by Bruce Soileau on March 11, 2010
Do pavers need to be mortared into place?
No mortar is needed to install concrete pavers. It is recommended that you use course granular sand, which will bind the pavers together with a friction joint. This sand is swept into the joints and compacted to achieve the proper installation.
What is the white residue on the pavers?
The white residue on top of the pavers is a condition called efflorescence. This condition is greatly minimized with the use of Pavestone pavers because of an additive that Pavestone uses to control this condition. Efflorescence will wear off in about 2 to 3 months naturally but it can be removed with whitewall cleaner and a wire brush. Ask your Pavestone dealer about other professional cleaners. [click to continue…]
by Bruce Soileau on March 9, 2010
Manna Worldwide Bret Scullion Donation Fund
Tim Berns, of the Pavestone Company, is pleased to announce the opening of the 4th Bret Scullion center. Bruce O’Neal, the President of Manna Worldwide, and Tim will be traveling to Desna, Russia at the end of March to open a children’s feeding center. Desna is a small village town, 6 hours southwest of Moscow, that has been plagued with extreme poverty and rampant alcoholism. This new center will give 50 children the opportunity to enjoy two hot meals a day. Tim will share pictures with everyone at the 3rd annual Bret Scullion Golf Outing being held on June 7, 2010, more details to follow in the upcoming weeks.
The Bret Scullion Foundation funds the following;
- The Bret Scullion Feeding Center in Manila, Philippines – 2007
- The Bret Scullion Orphanage in Dorbeta-Turn Severin, Romania – 2008
- The Bret Scullion Feeding Center in Antipolo, Philippines – 2009
- The Bret Scullion Feeding Center in Desna, Russia – 2010
- The Bret Scullion Feeding Center in Hati – 2010 **Exact date yet to be determined**
Thank you for your continued generosity, without it these centers would not be possible.
To make a donation:
Step 1- Visit Manna Worldwide Bret Scullion Donation Fund
Step 2- Follow the paypal instructions
If you have any questions on donating or if you would like to set up monthly donations please contact Tim Berns directly at
You can also mail a check to:
Manna Worldwide
4201 W. Risinger Road
Fort Worth, TX 76123
In the Memo section, please put
“The Bret Scullion Feeding Center.”
by Bruce Soileau on March 4, 2010
Adding a stone grill to your outdoor living space can add value to your home and will provide years of entertaining pleasure for you and your family. I would like to share some ideas and instructions on how to build one here today.
I am going to share some basic information using Anchor™ Highland Stone® (FSW) Free Standing Wall System from Pavestone, so you may want to contact your Pavestone distributor or contractor to help with ideas and more detailed specifications on what you’ll need for your project. This is only a brief overview to give you an idea of what’s involved.
Below are some pictures of an outdoor grilling bar being constructed, showing how each course is put down.
Download a PDF detailing a conceptual plan for the Highland Stone® Free Standing Wall Outdoor Kitchen Surround here. The pictures and plans here are from Open Air Kitchens, who offer stone grill installation kits, gas grills and accessories to contractors and contractor suppliers.
by Bruce Soileau on February 17, 2010
Pavers: Eco-Priora Pavers
Paver Contractor: Rocky Mt. Hardscapes – Denver, Colorado
General Contractor: ECI Site Management – Loveland, Colorado
Owner: The City of Fort Morgan – Brighton, Colorado
For over a decade, officials for the City of Fort Morgan debated the necessity of updating the City’s Downtown Main Street Shopping District. In concert with an undersized and antiquated drainage system, persistent flooding from rain and snow melt regularly damaged store fronts, impacting existing businesses and sending potential tenants elsewhere. While it was apparent to the City Council and Mayor Jack Darnell that a solution was needed, there was some debate on what should be included in the scope of the project.
The overriding necessity of the project was addressing the outdated and undersized infrastructure. Some storm water pipes were over 40 years old, several sections were obsolete and often piecemealed together. The poor condition of the existing pavement and the desire for updated landscaping drove the city to several upgrades, including permeable pavers. According to Pat Merrill, City Manager, “We needed to utilize pavers to assist with drainage, as well as for the aesthetic qualities. Pavestone had an excellent reputation and the price was right!”
