History

In Europe, they have been paving with rubber crumbs for running tracks and other applications for 70 years. In North America, rubber paving has been used for a little while over 25 years mainly for commercial projects. More recently, it has grown in popularity as people take notice of the product’s eco-friendliness and potential for residential applications.

In the United States and other parts of the world, they have been paving highways out of rubber mixed with asphalt for 30-40 years because the combination lasts so much longer than traditional paved surfaces.

Pave Smart uses a system that has been installed in Canada for over 30 years and has been tested over thousands of installations. We use only the best materials that have been tested for their durability, flexibility, UV stability, and eco-friendly composition.

Rubber surfacing can crack, although it is very rare and easily fixable. Only severe heaving can cause the product to crack, and even then, it is repairable.

Application Overview

Pool Deck:

• Popular because it alleviates the risk associated with hard and slippery leisure areas
• The seamless finish reduces the risk of tripping
• Surface stays non-slip even when wet
• We use EPDM rubber, which is a rubber coloured through the core so chlorine will not affect colouring
• Many states in the USA is mandatory to have a rubberized pool deck due to the safety concerns.
• Many enjoy the cushiony feel on the feet when walked on.
• Comes in variety of colours to mix and match to give your pool deck that “WOW” factor.

Patios and Front steps:

• Very common application for ease, safety, look, and cost-effectiveness
• Old, cracked, and potted concrete can be completely formed and covered to eliminate the demolition and cost associated with replacing concrete
• Rubber surfacing not only fixes the problem, but it also maintains and protects the concrete base for many years to come.
• Risk of slips and falls are decreased, maintenance is eliminated, and you can match the look of any exterior décor.

Driveways:

• Choosing darker colours will make there driveway last longer due to tire marks and oil stains. Now for oil stains the rubber is porus so the oil goes to the bottom and does not harm the rubber surface. Just using a de-greaser and the garden hose that will get rid of any oil spillage.
• Rubber is a vehicle safe alternative that will give you years of maintenance-free enjoyment
• Dropped tools and items will bounce and are less likely to be broken.

Commercial Applications:

• Rubber surfacing is a great solution for any slip and fall hazard areas.
• We offer several products that will help keep your customers impressed by your business for making an environmentally friendly and safe choice.
• Have a logo design you want paved in front of your commercial business? With laser cutting we can make your graphic design come to life.

Children’s Play Areas:

• Rubber surfacing is one of the most popular surfacing solutions for public playgrounds
• 95% of all children playgrounds are now paved with rubber due to safety concerns
• Wheelchair/disability access, hidden glass/debris elimination and cleanliness are just a few major reasons why rubber is used.
• Rubber surfacing is perfect for backyard playgrounds where your children’s safety is your number one priority.
• Our private playground surfaces can be installed to meet and exceed ASTM fall height requirements
• In Playground Rubber Surface applications, recycled rubber is used to provide cushion and impact absorption. In some instances, you may require up to eight inches of recycled rubber fill to adhere to safety guidelines and ASTM fall height requirements.
• ASTM Fall heights are specific fall heights from playground to playground

Splash Pads:

• Rubber surfacing provides your splash pad with unsurpassed wet-deck grip and safety and is quickly becoming the industry standard for splash pad surface coatings.
• greatly decreases the chance of injury and liability issues that typically arise from slip and falls, or surface abrasion.
• Rubber surfaces will eliminate tripping hazards and provide comfort and grip for bare feet, optimizing enjoyment and minimizing injury.

Application Details

Driveways:

We are able to resurface existing cracked asphalt, stamp concrete, sierra stone, paving stones and concrete driveways due to its flexibility, our product is practically crack-proof. Even if over time tree routes give you a hard time our rubber is so flexible it still will not crack

Colours:

For recycled rubber, we only pave with charcoal and black. The reason is because lighter surface colours result in oil stains and tire marks.

Black with EPDM:

We are able to mix the black recycled rubber with mixed EPDM tones. This provides a lighter look and we can install this with aliphatic binding systems.

Pure EPDM:

Can give you that beautiful looking driveway but has a high chance of tire marks and oil stains, we suggest keeping pure epdm for pool decks and patios.

Crack Filling:

We use an epoxy crack filler to fill the cracks prior to install. The reason we do this is because it greatly reduces the risks of weeds coming through and water will no longer get into the cracks leading the weeds to grow. A lot of companies don’t pay attention to this and point this out to clients. Why? Because we are the best and we’ll go that extra mile whereas other companies won’t as our standards are higher.

