Choosing permeable vs non permeable pavers comes down to water, traffic, and how you want your site to function day to day. If you manage a retail centre, office park, strata complex, or industrial yard, you need paving that drains well, stays safe, and holds up under vehicles. You also need to know what you will maintain, and what you will repair later.
Designs by Stonescapes offers a paving service for commercial properties. You can use that service to plan the right surface, then keep it performing over time.
What Are Permeable Pavers?
Permeable pavers are paving units designed to let water pass through the surface and into a stone base below. The pavers sit with wider joints than standard paving. Those joints use small aggregate that allows water to flow through.
The system works because of the layers under the pavers. A typical build includes a bedding layer and a base made of open-graded stone. That base stores water, then releases it into the soil or a drainage system, depending on the design.
Permeable paving can help if you have pooling in a parking bay, runoff that pushes dirt into walkways, or stormwater limits set by your municipality. It can also reduce slip risk in areas where water normally sits after rain.
What Are Non-Permeable Pavers?
Non permeable pavers are traditional pavers installed with tight joints and a compacted base that does not let water drain through the surface. Water runs off the top and moves to the nearest drain, gutter, or landscaped area.
That design works well when you already have solid drainage in place, or when your site needs a hard surface that handles heavy turning loads. You often see non permeable pavers on loading areas, high-traffic drive lanes, and entry aprons where vehicles brake and pivot.
Non permeable pavers also give you more options for jointing materials and sealers, depending on the look and cleaning needs of the site.
Differences Between Permeable and Non-Permeable Pavers
There are a few key differences between permeable and non-permeable pavers:
Drainage and compliance
Permeable and non permeable options manage rain in very different ways. Permeable systems reduce runoff because water goes through the surface. Non-permeable systems move water across the surface, so drains and slopes matter more.
If your property struggles with blocked drains or standing water near entrances, permeable paving may reduce those issues. If your property already has catch basins placed in the right spots, non-permeable paving can work fine.
Load and traffic
Both options can handle commercial traffic when installed correctly. The difference sits in the base design and the traffic type. Permeable systems need an open-graded base, so the installer must build it to match your loads. Non-permeable systems can use dense-graded base materials that many crews know well.
If you have delivery trucks that stop in the same area every day, tell your contractor. That detail affects base depth, edge restraint, and paver thickness.
Maintenance
Permeable paving needs regular surface cleaning to prevent the joints from clogging. Plan on sweeping often in high-litter areas, and schedule vacuum sweeping as needed. If your site drops a lot of sand, leaves, or fine dust onto the paving, the joints can fill faster.
Non permeable pavers usually need less joint-specific cleaning, but you still need routine care. Remove weeds early, clean spills, and reset any pavers that shift. If you use jointing sand, you may top it up after pressure washing.
Winter performance and staining
In freeze-thaw zones, both systems depend on good base work. Permeable paving can reduce ice in some spots because water does not sit on the surface as long. But if the joints clog, you lose that benefit.
For staining, both surfaces need quick action. Oil spots, rust, and food spills become harder to remove the longer they sit. Put a simple response plan in place for staff or cleaners.
Cost and installation time
Permeable systems often cost more up front because the base build is specific and the install requires care. Non-permeable systems may cost less to install, but you may spend more on drainage upgrades if the site slopes poorly or drains sit too far apart.
A quick example helps. If you have a 40-bay parking area and water pools in five bays, you can either rebuild drainage and add inlets, or you can use permeable paving in that section with a base designed to store and release water. Your final choice depends on the site and local requirements.If you want help choosing permeable vs non permeable pavers, contact Designs by Stonescapes. Their paving service can assess your drainage, traffic, and maintenance capacity, then recommend a paving plan that fits how your property runs.e. Synthetic turf maintenance belongs on your monthly checklist, right next to lighting checks and bin service.