Going Green with Interlocking Stones

In an endeavor to take care of our planet, more emphasis is being put daily on alternative methods of living that are environmentally-friendly. That said, what ways can each individual participate in the green agenda that ensures our environment is safer?  One of the ways to achieve this is by using interlocking stones as alternative flooring options.  Interlocking stones can be used for a wide range of applications, including flooring the driveways, home compounds or even creating street paths.

There are several environmental benefits of using interlocking stones other than the conventional concrete slabs:

1. They Prevent Runoff Water During Storms

During a heavy downpour, the rainwater usually gains momentum and can wash away so many things on the ground if it is not contained well. Interlocking stones in their very design leave spaces in between them that allow rainwater to sip through them. This means that more water will be retained on the ground as opposed to the wash off that end up in the drainage system and rivers.

2. Less Heat Retention

The conventional slab floors get very hot sometimes during summer. This, in turn, creates a microclimate environment during the night as the stored heat is lost during the cooler periods of the night. This creates heat islands, which is unfit for people’s health. On the other hand, using the interlocking stones allows more heat to be lost through the spaces between them. This, therefore, means that they have lesser heat retention.

3. Vegetation friendly

As opposed to the conventional concrete floors, the interlocking stones have the ability to allow different vegetation, especially grass to grow in between their spaces. This helps to still keep the ground green as well as provide comfortable stepping paths for the people to use. There are even special kind of interlocking stone designs that allows vegetation to grow through and hence leaving the environment beautiful as if the flooring did not exist.

Apart from the above incredible benefits, interlocking stones are easy to install and use. The material used to make the stones for the flooring purpose is relatively light and user-friendly.

Using Interlocking stones

The following are a few things that you will need to note to effectively install and use the interlocking stones.

1. Choose from a variety of designs

There is a myriad of designs to choose from. Once you land on your desired design, endeavor to install them appropriately according to the patterns. In most cases, the patterns are straightforward and should not give you trouble installing them. What’s more, the manufactures usually offer an installation manual that is easy to follow.

2. Choose a brighter color

The brighter the stone flooring, the better it is, especially for use during the warmer periods like summer. This is because bright stones will reflect away more sunlight and heat hence making the environment cooler away from the excessive heat retention, which is often the case with the conventional concrete pavements.

3. Allow vegetation to grow through the spaces

More importantly, if you are using the interlocking stones for the paths that cut through parks and gardens, it is more eco-friendly to allow grass to grow through the spaces. This not only makes the place greener but it also allows the natural ecosystem to thrive without much interference.

Using interlocking stones has more benefits than any other kind of flooring option. From the ease of installation to the environmental benefits that they bring, interlocking stones are definitely a go-to option.