Jake Goodwin - Feb 7, 2021
Are Rubber Pavers Good for Driveways?
Rubber Pavers have many uses and are commonly used for paths and driveways.
Recycled pavers have gained traction as an alternative to concrete. Specifically, more people prefer installing rubber pavers for walkway surface and outdoor living spaces. For that reason, you might be wondering if rubber pavers are good for driveways.
Rubber pavers are good for driveways. They are durable, slip-resistant, and easy to maintain. They are also less expensive at $4.80/sq. ft. compared to newly paved concrete or asphalt at $9-12 sq. ft.
The following are reasons you should choose rubber pavers, how to install them, and how to clean your rubber-paved driveway to keep it in shape.
Reasons To Choose Rubber Pavers
Traditionally, concrete and asphalt paving has been more common on residential driveways. However, rubber paving has become more popular and has several features that make it an excellent choice for the money. In particular modular rubber patio pavers are becoming more popular because ease of install and access for DIYers
Let's explore some of the reasons you would prefer rubber pavers to the alternatives.
Durable
Have you ever noticed how concrete driveways crack over time? This usually occurs due to weather changes and heavy traffic. Damaged concrete can be an eyesore, and the cost of replacement can be a hard pill to swallow.
Rubber pavers perform great as a top covering over worn-out concrete or asphalt driveways as the rubber will not crack or freeze during harsh winter weather. This style pavers tend to last a really long time with little to no maintenance.
Grey Rubberific Pavers on a residential driveway
One of the core ingredients used in making rubber pavers is shredded recycled rubber primarily sourced from end of life truck tires. Since rubber is durable and damage resistant this enables the pavers to withstand extreme temperatures, from sweltering heat to numbing cold.
Easy To Maintain
Besides being more affordable, rubber pavers require little maintenance. According to Paversearch, they are easy to clean and more hygienic than the available alternatives.
The Rubberific brand pavers in particular making cleaning easy as they have channeled grooves that enable water to drain easily and not pool.
Have an oil spill on your rubber-paved driveway? You do not need to worry – a simple scrub using soapy water followed by sprinkling water on the affected surface using a hose will typically work it out.
PRO TIP: You can easily prevent the build-up of ice on your driveway by sweeping off the snow. However, if the build-up is deep, use a plastic shovel to remove the snow. The blade on a metal shovel may scratch the surface, so plastic is preferred.
Safety Features
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, up to 800,000 Americans are hospitalized annually due to slip and fall injuries. The results of these accidents, such as hip fractures and traumatic brain injuries, can be life-altering.
Preventing such accidents requires a proactive approach, and rubber pavers can help in this. Notably, these pavers are slip-resistant and can absorb shock, making them a safer alternative to bricks or other slick surfaces.
High traffic areas, especially daycare centers, supermarkets, and nursing homes, can use rubber to help minimize these accidents.
Rubber Pavers Are Cheaper To Install
You do not need to break the bank to add a fresh look to your driveway. One of the benefits of rubber pavers is that they can be laid on top of either concrete or asphalt. This makes the process of resurfacing your driveway cheaper and faster. Notably, installing rubber pavements does not require heavy labor.
Conversely, you would spend more to excavate and haul old debris when laying down new concrete than resurfacing with rubber.
Customizable
Rubber pavers come in a wide variety of colors and designs. In particular the Rubberific brand 16" x 16" units are offered in 3 colors: terra cotta red, brown, and gray. Each paver is dual sided and reversible showing a different pattern on either side, a traditional brick design and also an architectural pattern.
How To Install Rubber Pavers
Having learned the benefits of rubber pavers, you are probably interested in using them to give your driveway a fresh new look. Right?
Installing rubber pavers over concrete is a simple, affordable, and fast process. According to this article by DoItYourself.com, you can install these pavers using the following steps:
- Prepare the surface, clean and level it
- Select starting point & add stakes with string
- Apply Gorilla Glue adhesive to back of pavers if applying to wood or concrete
- Set paver in place and gently tap with rubber mallet to set paver
- Cut pavers with a construction knife as needed to custom fit around obstacles
Alternatively, you can watch this video for a detailed guide on how to install rubber pavers on concrete slab or driveway:
Installation video for Rubberific Pavers
1. Clean the Concrete and Prepare the Pavers
It is essential that your driveway's surface is clean and level as possible before installing the pavers. You should sweep away any dirt or debris and hose off grime, mud, oil, and plant stains on the surface. After this, let the surface dry.
Additionally, acclimate the pavers to your environment's moisture and weather conditions by piling rubber pavers around the driveway and exposing them for one day. This prevents them from contracting or expanding.
Additional note: If you recently poured concrete on your driveway, you may need to wait for it to cure properly. This can take up to 4 weeks to fully cure.
2. Choose Your Starting Point
Your starting point can be either one of the edges of your driveway or at the middle. Mark the starting point by driving stakes into the ground at each of the edges and attaching strings diagonally to connect the stakes. this will provide you with a nice straight line from which to work from.
3. Install Rubber Pavers
Assemble your pavers in a row. Push them together to form a flush line.
Flip the tile over and apply construction adhesive on around the perimeter of each tile.
Tap each tile down with rubber mallet to make the connection between the first and the second row strong. Follow the same procedure to connect the third row, but use a full paver for this and all subsequent rows until your entire area is covered.
Bottom Line
Rubber pavers have become popular because of durability, safety, and customization. installing rubber pavers over concrete is an easy process that you can follow on your own. This enables you to save time, unlike installing concrete or asphalt, which may require professional labor and takes much longer in general.
If you're interested in using rubber pavers for your next project then give us a call to discuss your particular project.
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