Plastic pavers are paving systems molded from durable plastic, often recycled, that provide a load-bearing surface lighter and more permeable than concrete. In the grass and gravel paver world, plastic grass pavers are the reinforcement grids that support vehicles while letting grass or gravel fill the cells. Plastic is favored here for its strength-to-weight, durability, and sustainability.

NDS EZ Roll plastic grass pavers honeycomb grid.

What are plastic pavers?

Plastic pavers are paving units molded from tough polymers rather than poured from concrete. In permeable paving, they take the form of grids — plastic grass pavers — that are installed over a base and filled with soil and grass or gravel. The plastic grid carries the load, while its open cells stay permeable and hold the fill in place.

How the grid carries load

The reinforcing grid sits over a compacted, free-draining base. It carries vehicle and foot loads and transfers that weight to the base, so the fill inside the cells — soil and grass, or gravel — is protected from compaction and rutting. Water infiltrates through the surface into the base and soil below, making the system both load-bearing and permeable.

Why plastic for pavers

• Strong yet light: molded plastic grids carry vehicle loads while being far lighter than concrete, so they are easy to handle and install.
• Durable: resistant to moisture, rot, and the freeze-thaw cracking that affects concrete.
• Permeable: the open-cell design lets water infiltrate.
• Sustainable: NDS gravel pavers are made from 100 percent recycled material.
• Flexible options: from roll-out mats to rigid interlocking pavers.

NDS EZ Roll Gravel Pavers, plastic pavers made from recycled material.

NDS plastic paver systems

• EZ Roll Grass Pavers: flexible plastic honeycomb on a roll for grass surfaces.
• EZ Roll Gravel Pavers: the same concept for gravel, made from 100 percent recycled plastic.
• Tufftrack: rigid plastic interlocking pavers, 1-1/2 inch thick, for higher loads.

Where plastic pavers are used

Plastic grass and gravel pavers are used for driveways, overflow and event parking, fire lanes, golf cart paths, and access roads — anywhere a permeable, load-bearing surface is wanted without the weight and impermeability of concrete.

Installation: base prep and steps

NDS EZ Roll Grass Pavers are designed to be placed on an engineer-specified compacted base. The base is what carries the vehicle load, so base preparation is the most important part of the job. A typical sequence:

1. Excavate. Remove unsuitable soil and excavate deep enough for the aggregate base plus the paver and soil. Longview's product guidance calls for a 4 to 6 inch aggregate base directly below the pavers; without that base a "cookie cutter" effect occurs as the pavers punch into soft ground.
2. Place the base course. Use a free-draining aggregate (NDS suggests AASHTO #57 stone or a local equivalent), placed over the prepared subgrade in lifts not exceeding 6 inches.
3. Compact each lift. Compact every lift separately to a minimum of 95 percent Modified Proctor density, so the base is firm and uniform before the pavers go down.
4. Optional sandy loam layer. An engineer may add about 2 inches of sandy loam between the paver and the gravel base; if so, place a non-woven geotextile filter fabric between the sandy loam and the base to keep fines from migrating into the stone.
5. Roll out and connect the pavers. Unroll the mat over the prepared base; the top-down locking tabs snap together with no tools, and each 2 by 2 foot section has 72 honeycomb cells.
6. Stake the pavers. Anchor with the supplied stakes (each roll ships with 40 stakes, 12 inch by 3/8 inch galvanized, NDS part GPSTAKE), following the recommended staking pattern. Use edge restraints at borders to prevent creep.
7. Fill with soil and plant. Fill the cells to the top surface with sandy loam or loam soil (sand is not acceptable), leaving a minimum of 1-1/2 inches for grass pavers and soil. Seed, sod, or hydroseed, and plant within 30 days of installing the pavers.
8. Establish before traffic. Keep vehicles off until the grass is sufficiently established to handle traffic.

NDS EZ Roll Gravel Pavers install much like the grass version, but the rolls go down fabric-side-down and the cells are filled with gravel instead of soil and grass. A typical sequence:

1. Prepare and compact the base. Excavate and place a free-draining aggregate base; base course thickness depends on the native soil and the anticipated wheel loads. Compact the base with one to three passes of a 5-ton steel wheel roller or equivalent.
2. Consult a geotechnical engineer for weak soils. For poor subgrades (CBR under 5 percent or R-value under 10), NDS recommends the engineer of record consult a geotechnical engineer about soil modification and compaction.
3. Roll out fabric-side-down. The pavers come with a thermally welded geotextile (Typar) fabric that prevents gravel from migrating downward and is porous for stormwater. Lay one roll first, then pull the edge of the adjacent roll snug against it and connect the lateral snap locks.
4. Leave clearance and stake. Leave a 1 inch minimum clearance between the pavers and fixed objects or structures, and stake per the recommended pattern (stakes are included).
5. Fill with gravel. Fill the cells with gravel to finish the surface; the cells confine the stone so it cannot rut or migrate.

Load and durability specs

For context on why the base matters, the EZ Roll pavers have an unfilled compressive strength in the range of about 53,683 to 57,890 psf and are rated to support H-20 and H-25 vehicle loads, with a life expectancy of 25 years when well maintained. Each paver weighs about 2.31 pounds and is made of HDPE with UV inhibitors. Those load ratings assume a properly prepared and compacted base, which is why the base-prep steps above are not optional.

For complete installation specifications, download the official NDS EZ Roll Grass Pavers Installation Guide (PDF).

Frequently Asked Questions