Grinding keyways:

Keyways are required sometimes to make the product look nice. We do it around water mains, entrances to driveways where there are no curbs, entrances to walkways we aren’t paving, and entrances to garages. Grinding keyways will ensure a flush surface from the road entering your driveway as well as grinding garage entrance ways, leaving a straight clean edge, avoiding a bump when driving and ensuring no tripping hazards.

Extensions:

For driveway extensions, we must install concrete or asphalt prior to our product being installed. This is because the rubber alone is not solid enough for it to support car traffic. Rubber also needs a sub base to bond to or else it lifts up like a floor mat. Asphalt is the cheapest alternative and concrete is not always needed. The cost of this is higher a square foot due to the fact that the asphalt company that works with us needs to pour the sub base for us to install the product. The asphalt should be poured ¾ inch lower so when our product comes on top it can be flush with the road as well as your entrance ways towards your garage for example.

Edging Grass:

We must edge the grass around the exterior of the surface to provide a clean working edge to trowel. The grass will grow back and butt into the rubber over a bit of time.

Steepness:

There is a certain steepness past which we can no longer pave projects. Occasionally, we will seal the projects to make them stronger. Unfortunately, not all driveways are pave able due to some steepness’s of some driveways

Expansion Joints:

In between concrete slabs are what are called an expansion joint. They are placed in between slabs to limit the risk of the whole driveway cracking; instead, the cracks will end at the joint. If there is a big depression, either we fill it with concrete or rubber (if the weeds are really bad). Concrete will be more durable and no weeds will grow through.

Shoveling Snow:

There is no easier product to maintain in the winter because ice doesn’t build up on the surface and can be easily swept off. The product is great in winter because snow can be wiped off the surface, and the product remains a non-slip even when wet. The product is porous but no problem that just allows the water to drain a lot easier then freeze like concrete or asphalt would. We just recommend using a plastic shovel and shoveling your driveway.

Weeds:

We do our best to limit weeds coming through our surface, but occasionally, some weeds will still poke out. The product is porous, and if the water gets through, tougher weeds will manage to grow. The weeds won’t damage the surface, and there would be only a little piece here and there which can simply be plucked. This is why we burn the weeds with a tiger torch that will kill them from deep down and crack filler will keep that weed from growing again.

Benefits of Driveway:

1. Looks great for year after year
2. Don’t have to remove existing surface
3. Won’t crack
4. Looks great in winter
5. Easily snow removed
6. No power wash needed (is power washable)
7. Almost no maintenance

Algae and grime don’t really build up on the surface and it doesn’t require power washing in the winters, so the product looks amazing all year around. Doesn’t mean you cannot power wash your surface but unlike concrete and asphalt where you do have to power wash year after year, with our surface we recommend that you power wash every 3-4 years. You will be able to get out the lawn chairs and relax in the spring while your neighbors waste their days power washing away!

The black product will never fade and will always look new year after year. Often we will send clients to 7 year driveways so they can get it idea of how amazing it still looks.

If concrete is so great and you’re sold on it, then why exactly did you call us out here? Do you want a product that has been around since the time of Romans, or do you want a proven, fun, and unique product that all your friends will applaud when they come for a visit? That’s what happens to our clients over time when their friends come over; and that’s what will happen to you if you decide to move forward with this project.

Asphalt:

Asphalt is the cheapest solution available. After a year, the product’s colouration goes all over the place, and you must reseal it every year just for it to look decent. It devalues your property by having one installed. That’s why we use it as a sub base when our clients have a gravel driveway they want paved.

Asphalt is very susceptible to cracking, and weed growth. It looks ugly in the winter with all the algae and moss build up, and it requires a lot of regular maintenance. Although it is initially more costly, clients will save money by using our product in the long run.

Concrete:

Concrete is very durable and long lasting; however, it is susceptible to cracking and should be sealed every two years to keep the surface from chipping away. This is why concrete companies cannot provide a warranty after they pave a driveway. Due to the rebar and proper concrete pour procedures they always tend on failing. Rubber resurfacing is the only paving you can get that comes with a warranty. Why? Because the product does not fail it lasts due to its flexibility and beautiful look!

Pool Decks

EPDM:

Chlorine and salt water don’t affect the surface of EPDM rubber decks and they are mandated in many US states. It is classified as a safety surface due to its non-slip properties, and it’s much softer than concrete.

