Techo-Bloc Pavers: Pavers vs Slabs, Warranty, Installation and Care
Techo-Bloc splits its line into pavers, which are rated for driveways, and slabs, which are for patios and walks and go down differently. Here is how to tell them apart, what the transferable warranty covers and what Techo-Bloc's own guides say about installation and care.
Techo-Bloc pavers are concrete paving stones and slabs from a family-owned North American manufacturer, sold through distributors and backed by a transferable lifetime warranty on residential products. The detail most buyers miss is that Techo-Bloc divides its line into pavers, which are rated for driveways, and slabs, which are made for patios and walks and are installed differently.
Quick answer
Techo-Bloc pavers (Blu 80 mm, Antika, Industria, Villagio and others) are listed for driveways and patios. Techo-Bloc slabs (Blu 60 mm, Aberdeen, Borealis, Travertina Raw and others) are for patios, walkways and pool areas, and Techo-Bloc does not recommend running a plate compactor over slabs. Its guides call for 4 to 8 in. of compacted base under patios depending on the soil, and rock salt won’t harm its paving stones except the Stonedge collection.
Pavers vs slabs: the split that matters
Techo-Bloc’s installation guides put every flat product into one of two groups, and each group is tested to a different standard.
| Techo-Bloc pavers | Techo-Bloc slabs | |
|---|---|---|
| Listed for | Driveways, permeable driveways, patios | Patios, walkways, pool sides, stepping stones |
| Examples | Antika, Blu 80 mm, Diamond, Eva, Industria, Linea, Mista, Sleek, Valet, Victorien, Villagio, Westmount | Aberdeen, Blu 60 mm, Borealis, Everest, Para, Sandstone, Travertina Raw |
| Standard | ASTM C936: 8,000 psi compressive minimum, 5% maximum absorption | ASTM C1782: 725 psi flexural strength |
| Thickness tolerance | ±0.125 in. | ±0.12 in. |
| Plate compactor | Yes, with a urethane mat | No |
Both groups have to pass the same freeze-thaw test in Techo-Bloc’s tables: no more than 225 grams of material lost per square meter after 28 freeze-thaw cycles, or 500 grams after 49.
The product name often tells you which group you’re looking at. Blu 60 mm is a slab. Blu 80 mm is a paver. If a quote says “Blu” for a driveway, ask which thickness. A few lines show up on both lists in different thicknesses, such as Hexa (a 100 mm paver and a 60 mm slab) and Industria (paver series plus a 60 mm slab series), so check the exact product, not just the name.
Stonedge slabs follow different rules
Stonedge is Techo-Bloc’s wet-cast collection, which includes Aberdeen, Borealis, Inca, Maya and Travertina Raw. Techo-Bloc’s slab guide says these slabs are made to vary a little more in size than its dry-cast products, for a more natural-stone look. Three practical results:
- No deicing salt. Techo-Bloc says Stonedge products can be plowed, but deicing salt is not recommended, and the warranty’s salt coverage excludes Stonedge.
- The warranty may not transfer. Techo-Bloc’s full warranty terms exclude both rock salt use and transferability on wet-cast products unless stated otherwise.
- Less uniform joints. With more size variation from piece to piece, expect joint widths to vary more than on dry-cast slabs.
If the patio sits next to a walk or driveway that gets salted every winter, settle the Stonedge question before you order.
What the Techo-Bloc warranty covers
Techo-Bloc’s residential warranty is a lifetime guarantee on concrete landscaping and masonry products made for homes, starting on the delivery date. The full warranty terms linked from that page (dated June 17, 2025) add the details. In plain terms:
- Covered: the structural integrity of the products, plus abnormal surface deterioration caused by deicing pavers, slabs or steps with sodium chloride (rock salt). Stonedge is excluded from the salt coverage.
- How a claim works: Techo-Bloc or its representative inspects the site and assesses the products, then replaces the affected units only.
- Not covered: the cost of installing or replacing the units; color, texture or finish differences in replacement pieces; damage from a base that settles or moves; installs that don’t follow local codes, CMHA or Techo-Bloc guidelines; scuffs from compactors or snow removal equipment; and efflorescence or polymeric sand haze.
- Paperwork: Techo-Bloc honors the warranty only with proof of purchase, such as an invoice or delivery slip.
- Transfer: the full terms describe the residential warranty as transferable, except on wet-cast (Stonedge) products unless stated otherwise. If you’re buying a house with a Techo-Bloc patio, ask the seller for the original invoice.
Commercial products have a separate, shorter warranty.
Installation defects belong to the contractor, not Techo-Bloc. Ask for a written workmanship warranty before you sign.
How Techo-Bloc says to install pavers and slabs
The paver guide and slab guide share the same groundwork:
- Call the utilities before excavating. In the U.S., that means 811.
- Excavate to mirror the finished grade, sloped 3/16 in. per foot (1.5%). The base should extend past the edge by a distance equal to its thickness.
