2.24.2013

permeable driveways

So we need to choose the paving material between the concrete end of the driveway up to the garage. The stuff we really want is this:


We first saw it at a Cool Home Tour a couple years ago. In the forefront are the "pavers" (they appear to be Grasspave2 pavers), and the grass you see in the back is the result: A drivable lawn!

We've all been referring to this stuff as "grasscrete", but grasscrete is something different, namely concrete pavers with holes in them to allow grass to grow:




Grasscrete is, itself, rather nice stuff. Here's some with a gorilla:


Bomanite is a company that sells the stuff, but there are others as well.

The builder left a sample of Pavestone's grasscrete at our house:


But that isn't exactly what we're looking for. And furthermore, the paver-dude said that the grass in grasscrete requires irrigation to keep the grass alive (lots of drying out from the concrete).

This from NDS is more of what we are looking for:


When properly installed, these suckers (made out of recycled plastic) can support four tons: That's a lot of little cars!

GrasspaveTypar, and Hebden are other suppliers of this stuff.

TrueGrid is a supplier from Houston:


Also made of 100 percent recycled plastic (80 percent post-consumer).

Sorry: Couldn't find a photo of a gorilla with this stuff...

Some more information about permeable driveways from About.com, mygreenhome, Wikipedia, Apartment Therapy, and This Old House.

9 comments:

  1. We saw your samples this afternoon when we stopped by, hoping to catch you (I have something for you...don't get too excited). Btw, I really dig the long pavers.

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    1. Must have just missed you: Was there till about 2:30 or so. I've stopped by a couple times at your place with pre-foam, but keep missing you...

      Beer! Do you have a beer for me!!!

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    2. Yes, it's a beer...if "beer" is secret code for "not a beer, nothing like a beer, sorry about that, but I did tell you not to get too excited." Otherwise, no.

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    3. We are currently debating this very issue on a house in Houston. Which system did you choose and how is it holding up now? How much traffic does it see? etc

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    4. Sam: We went with TrueGrid: recycled materials and "local" (made in Houston, so def local for you). Costs about twice as much as concrete to put in, so you really, really have to want to do it. It has held up well, but it does not get much vehicular traffic.

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  2. This is a cool look for a driveway, just makes a change from all the concrete people seem to be having lately!! Boring

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  3. Hi - Came across this doing a web search for True Grid actual installations. I'm considering this for a project in Atlanta. Can you post an update on how the TrueGrid has withstood use? Any issues? Did you use the 1" Eco product, or the thicker Pro product? Any info on what your subgrade and base prep was? Photos? Any info you can share will be very appreciated! Thanks.

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    1. Sorry for the delayed response: We went with the Eco product. It has helming up well, but we're not a good test case since we rarely drive on it (the daily drivers are out front; we keep microcars in the garage). I have driven on it to wash the daily drivers (reuse: waters the grass) with no issues.

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