Have you heard the term “pervious” concrete but aren’t quite sure what it means? Allow us to explain.
Pervious concrete is also referred to as porous or permeable concrete – it is a special mixture of Portland cement, coarse aggregates with little or no fines (sand-like particles) and water.
When cured, a slab of pervious concrete actually allows water to pass right through and disburse through the groundwater system. That’s pretty amazing, right?
Pervious concrete can be used in its natural form; it can also be colored or paired with traditional concrete accents like shown in the sample above. The black insets are pervious and the red band accents are made of stamped concrete.
The benefit of using pervious concrete is that it can greatly reduce the amount of runoff from paved areas. It can also naturally filter storm water and reduce pollutants that enter local streams. Those are all good things in our opinion.
In Bellingham and Whatcom County, some governmental agencies are requesting (or requiring) that public works projects include pervious concrete elements as a way to increase sustainability and protect local water quality.
In the private sector, more and more homeowners are choosing pervious concrete for the very same reasons. They want a sustainable surface that is long lasting, easy to maintain, better for the environment, and looks great.
With crew members Certified as Pervious Concrete Installers, Custom Concrete Contracting has installed pervious concrete in a variety of public and private spaces. These include driveways, sidewalks, roundabouts, parking areas, and more.
The Northwest Road roundabout, shown above, is a notable project we recently finished in Bellingham, WA. It includes traditional curbing & curb ramps, pervious sidewalks and colored pervious median insets. The end result is a great looking, low maintenance public traffic intersection.
We’d love to answer any questions you may have about using pervious concrete in public or private spaces. Feel free to comment or reply to this article, or call Dave Johnson at (360) 676-1665 to learn more.