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Turf and Pavers: Green Surfaces That Bear Loads | Longview Supply
Turf and Pavers: Green Surfaces That Bear Loads
How to combine turf and pavers into a green, load-bearing surface
In This Guide
Turf and pavers, combined, give you a surface that is both green and load-bearing: living grass turf growing within or alongside a structural paver system. The most seamless version is the grass paver, where the turf grows directly through a reinforcement grid, so the surface looks like lawn but supports vehicles and foot traffic. It is a popular way to blend landscape and pavement.
Quick answer: Combining turf and pavers gives a surface that is both green and load-bearing. Grass pavers let turf grow through a reinforcement grid, so it looks like lawn but supports traffic.
NDS EZ Roll grass pavers let turf grow through the grid.
Combining turf and pavers
There are two ways people pair turf and pavers. One is alternating — strips or blocks of pavers with turf between them — for a patterned look. The other, and the most functional for traffic, is the grass paver, where the paver and the turf occupy the same space: a grid carries the load while grass fills and grows through its cells. That integrated approach gives a continuous green surface that performs like pavement.
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 combine turf and pavers
- Green and functional: the look of turf with the load capacity of pavement.
- Permeable: water soaks through the turf and base instead of running off.
- Durable turf: the grid prevents the compaction and rutting that destroy unprotected grass under traffic.
- Cooler and softer than a fully paved surface.
NDS Tufftrack rigid grass pavers integrate turf and structure.
NDS systems for turf and pavers
- EZ Roll Grass Pavers: a flexible honeycomb mat that lets turf grow through it, fast to install over large areas.
- Tufftrack: rigid 2 by 2 foot interlocking pavers for higher loads, with turf in the cells.
Where turf and pavers work together
The combination suits green driveways, overflow and event parking, fire lanes, golf cart paths, and pedestrian areas that occasionally carry vehicles — anywhere you want the surface to read as turf while still bearing loads. Choose the roll for broad areas and the rigid paver for the heaviest traffic.
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:
Please note: The steps below are general guidance only. Site conditions, soil type, load requirements, and local codes vary. Always refer to the NDS EZ Roll Grass Pavers Installation Guide (PDF) and consult a qualified engineer for your specific project.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Establish before traffic. Keep vehicles off until the grass is sufficiently established to handle traffic.
The rigid Tufftrack pavers follow the same base logic — a compacted, free-draining aggregate base placed in lifts and compacted, then a lightly compacted planting base, with the 2 by 2 foot units laid and interlocked over the top and filled with soil and grass. Because Tufftrack is 1-1/2 inch thick and rigid, it suits the heavier or more frequent loads where you want extra stiffness underfoot.
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).
Not sure which product fits your site? Use the Permeable Paver Selector, our free interactive tool under the Resources menu, to answer a few plain-language questions and get matched to the right NDS grass or gravel paver system and size for your project.
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Shop NDS Grass and Gravel Pavers Use the Paver SelectorFrequently Asked Questions
How do you combine turf and pavers?
The most functional way is a grass paver, where a reinforcement grid carries the load while grass fills and grows through its cells, so the paver and turf occupy the same space. You can also alternate paver strips with turf between them for a patterned look.
Why combine turf and pavers?
It gives the look of turf with the load capacity of pavement, stays permeable so water soaks in, prevents the compaction and rutting that destroy unprotected grass under traffic, and stays cooler and softer than full paving.
Can turf grow through a paver?
Yes. In a grass paver system, the structural grid is mostly open cells filled with soil, and turf grows up through those cells. The grid carries the load while the grass forms a continuous green surface.
Which NDS systems integrate turf and pavers?
EZ Roll Grass Pavers are a flexible honeycomb mat that turf grows through, fast to install over large areas. Tufftrack is a rigid 2 by 2 foot interlocking paver for higher loads with turf in the cells.
Where do turf and pavers work together?
The combination suits green driveways, overflow and event parking, fire lanes, golf cart paths, and pedestrian areas that occasionally carry vehicles — anywhere the surface should read as turf while bearing loads.
What base do NDS grass pavers need?
NDS EZ Roll Grass Pavers need a compacted, free-draining aggregate base directly below them. Longview product guidance calls for a 4 to 6 inch aggregate base (NDS suggests AASHTO #57 stone or equivalent), placed in lifts not exceeding 6 inches and compacted to a minimum of 95 percent Modified Proctor. Without an adequate base, the pavers can punch into soft ground.
How are NDS EZ Roll pavers anchored?
Each grass paver roll ships with 40 stakes, 12 inch by 3/8 inch galvanized (NDS part GPSTAKE), installed on a recommended staking pattern, and edge restraints are used at borders to prevent creep. Gravel paver rolls also include stakes and are laid fabric-side-down with the lateral snap locks connected.
