VAST - Case Study - Composite Paver Adds New Angle to Deck Building - Deck Pavers, Lightweight Pavers, Composite Pavers

In the deck building industry, you make your mark by offering unique designs, quality construction and a fair price. When something comes along that gives you an edge in all three categories, you jump at the opportunity.

That's what Jon Brennhofer of Outdoor Spaces Design and Build Company thought when he saw an article about a new environmentally friendly patio paver in the local paper. While patios aren't his specialty, he saw the potential to use the paver in his deck building business – and to build his competitive advantage in the process.

A Unique Advantage

Brennhofer's innovative designs speak for themselves. This nationally accredited designer/builder takes pride in creating a unique outdoor space for each client. So he contacted VAST Enterprises, the maker of the new composite paver with his application idea. It was a perfect fit.

VAST's Composite Pavers are made from 95% recycled materials such as car tires and milk jugs. At just 25% the weight of concrete, the pavers are virtually maintenance-free and resist moisture, cracking and UV damage. They contain no toxic chemicals or preservatives.

"I've been in the deck business for 17 years and any time something new like this comes along, it's an advantage for a builder," said Brennhofer. "Traditional pavers aren't practical for an elevated deck application because of their weight. But the VAST pavers are lightweight yet durable."

And Brennhofer had just the job in mind for the first application of his new idea. He was planning a deck for homeowner David Burris. Burris, the owner of BEI Exterior Maintenance Corporation in Minneapolis, was open to new ideas. "Jon had envisioned a new way to use these pavers, and as a contractor myself, I could appreciate his vision."

Burris lives in a 70s-era split-level home in Andover, Minnesota. Brennhofer designed and built a multi-level deck coming off the upper floor of the Burris home into the backyard. With a combination of composite deck lumber for the upper deck floor, VAST pavers for the lower seating area and traditional wood and iron railings, it is truly one-of-a-kind outdoor space.

"We began a complete exterior renovation of our home last fall that included the deck and all new siding," said Burris. "The colors of the deck with the warm wood tones and the VAST pavers blend wonderfully with the rest of the house. The whole project is gorgeous."

VAST pavers are available in a variety of fade-resistant colors, each with more color brilliance than traditional concrete pavers. The range of colors offers the flexibility of custom color combinations. Burris' deck includes three different colors for a rich, multi-hued look.

Burris plans to continue his renovation project this spring. "We're going to add a walkway from the base of the stairway and a patio. The landing is currently made of concrete pavers, but we'll be removing those to use the VAST composite pavers. It will tie the whole outdoor space together for a unified look, plus we know they won't shift and settle like the brick pavers."

Solid, Lightweight Quality

Homeowners like Burris know a deck isn't all about beauty. It also has to be solidly built. Installation of the VAST pavers is simple. First, a mesh screen is placed on top of the normal deck structure, then a grid substrate is secured to the deck. The VAST pavers are placed into the grid system and can be finished with the optional step of sweeping sand over the entire surface.

"This was my first installation, but it went down faster than typical composite decking, which I've been working with for 13 years," said Brennhofer. The VAST grid system makes aligning the pavers easy, as well distributing the weight over a wide area. This increases the durability and prevents the bricks from settling individually. "The VAST substrate keeps everything in place," said Brennhofer. "With traditional pavers, you always have the possibility of shifting, and the installation is much more tedious. There's so much blocking and tying together. You need to adjust the framing to accommodate the weight load. That means a lot more time and expense than with the VAST pavers."

Brennhofer says the cost of the VAST pavers is about the same as other composite deck materials, such as composite lumber. "But from a homeowner's perspective, it can be less expensive. If a deck surface gets scratched, the typical recourse is to replace the offending board. But with the VAST pavers, you only have to replace a block. Replacing a single block versus an entire deck board is a lot cheaper and easier – the homeowner can do it themselves."

Weather can also play a factor. "I've used stone products before," continued Brennhofer. "But in a Minnesota environment, they just don't hold up. With the variances in temperature and humidity we have here, they can crack and delaminate. The VAST pavers shouldn't have that problem." The advanced engineering of the VAST pavers also make them perfect for patios, sidewalks, pool areas, flat commercial roofs, decks and driveways.

The Environmental Edge

How important is the recycled factor of the VAST pavers? "The first time we showed them at a home and garden show, 100% of the people we spoke to were interested in the environmental side of it. I guess that's something we'll have to get used to in an industry where we use a lot of wood. We use woods like pine, cedar, Brazilian redwood and teak. These are beautiful woods. But they're not all sustainable. Sometimes I would spec a project with one of these popular woods, then not be able to get the materials I needed.

"Knowing that many of these woods have just disappeared from the market, and seeing the interest in 'green' building of our customers, it's becoming more of a focus for us. We're not doing the environment any favors by depleting a wood source. The VAST pavers offer us another option."

Brennhofer expects his business using VAST pavers to grow. "The response we got at the home and garden show was outstanding. Here's a unique product that's also environmentally safe. They appreciate that."

VAST composite pavers are available beginning in Spring of 2007 from Certified VAST Resellers and Installers like Brennhofer's Outdoor Spaces Design and Build Company. For more details, contact us.

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