Permeable Hardscapes

Spring is fully underway, and with it, you may be gone through many rainy periods. All that rain needs to be able to soak back into the ground. Permeable hardscapes help rain be filtered down into the aquifers, helping to avoid flooding or storm drains to overflow during rainy seasons, or storms with heavy precipitation. Areas with a lot of concrete do not allow the rain to be soaked into the ground and can overwhelm the storm drain systems and cause run-offs and flooding. Choosing a permeable hardscape material such as permeable concrete, compacted gravel, or stone pavers allows water to be absorbed into the ground, as well as filtering it to remove pollutants. A crushed gravel path is a great option, using screenings, cart path gravel, or clear crush gravel.

When it comes to installing a permeable hardscape, many factors need to be considered such as how much rain your area typically gets, and how much traffic there will be, either with a walking path or a driveway. There are a few layers that go into building a permeable hardscape:

First layer: the top paver material, such as stone pavers or permeable pavement
Second layer: gravel bed
Third layer: filter fabric, such as geotextile fabric, helps stabilize between the gravel and sand layer.
Fourth layer: typically sand

All these layers together help the rain have somewhere to go while it is being absorbed by the ground, avoiding pooling or flooding. If you are looking to put in a pathway or to get away from a traditional cement driveway, consider this method to help with water absorption, and is a great-looking alternative.