Crazy paving is a sort of natural stone paving that originated in ancient Rome when chipped stone was utilised to build roads and pavements. This style of stone paving is similar to the Italian method of Terrazzo in that it resembles a mosaic. Instead of glass, it is made out of loose, unevenly shaped, and sized stones set haphazardly with grouting poured between the gaps. This method of laying stone is robust, weather-resistant, requires little maintenance and is environmentally friendly.
Unlike typical stone pavement, which is put in a geometric grid layout, a crazy paving steps or wall cladding design employs naturally broken stones and lacks a defined geometric grid or pattern. This style is most commonly utilised in driveways, garden walkways, courtyards, pool-side pavers and other areas where a more avant-garde or natural appearance is desired.
Let’s know more about crazy paving!
Stone Depot’s Offering of Crazy Pavers
- Classic Light Travertine Crazy Paver
- Silver Travertine Crazy Paver
- Porphyry Crazy Paver
- Tandur Grey Limestone Crazy Paver
- Escaut Crazy Paver
- Bluestone Crazy Paver
- Mangolia Limestone Crazy Paver
- Indiana White Limestone Crazy Paver
- Valas Crazy Pavers
- Monaco Marble Crazy Pavers
- Luna Crazy Pavers
Crazy Paves in Classic Light Travertine is a true visual joy. The natural beige tones offer a pleasing appeal to the outdoor environment, setting it apart. Classic Light Travertine Crazy Paves are long-lasting and dependable, whether put on a patio, outside or indoors. The unfilled surface with a natural split finish provides excellent slide resistance to the crazy pavers, making them safe for everyone. If excellence had a name, this would be it.
Silver Travertine Crazy Pavers are a highly useful and attractive alternative. The serene silver tint in bright and dark tones adds to the outdoor space’s appeal and attractiveness. These Silver Travertine Crazy Pavers are the most popular option for both outdoor and indoor applications because of their longevity and dependability. The honed polish on the Silver Travertine Crazy Pavers increases their slide resistance, assuring everyone’s safety. If perfection had a name, this would be it. In brief, Silver Travertine Crazy Pavers are a wonderful choice for pathways, patios, alfresco areas, verandas and courtyards. They will undoubtedly bring an old-world charm that is difficult to obtain.
Porphyry Crazy Paving comes in unusual forms and sizes, adding a unique and appealing pattern to your landscape design. The pieces come together to create an intriguing mosaic-like appearance that catches the eye and begs appeal.
The warm and vibrant hues that Porphyry Crazy Pavers emit highlight their innate beauty. Each paver has distinctive colour variations and organic textures, ranging from earthy browns and rustic reds to vibrant purples. Porphyry Crazy Paving’s innate individuality will make your installation unique, expressing your style and improving the overall appeal of your outdoor environment.
Tandur Grey Limestone Crazy Pavers creates a charming vintage look with its symmetrical tiles of old grey and milky white. This Tandur Limestone crazy paver is a durable stone, accented with deeper grey and white, is well-known for the beauty it adds to outdoor environments. Additionally, its resistance to chemicals and physical wear makes it simple to clean and maintain.
Escaut Crazy Paving has gentle grey tones that add a traditional European style to the flooring space. The uneven forms of creamy grey stones accented with white grout lines are a timeless classic. The sturdy crazy pavers, known for their sumptuous appearance, survive a long time and require little care. We don’t need to highlight their weather resilience and ease of cleaning, which puts them in great demand.
Bluestone Crazy Pavers in greyish blue colours add a creative touch to outdoor spaces. With this stunning collection of natural stones, your patio, garden and even inside areas will appear more active and bright. Bluestone Crazy Pavers are known for their durability and resilience to weathering, making them easy to maintain and last a long time. Go with this new trend and let your outdoor elegance flourish.
Mangolia Limestone Crazy Pave is the most popular choice for outdoor use due to its greyish tones and complimentary colours of white or deeper grey. The strong surface is chemically and physically resistant, ensuring its durability for many years.
