have put together an Outdoor Pavers Guide to gather everything you need to know about durability, uses, and installation of these pavers blocks made of Black Locust wood.
Sustainable outdoor pavers choice
Black Locust wood has natural durability of 50+ years and has rot-resistant, and anti-fungal properties without the help of toxic chemicals. This natural longevity makes Black Locust lumber a perfect type of wood for sustainable architecture. Black Locust wood has a uniqueness, but it is also a difficult wood to cut, its usage as outdoor pavers is a zero-waste solution in modern architeture. In comparison to standard asphalt and concrete ProFlow Permeable Pavers™ are minimally processed during manufacturing, thus CO2 emissions are greatly reduced.
Black Locust wood durability for outdoor pavers
Sustainable and durable as well: these small blocks of Black Locust lumber, called ProFlow Permeable Pavers™ provide a highly permeable, durable surface that will last for decades. While concrete pavers have a compressive strength of 8,000 PSI (pounds per square inch), Black Locust pavers exceed 10.180 PSI. The outdoor pavers are manufactured to high standards, creating a durable and uniform product. Black Locust outdoor pavers can actually create a stronger driveway than poured asphalt (compressive strength of 3,000 PSI). This video shows a 60-ton crane driving over ProFlow Permeable Pavers™.
Uses of outdoor ProFlow Permeable Pavers™
Outdoor paver walkways cool on the feet
Although originally designed for storm-water control, permeable outdoor pavements are emerging as a cool pavement solution for climate change and increasing air temperature. These outdoor pavements allow air, water, and water vapor into the voids of the pavement. When wet, Black Locust outdoor pavements can lower temperatures through evaporative cooling. The water passes into the soil or supporting materials below. Moisture within the pavement structure evaporates as the surface heats, thus creating a cooling effect.
Installing cool outdoor pavement walkways can be part of an overall strategy to enhance quality of life benefits by reducing heat stress on the human body. Black Locust Lumber’s ProFlow Permeable Pavers™ is a green building lumber material close to nature and is often used in urban green spaces to increase the quality of urban living.
Black Locust outdoor paver driveways stand the test of time
Due to its durability, Black Locust outdoor pavers are not only used for walkways but they can also replace asphalt driveways. There is a growing need for an alternative to concrete and asphalt driveways. Why? Modern climate and temperature extremes push driveway materials to their expansion limits. Weather conditions can cause cracking and driveways need replacement at an early stage. In contrast, ProFlow Permeable Pavers™ have the durability of 50+ years. Its durability and strength make it an excellent and long-lasting landscape surface.
How to lay Black Locust outdoor pavers
The Black Locust paver panels or setts (12 blocks each) are attached to a recycled wire mesh that lays flat for easy installation. The paver panels can be laid next to each other for quick and simple installation over large areas. The 3⁄8” joints are then fastened with joint filler.
Outdoor paver installation costs
The good news is Black Locust ProFlow Permeable Pavers™ is easy to install and thus cost-efficient. Romex resin jointing mortars are installed in a fluid state before hardening, completely filling joints, and giving up to 90% time and labor savings over conventional jointing.
Replacement and maintenance
Black Locust is rot-resistant due to its natural genetic makeup. No oils, stains, or paint are necessary to maintain its beauty. If necessary ProFlow Permeable Pavers™ can also be replaced in sections on an as-needed basis, extending the life span of the overall surface.
