Totally feel you on the permeable pavers—great idea, but yeah, that upfront cost can sting. A friend of mine tackled a similar project recently, and here's what he found:
- He ended up sourcing some lesser-known brands online—mostly regional suppliers rather than the big box stores. Saved him about 20-30% compared to name brands, and honestly, quality seemed pretty solid.
- Drainage-wise, he said the permeable pavers definitely performed better than gravel trenches, especially during heavier rains. No pooling or runoff issues at all.
- One thing to watch out for though: installation can be trickier than it looks. He underestimated prep work initially, so maybe factor in a bit more time and effort there.
- Mixing materials could be a smart move—maybe test it out on a small patio or walkway first? That way you're not fully committed if it doesn't pan out.
Might be worth poking around local landscaping supply places too; sometimes they have surplus inventory or discontinued lines that they'll let go cheaper. Good luck with whatever you decide...would love to hear how it turns out.
Agree on the prep work point—I've seen DIY permeable paver projects go sideways because people underestimated how critical base prep is. A couple quick thoughts from my experience:
- Definitely check local supply yards like you said. They often have 'seconds' or slightly irregular batches at steep discounts. Usually, the imperfections are minor and purely cosmetic.
- Another thing to consider is joint filler material. I've found polymeric sand works best for standard pavers, but for permeable setups, you'll want something coarser like crushed granite or small gravel chips. Polymeric sand tends to clog the drainage gaps over time.
- Also, keep an eye on edge restraints. DIYers sometimes skip this step, but proper edging really helps keep everything stable long-term, especially if you're mixing materials or working with smaller paver units.
Good luck—sounds like you've done your homework already, so I'm sure it'll turn out solid.
Totally agree on the edging—learned that one the hard way myself. Thought I'd save a few bucks skipping it, and ended up with pavers shifting all over after just one winter. Also, good call on the crushed granite. Polymeric sand looks neat at first, but yeah, it clogs up fast and defeats the whole permeable purpose. Sounds like you're on the right track though...can't wait to see how it turns out.
Yeah, edging is definitely not the place to cut corners—lesson learned here too. I've had better luck with polymeric sand myself, but you need just the right slope or drainage setup. Curious how the crushed granite holds up long-term...keep us posted.
I've actually had mixed results with polymeric sand myself. When I first put in my patio, I went all-in on polymeric sand thinking it'd be foolproof. Followed the instructions to a T—right slope, proper compaction, everything. But after a couple of heavy rains, I noticed some erosion and weeds popping through anyway. Ended up redoing sections with crushed granite as an experiment, and surprisingly it's held up pretty well over the past two years. Granted, it does shift slightly here and there, but nothing major or unsightly.
I think the key is really in how well you prep underneath—solid base layers and good drainage seem to matter more than the material itself sometimes. Curious if anyone else has noticed similar results or if my experience was just a fluke...