Are you looking for a way to give your landscape a distinct character? Indiana White Limestone Crazy Pavers are an excellent alternative for flooring, walling and pool tiles. Its nice neutral off-white tone makes it a versatile choice, allowing other elements in your design to stand out. Indiana White Limestone Crazy Pavers are long-lasting, slip-resistant and need little care. This classic stone has a constant hue, a subtle pattern and a characteristic fossilised texture, making it ideal for a patio, pool area or courtyard.
Valas Crazy Pavers have become pioneers in Australia due to their unique design. The light blue tones coupled with grey create a fashionable and versatile stone that may be utilised in a number of colour combinations. Its thick and resilient character makes it suitable for pool decks, pathways, paths and courtyards. They make significant investments in residential and commercial properties, raising the resale value of real estate. The textured surface gives a long-lasting texture that remains cool even in direct sunlight, making it an ideal stone for the Australian climate.
Monaco Marble crazy pavers have a gorgeous design with subtle and delicate grey tones, an anti-slip surface and tumbled edges. This marble has a delicate warmth that lends a pleasant atmosphere to any indoor or outdoor location. Its antique polish and solid texture ensure natural slide resistance and longevity. They may be utilised for a variety of purposes, including flooring and walling in areas such as patios, alfresco, pools and façades.
Our Luna Crazy Paving series made from a durable, naturally occurring stone, with delicate shades of grey and brown. It contributes to an elegant and easygoing atmosphere that is excellent for modern and contemporary buildings, both residential and commercial. This crazy paving, which boasts durability, robustness and endurance, may be utilised to pave outdoor places such as patios, walks, foyers, paths, alfresco and courtyards. You can even use them indoors to transform dull-looking tiles or pavers into something distinctive that adds depth and character to a room.
Some Of The Major Benefits of Crazy Paving Are:
- Unique Pattern
- Cost Effective
- Weather-Resistant
- Aesthetically Pleasing
Unlike ordinary pavers, natural stones’ crazy paving creates a distinct finish. You should not put these pavers in a straight line. These natural stones also do not require trimming or shaping to ensure a uniform appearance. The basic objective is to produce a distinct random and free-flowing pattern.
If you don’t want to keep with the usual concrete paving design, crazy pavers are the appropriate alternative. These natural stones allow you to experiment with various paving materials and sizes. You may blend little and large-sized stones to create a gorgeous finish.
Crazy pavers consist of natural stones that are less expensive than concrete and other man-made pavers. Not only do these natural pavers look great, but they are also reasonably priced. Crazy pavers installation costs roughly 5 USD per square foot (excluding labour costs). Installation costs a maximum of 40 USD per square foot.
The pricing will vary based on the paving material you select. Overall, crazy pavers are reasonably priced. You can save some money by attempting DIY installation.
Because you will be placing pavers on your outside, you should choose a sturdy and adaptable alternative. The stones must survive all weather conditions. If you lay these natural crazy pavers on your patio or driveway, they will most likely be exposed to the elements for 24 hours.
Natural pavers must be robust enough to withstand inclement weather. Their lifetime is determined by their ability to withstand the elements. Man-made stones cannot survive indefinitely. This is because they cannot withstand UV radiation, cold temperatures or excessive dampness. However, natural pavers can remain for years without showing any signs of wear.
As previously said, crazy pavers contain some timeless pieces of natural stone. They may appear archaic, but they provide a natural touch to your outdoor spaces. Crazy pavers are recognised for their earthy tones. When properly placed, they appear visually pleasant.
If you want your exteriors to stand out in the neighbourhood, crazy paving is the finest solution. You may arrange them in nearly any custom way. Make careful to fill the spaces between the huge slabs with little pavers or a moist combination of sand and concrete.
Cons
As beautiful as crazy pavers are, they are not without drawbacks. Let’s look at some of the drawbacks of adding crazy pavers on your outside.
- Crazy paving has many problems, including deterioration.
- Crazy pavers are quite durable. However, they require adequate care and upkeep to endure for years.
- Most significantly, the installation will decide the natural stone’s endurance and sturdiness.
- These pavers need to be set correctly.
