When it comes to paving your commercial premises, you’ve got a lot of choice. There is a seemingly endless array of pavers around, each with its own advantages and disadvantages, and it can be confusing knowing which one is best for your commercial area.
Here’s what you need to consider when choosing pavers for your commercial premises.
Material
The first question you need to answer is what type of pavers should you choose? You need to consider what use your paved area will be put to, and how much traffic it will get, as that will determine the type of paver you will need. Brick, stone, concrete, or something else? While each different type of paver has its advantages, there’s one clear winner for commercial areas that stands out for the number of advantages it provides – and that’s concrete pavers.
Concrete pavers are extremely long lasting and durable, and will last and last, no matter how much heavy use they get from your customers, animals or vehicles. They can easily deal with high impacts, harsh weather conditions and large amounts of traffic with aplomb. And they are easy to repair or replace should a paver happen to get damaged.
As well, concrete pavers require little maintenance and will usually need only a light cleaning to stay looking good. This is important for a commercial area, which gets much more traffic than a residential one. They can be used in versatile ways, from flooring and walls to driveways and paths. And to top it off, they’ll make your area look striking and attractive, giving a unique style to your business – all without costing the earth.
But don’t just take our word for it – have a look at a great quality range of concrete pavers here
Style
Once you’ve chosen the type of paver that will work best for your commercial area, you need to consider style. They are literally hundreds of different styles of paver, and you need to choose a style that complements your area. First consider:
- What is the time period of your premises? (modern building or older-style classic)
- What is the style of decorating?
- What is the building made from?
- What is the size of the space to be paved?
- How much natural light is available?
- What is the planned use for the space?
The answers to these questions will determine what style of paver will best suit the area. For instance, an industrial-style area might be best served by clean, professional grey or charcoal pavers. A cosy dining area might find that a warmer, more homey type of paver will work better.
Do you want a contemporary, traditional, rustic, classic or elegant feel? Choose a style of paver that will best contribute to the look and feel you want to create.
Shape and Size
Most pavers come in some version of a rectangle or square, but you can also get geometric pavers and varying versions of the square and rectangle. Size also comes into play, and most of the shapes are available in different sizes.
You need to consider shape and size carefully, as a space is very much defined by shape and scale. For instance, small pavers may get visually lost if you’re paving a very large area (and will take a lot more work to lay). Similarly, a small area may seem dwarfed by a large paver size (and the paver will often need to be cut to fit the area, adding to the work of the install).
Colour
The colour of your pavers adds a completely different feel to the area, with lighter colours expanding and darker colours contracting. Consider your current colour scheme. Should your pavers match the colour theme, just bring out accents of it or should you choose something completely different that still tones in? Warm colours such as terracotta, cream and beige bring a very different feel to the area than cooler charcoals, greys, blues or whites.
As well, consider the fact that very dark colours can hold the heat in a surface, while light colours can be glary in the heat of the day. Dark colours will generally make an area look smaller and more intimate, whereas light colours can visually enlarge a space and make it seem cleaner and more open. Again, consider what effect you are trying to achieve.
Finish
The finish on the paver will also contribute to the look and feel of the area, with many different finishes available, including shot, honed and honed and shot. As above, consider the look and feel you want for your premises, and whether the finish on the paver will add to or reduce the effect you’re after.
Pattern
You’ll also need to think about the pattern in which you will lay your pavers. Ten different people could take the same pavers and lay them in ten completely different patterns. Will a swirling, complex pattern add to the look of your area, or would a simple, geometric pattern look better?
Safety
And finally, you’ll need to consider the safety aspect. If you need pavers that are non-slip in all conditions, concrete pavers should be your go-to. You can choose tactile concrete pavers to help visually impaired people navigate the area more easily, and to provide anti-slip properties where needed