The Evolution of Pavers: History, Current Trends, Future Uses

Landscaping pavers have been around for thousands of years–if Cleopatra and Ancient Rome approved of their use, then there’s no reason to change it. For that reason, they’re still highly popular today, as they come in various shapes, materials, sizes, and colors that make hardscaping more accessible and customizable. Let’s examine the history of paver use, current trends, and what pavers are expected to look like in the future. The History of Pavers Paver use has been traced back thousands of years in various cultures, including Giza, Egypt, Ancient Rome, the Netherlands, and Germany. Around 5,000 years ago, the oldest known paved road was built in Giza using limestone and sandstone pavers and logs to connect to the construction site of the Great Pyramid. Civil engineers also used them in Ancient Rome, where they developed interlocking stone systems to create stable paths for soldiers to march on muddy ground. They arranged irregularly shaped stones in patterns similar to how pavers are arranged today and built roads with three layers: a rubble foundation for drainage, a compacted layer of sand, gravel, and clay for resilience, and capstones to convert mud into stone. FACT: These roads are still used today. Pavers also saw a huge boom in production in the Netherlands and Germany in the 1940s. The Netherlands began producing concrete pavers in the mid-1940s after realizing that poured concrete would crack when the ground shifted. After WWII, German engineers developed an efficient concrete paver manufacturing process that helped preserve residential architecture and helped paved roads withstand heavy tanks and artillery fire. Current Paver Trends Pavers are still used today due to their durability, versatility, and sustainability. They’re also cost-effective, easy to maintain and replace, and provide flexibility and proper drainage. In fact, they haven’t changed much from the pavers of ancient times, but there is a current emphasis on using permeable pavers, which are more environmentally friendly and support drainage. Currently, pavers are not often used as road-building materials, but they are used heavily in nearly every other landscaping aspect, including patios, driveways, and walkways. Though they provide other benefits, they’re mainly used for a luxurious, upscale design feel. Ironically, one of the current paver design trends is the classic revival, featuring European cobblestones or timeless red brick for a vintage look. Other paver trends include warm earth tones and neutral color palettes, environmentally friendly paver materials, creative paver placement to create curves, stripes, or mosaics, and multi-function compact spaces that feature a monochrome color palette but a variety of textures to maximize your space and keep your eye moving. These trends are visible in both residential and commercial areas, like open-air malls or restaurants. Future Paver Trends Outdoor living spaces have seen a massive increase in popularity following the pandemic and work-from-home surge. To integrate these outdoor living spaces more seamlessly with the rest of the home, homeowners focus on functionality, innovation, sustainability, and customization, the four future paver trends. Concrete pavers have seen a recent surge in popularity because they are a durable, cost-effective, and customizable alternative to asphalt driveways. Porcelain pavers are also becoming popular, as they’re durable, low maintenance, slip and fade resistant, and aesthetically pleasing. Permeable pavers will also remain popular due to their sustainability and drainage capabilities. Homeowners will also continue to play with placement. Dynamic shapes and movement will become commonplace as people continue to build up their outdoor living spaces. They’ll use the placement of pavers to create engaging visual effects like mosaics and circular patterns. You might see contrasting colors or hues or the integration of hollow pavers to allow grass growth for a visually interesting effect. Conclusion As they say, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. That’s been the motto with pavers since they’ve proven to be hardy and visually appealing since ancient times. That said, numerous advances in more sustainable material use and visually interesting design ideas have made current and future paver trends dynamic and exciting. Assess your yard today to see where paver installation will enhance your property’s aesthetic.