- If you fail to provide a firm foundation (which is designed to support the pavers), the pavers may become weak. As a result, they’ll begin to decay.
High Labor Costs
Crazy pavement is all about the installation. The quality of your paved surface depends on how properly it is installed. If you place the pavers correctly, you can expect them to look great and endure years. Incorrect installation, on the other hand, might cause premature wear and tear on the slabs. That is why the majority of homeowners opt to hire experienced contractors to complete their projects. It is also one of the reasons why crazy paving installation costs are higher comparatively.
We’ve already explained that crazy pavers are inexpensive. However, labour costs are significant. Crazy pavement needs a thorough installation and a solid foundation. DIY solutions may or may not work. If you have no previous expertise with paving, you will wind up spending thousands of dollars on the crazy paver installation. If you employ skilled contractors for the task, be prepared to pay nearly double what you estimate.
Things To Keep in Mind While Installing Crazy Pavers
- Consistent Gaps Are Required in This Paving Pattern
- Never Lay the Stones in a Straight Line
- Always Start with Larger Stones
- Hire Professionals for Proper Installation
- Sealing is Mandatory
While the overall design indicates haphazard and irregular paving, you should be somewhat constant with the intervals between each slab. If you’ve decided to put each stone at a 20mm distance, keep with it. The greatest distance is 25 mm.
Make sure you don’t exceed that. Now, the gap must be roughly 15mm wide. You may increase the width; however, the limit is 90mm. Most homeowners set the gap width at 70mm, which is an ideal space between your natural stones. Make sure you fill these gaps with smaller stones or a moist sand-cement combination. So, choose the distance accordingly.
The installation technique for these random stone slabs is identical to that for concrete or brick pavers. The main difference is that with crazy paving, the stones are not cut or positioned in a straight line. Larger stones are used with thicker and smaller stones. That is how the pattern develops. But before you start laying crazy pavers on concrete or sand, here are five things you should know.
Crazy paving’s key distinguishing feature is its irregularity. You are not required to place all of the pavers in a straight line. They should be installed at random. This is done to maintain the validity of the material. The pavers do not need to be put in a uniform pattern. You don’t need to align them. Try to keep the pavers as natural as possible.
Maintain a regular space between pavers while installing them in a free-form fashion. The unstructured pattern is pretty striking. Another key point to remember is that you don’t have to keep stones of the same size. That will not result in a crazy paving design. Choose random sizes and install them in any way you wish.
With so many natural stones of all sizes, it might be difficult to get started placing them. If you’re not sure where to begin, select all of the large-sized natural stones. To get an unstructured effect, start by arranging the bigger stones. Remember that crazy paving does not refer to the placement of large and tiny stones together.
Small-sized natural stones are utilised to fill the gaps. You have a variety of natural stone alternatives for crazy paving. Some popular materials used for crazy paving are Bluestone, Limestone, Granite and more. There’s no need to confine your area to a single type. Choose several natural stones and arrange them together.
As appealing as DIY installation seems, it will not produce the greatest results. Besides, crazy paving is not as simple as it appears. Laying various sizes and varieties of stones in a free-form design might be difficult, especially if you’re doing it for the first time.
It may appear simple to install them after seeing hundreds of crazy paver installation tutorials. However, the procedure would be time-consuming. Hiring a professional for the work may cost you a few additional dollars, but the end effect is well worth it.
You will need to seal these pavers before and after installation. Choose a high-quality sealer to pre-seal the stones and surface before installing the material. This protects your floor or wall from needless stains.
Pre-sealing helps you properly clean the area and remove any remaining grout from the wall or floor. This guarantees a correct installation. Once you’ve finished installing the crazy pavers, add a top sealant to seal the area. A correct sealer not only protects your natural stones but also prevents stains from liquid spills. A sealer will also help the material last longer.
You may need to seal the area once or twice a year (depending on where the pavers are put). If the pavers are subjected to high temperatures and frequent stains, you will need to reseal them every 12 months. You can get a high-quality sealant from your neighbourhood shop. You may also order the sealant online.
How to Install Crazy Paving?