Recycled Rubber:

Pool decks are available in all the recycled colours. Chlorine and salt water do not affect the surface; however, with the recycled product, down the road, because its surface colour, the pool entrance can discolour and blacken over the years. We suggest to our clients to go with the EPDM, that way the colour does not blacken over the years.

Cost:

Generally speaking, our prices are, at minimum, half the cost of removing and re-pouring concrete. Concrete is an inferior product in comparison to our paving because not only will it likely crack again, but it is also hot and hard on the feet.

Coping:

A coping is what goes around a pool deck, and it’s generally where the concrete meets the liner. There are many options and different styles, you can create a decorative and beautiful finish with copings.

When the pool already has a coping and its sitting slightly higher, we are able to pour the product flush with the coping. If its flush, we either have to grind the coping or pave around the coping edge.

Borders:

Often, there are concrete borders for coping edges, and in these instances, it’s nice to grind the concrete and butt the material into. It provides a great look and aesthetically pleasing contrast.

Pool Liner:

This is what lines the inside of the pool. It generally is tucked into the coping.

Benefits: 1-Huge cost saving compared to removing and replacing concrete pool decks 2-Non-slip surface provides maximum safety for everyone 3-Comfortable to walk on 4-No more cracking 5-Looks great all year with minimal maintenance 6-Manditorty over 20 states in the US to have a rubberized pool deck due to safety 7-94% of our clients spend more time on their pool decks once we reenergized your backyard, enjoying the outdoors and pool parties.

Patios & Decks

Recycled Rubber:

Available in all the recycled colours. After five years, we generally recommend sealing the product and recolouring it with a sealant. With the sealing and colouring, it extends the life of the product as we put a coat of binder on the top surface, which will become a lot stronger in result. Normally, we recommend using contrasting colours to make the surface and surrounding areas look better (i.e. Our clients with dark coloured homes, we encourage them to go with a lighter colour paving).

EPDM:

Can use custom colours if they prefer

Costs:

Generally speaking, our prices are, at minimum, half the cost of removing and re-pouring concrete. As well, concrete is an inferior product in comparison to our paving as it will crack again and is hard on the feet.

Crack filling:

We must fill all the cracks prior to installation to minimize weeds coming through the surface. There is a chance for weeds to come through, and if we don’t fill cracks then they’ll come through. We use an epoxy crack filler that is flexible. If weeds do come through, they are easy to pull out. Prior to use power washing we kill the weeds with a weed killer and tiger torch ensuring that the weeds are killed by the roots then we fill the cracks with our epoxy filler.

Shlutters:

Shlutters are mainly used in tiling but due to our application we can use them to separate two different colours and have a beautiful sharp finish. The shluter, is made from steel and is 5/8s thick. This application is great for clients who are picky and want to go that extra mile. We don’t always need to use shluters since our technicians are trained properly and treat every home like their own!

Extensions:

Sometimes, clients will want to extend their patios. A good way to do it is to use 2’x2’ patio pavers from Home Depot. Keep in mind we do need to prep the sub base to ensure our five-year warranty. We will not take on a project where we will fail, nothing is worse than having an upset client and that is not our core values at PaveSmart.

A lot of times, clients want to extend their patio by a few feet and we love nothing more than to make their dream come true. Depending on how far you would like to extend your patio, we can either use paving stones that come in 2 feet by 2 feet or by using road base we can frame the extension in by using pressurized ties.

Planks:

Sometimes when we are paving we run to the problem that our client is not able to get in and out of their home, our technicians will build a ramp like access way for you to ensure nobody will step on the drying pavement and that our clients have a safe access way in and out of their home.

Nosing:

If needed we also install metal nosing’s for our clients to have good visibility at night. This also strengthens the edge of the stair and last a lot longer

Filter Cloth:

Filter cloth must be laid below the road base to prevent weeds from growing through the rubber paving. The paving is porous so weeds could potentially grow through. This won’t completely stop the weeds; however, it will greatly reduce the possibility

Holes:

We can only fill holes to a certain extent with our rubber. Occasionally, there needs to be holes patched with concrete. Some holes need to be framed in and let too dry for a few days prior to us installing our projects.

Walkways:

It’s good to have borders for walkways. This makes the path both safer and visually appealing. You can use landscape ties, pavers, and rubber borders.

Tiles:

Some patios and stairs have been tiled in the past and need replacing. For us to install our product we need to ensure all loose tiles have been removed, this will ensure longevity of the product and not lift like our competitors.