Hebden X-Grid permeable paving is very popular amongst gardeners, town planners and parkland managers for its invisibility in green environments; when filled with soil and covered with grass it’s virtually indistinguishable from any other lawn, yet strong enough to support vehicles and heavy foot traffic. This invisibility is often seen as its main selling point, but structurally it has an even better trick. Let’s talk about permeable paving in urban spaces.

X-Grid’s Best Trick

Planning regulations often prohibit homeowners and architects from installing concrete or tarmac in areas which are essential for water drainage, creating quite a standoff in places where parking comes at a crazy premium these days. One such place is Peckham in South London – our customer Rosemary and her family have recently taken on a beautiful townhouse with an ideal space for a driveway, but as a water-permeable space it couldn’t be concreted without causing a potential flood risk for the whole neighbourhood. Enter Hebden X-Grid: sixty square metres and half a day’s work later, and their gravel driveway was complete. Trigger warning: chaotic building site pictures ahead!

Hebden X-Grid being installed in a Peckham driveway

No previous experience required!

We know, everyone likes to see pictures of slick-looking finished projects, and we’re sure Rosemary won’t have loved the space when it was in this state either… but building site pictures like this help us to demonstrate one important point; these fine chaps, skilled builders though they are, had never worked with X-Grid before. Yet they easily managed to put down a perfect driveway, complete with all the necessary layers of aggregate and sand to keep it good and solid, without a hitch at their first attempt.

Hebden X-Grid driveway almost complete

The driveway nears completion

There are a few interesting side-effects that come with installing X-Grid. For example – concrete and tarmac, once damaged, can be patched but will lose some visual smoothness and some structural integrity. X-Grids can be replaced individually and the surface returned to its previous state. Also, surfaces that can retain water in cracks and are made in one piece may hold that water in freezing temperatures and crack when the water expands as it freezes. Again, more damage. This can’t happen with X-Grid.

If all of this has got you thinking about what you might do with some permeable paving, you can find more information here. Drop us a line at [email protected] or give us a call on 0808 281 2929 and we’ll be happy to help.