- Measuring
- Planning the Area
- Prepping the Base and Laying the Stones
- For wet mortar bedding, use a flexible adhesive to bind 20mm or thinner stones to a concrete slab.
- Dampen the concrete, apply the glue, and then lay the mortar mixture. Additionally, apply the bonding glue on the back of the stone.
- Position the stone in position and gently pound with a rubber mallet to prevent leaving markings on the stone. Tapping ensures that there are no trapped air bubbles beneath the stone, which causes the adhesive to degrade over time.
- Always begin by setting the larger stones, followed by smaller stones used as fillers.
- Open joints with 8-10mm spacing should be permitted. Fill up the area around the stones and remove any extra mortar.
- Remove any excess substance from the surface with a clean sponge and water. This will keep the stones from staining and create less clutter.
- If you are setting the stones on the ground, create a compact road basis and sand cement screed.
- Flatten and dry the screed, then remove any debris, dust or grease.
- Make a consistent layer of glue at least 8-10mm thick and butter the back of the stone. Prior to applying glue, ensure that the stone is thoroughly cleaned.
- Please ensure that the glue does not dry up after being exposed to the air for too long. Apply glue on the stones one by one.
- Place the stones and tap with a rubber mallet. Remember to start with larger stones and fill up the spaces with smaller stones.
- Allow for regular open joints of around 7-10mm.
- Grouting Crazy Paving
- Sealing
Of course, measuring the space is the first step in determining how much stone you’ll need. Measure the total circumference of the space and then calculate the amount of crazy paving in square metres.
To calculate square metres, you must know the length and breadth of the space. The formula for computing square metres is length times width equals m2. For example, if your space is 3 metres long and 2 metres wide, 3 x 2 is 6 m2.
In addition, we recommend that you include stone sealant in your budget to minimise future overspending. Sealant is required to preserve the stones when they are exposed to excessive traffic, weather changes or moisture.
Crazy pavers, due to their odd forms, tend to wander outside of the designated area. Use spikes and threads to form a border around the intended paving area. Simply drive a spike into the ground and wrap a thread around it, connecting it to another spike on another corner or edge. This will build a map or barrier to keep the paving stones within the region.
Wet Mortar Bedding Method:
Adhesive Bedding Method:
The grouting crazy paving procedure would be the same in both approaches. Use a sponge to dampen the grout joints and stones. Place the grouts in the joints, taking care to prevent vacuums. Push the grout to the entire depth of the stones. Use a trowel to remove excess grout. After the grout has cured, wipe the paving stones with a moist sponge, removing any excess grout, dirt, debris or dust. To remove tough materials such as grease or grime, use a pH-neutral cleanser and a nylon pad.
Please keep in mind that acidic cleansers should never be used on stone or grout since they can cause irreversible harm.
The final phase in the crazy paving construction is sealing. As previously said, sealing preserves the stones and assures their longevity. A high-quality penetrating sealer is recommended to help preserve the colour and sheen of the stones.
Design Ideas and Inspirations
- Patios And Courtyards
- Garden Paths
- Driveways
- Pool Surrounds
Use crazy stone pavers to give your patio or courtyard a rustic or sophisticated appeal. The stones’ distinctive patterns and natural hues will make your outdoor living space appealing and elegant.
Combine crazy paving with the natural terrain to make lovely garden walks. The stones’ uneven forms offer a quirky touch, making your garden feel like a fantastic escape.
Use crazy stone pavers in your driveway to combine usefulness and visual appeal. Their durability and strength make them ideal for heavy use, while their distinctive designs add to your property's curb attractiveness.
Choose safe, slip-resistant surfaces around your pool with crazy paving. The natural roughness of the stones offers a good grip, lowering the danger of slips and falls.
Discover Crazy Paving Installation Cost & More
So, how much is crazy paving installation cost in Australia? As previously said, it all depends on a variety of factors. The cost is mostly influenced by the quality of the stones, but keep in mind that crazy paving installation is charged separately depending upon the expertise.
*Disclaimer: All information and advice given above in the blog are to the best of our knowledge. Please reconfirm at your end before execution.