18,000 square feet of Eco-Priora pavers were installed in designated parking areas directly in front of the Main Street Shopping District. The location of these pavers would not only eliminate store front flooding, but would nearly eliminate the potential for icing. Snow melt would immediately infiltrate through the Priora paver joint, significantly reducing the need and associated costs of deicing salts. If deicing is required, aggregate layers within the permeable paver base acts as a filter, cleansing the infiltration and reducing possible contaminates. Another feature of the Fort Morgan Streetscapes is the use of pavers as striping. While the bulk of the field pavers are Winter Blend, the City opted to use Limestone pavers as the parking stripes which will reduce the upkeep costs associated with painted lines.
The entirety of the project was completed in 88 days, ahead of schedule and on budget. Pat Merrill said at the end of the project” It exceeds our expectations and looks beautiful.”
by Bruce Soileau on February 15, 2010
That partner is The Oklahoma Publishing Company of Oklahoma City, often called Opubco. Opubco is a 107 year old family controlled business led by the Gaylord family. It has interests in publishing, digital media, hospitality, real estate, breakfast food manufacturing, cable television, and owns a scenic railway that travels to the top of Pike’s Peak. Opubco’s philosophies are simple; it only invests in companies with leading positions in their industry and superior management teams. They are people who, like us, value character, honesty, and a family atmosphere.
With this transaction Pavestone has been able to restructure it’s finances by significantly reducing debt levels. This means that we can once again focus on product development, lean operations and efficiency, and the best customer service in the industry.
We believe that, as we emerge from this recession, Pavestone can achieve levels of performance, efficiency, and customer satisfaction that it has never reached before. As they have been for 30 years, these will continue to be our goals.
by Bruce Soileau on February 11, 2010
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Dallas area residents woke up to a winter wonderland this morning, and the snow is still falling. Some areas of DFW are expected to get a total of 8-10 inches of snow by morning says local meteorologists.
Well, some of our employees decided to have some fun in the snow at lunch time today by building a snowman, complete with a hard hat and safety glasses. This is something we just don’t see much of around here, and it brings out the kid in all of us.
Since we can’t lay pavers today, guess it would be a good day to make snow men or snow angels.
by Bruce Soileau on February 9, 2010
Turn Tax Refunds into a Backyard Dreamscape
Backyard Dreamscapes can be built using your tax refunds!
With springtime fast approaching, wouldn’t it be nice to have a new backyard patio or stone pavers around the pool? How about a fire pit for year round entertaining? Adding pavers, patio stones and retaining walls to your backyard can increase the value of your home and provide an awesome place to entertain friends and family.
Many of these backyard projects can be completed without breaking the bank, so using your tax refund to pay for the project could be a good way to pave the way.
Call your local Pavestone distributor or landscaping contractor to get some ideas on turning your backyard into a backyard dreamscape.
by Bruce Soileau on February 4, 2010
Are you are a homeowner that’s ready to buy pavers or patio stones for your long awaited paver project or patio stone installation? Or a landscape contractor looking for a Pavestone distributor or retailer near you?
Well, Pavestone has a handy Distributor Locator tool that can assist you in finding the nearest Authorized Pavestone Distributor in your city.
Just enter your zip code and the maximum distance you are willing to travel to purchase pavers, and the tool will display all of the authorized distributors in your area.
We also have a Pavestone Retailer locator tool available.
Try these handy tools out today.
by Bruce Soileau on January 27, 2010
All too often we get careless or in a hurry to complete a job when cutting stone pavers, and forget to use common sense when it comes to safety in the workplace. One instance happened recently, and was noticed by Heather Peters, who works for Pavestone’s commercial sales in the Phoenix area. [click to continue…]
Continuing with the overall mission to make Pavestone a greener company, the Information Technology department at Pavestone is only a few servers away from completing their overall mission to lower the 