- Prepare the soil. Compact sandy or gravelly soil with a plate. On clay, Techo-Bloc says to blend lime and crushed stone into the soil before compacting, then cover it with geotextile.
- Build the base from 0 to 3/4 in. crushed stone in 4 in. lifts, wetted and compacted with a plate compactor of at least 5,000 lbf, to within ±3/8 in. over 10 ft.
- Screed 1 in. of concrete sand over two 1 in. pipes. Leave it loose under pavers. Under slabs, pre-compact the screeded sand with a hand tamper, then lightly fluff it.
- Lay from a square corner using a 3-4-5 triangle, and pull from more than two cubes at a time to blend color.
- Set the curb or edge once the paving is down, held with mortar or a plastic retention system.
- Fill the joints with polymeric sand. On pavers, run a plate compactor with a urethane mat, which settles them about 3/8 in. into the sand. On slabs, skip the plate.
| Project | Clay or silty soil | Sandy or gravelly soil |
|---|---|---|
| Patios and walkways | 6 to 8 in. minimum | 4 to 6 in. minimum |
| Driveways | 8 to 14 in. minimum | 6 to 10 in. minimum |
Builder’s note: A paver patio sinks when the base under it moves, and no brand’s product fixes that (Techo-Bloc’s warranty excludes it). For comparison, on the patios we build the base is 6 in. of compacted dense-graded stone (2A modified in Pennsylvania), and more on clay or wet ground. Our paver base depth guide covers how soil changes the number.
Caring for Techo-Bloc pavers
Techo-Bloc’s care and maintenance page is more relaxed than a lot of advice you’ll read:
- Snow and salt. Plow and shovel like any pavement, and ask a snow contractor to use Teflon blades. Techo-Bloc says sodium chloride or calcium chloride will not harm its paving stones, Stonedge excepted. Our guide to salt on pavers covers how much to use.
- Sealing is optional. Techo-Bloc compares sealer to waxing a car and says the product’s quality isn’t compromised if you don’t seal. Our article on whether to seal pavers walks through the tradeoffs.
- Efflorescence. The white residue is normal. Techo-Bloc says it typically stops developing in about 90 days but can take 18 to 24 months, and it names FlexLock or Alliance Gator efflorescence cleaners.
- What to avoid. Wire brushes and strong acids such as muriatic and sulfuric. Careless pressure washing can damage the surface and void the warranty.
- Moss in the joints. Mix 5 parts water to 1 part chlorine bleach, scrub lightly with a nylon brush and rinse well.
- Leaves and fertilizer. Sweep leaves in the fall, since stains left under snow all winter are harder to remove. Blow fertilizer off the surface, because iron in some fertilizers leaves rust spots.
Finding a Techo-Bloc installer
Techo-Bloc’s contractor network is called Techo-Pro. Its contractor page matches you by address and describes Techo-Pros as vetted specialists with extensive hands-on experience with its products.
Whoever you talk to, ask the same questions: base material and depth in writing, how many lifts and with what compactor, what edge restraint, and whether they know which of your products are pavers and which are slabs. Our guide to hiring a pavers contractor has the full list, and our paver brands comparison puts Techo-Bloc’s warranty and salt rules next to Belgard, Unilock and Cambridge.
If you want the layout settled before you collect quotes, our online patio design plans show the layout, sizes and paver product on one scaled drawing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Techo-Bloc Blu 60 be used for a driveway?
No. Techo-Bloc lists Blu 60 mm as a slab for patios, walkways and pool areas. Blu 80 mm is the paver version listed for driveways.
Do Techo-Bloc pavers need to be sealed?
No. Techo-Bloc says sealing is for looks and that the quality of its products is not compromised if you leave them unsealed.
Can you use rock salt on Techo-Bloc pavers?
Yes. Techo-Bloc says sodium chloride and calcium chloride won’t harm its paving stones, and its residential warranty covers abnormal surface damage from sodium chloride (rock salt). The exception is the Stonedge collection, where deicing salt is not recommended.
Is the Techo-Bloc warranty transferable?
Yes, for residential products. Techo-Bloc’s full warranty terms (June 2025) describe a transferable lifetime warranty, except on wet-cast Stonedge products unless stated otherwise. It covers product only, not labor, and claims need proof of purchase, so keep the invoice with your house records.
What is a Techo-Pro?
A contractor in Techo-Bloc’s installer network, described by Techo-Bloc as a vetted specialist with extensive hands-on experience with its products. You can request quotes from Techo-Pros through Techo-Bloc’s website.
How long does efflorescence last on Techo-Bloc pavers?
Techo-Bloc says it typically stops forming in about 90 days but can take 18 to 24 months. It isn’t a defect and doesn’t harm the pavers.
Sources: Techo-Bloc, Pavers Installation Guide (physical characteristics, installation outline, base thickness), pp. 62 to 64; Techo-Bloc, Slabs Installation Guide, pp. 34 to 36; Techo-Bloc, Installation Guides; Techo-Bloc, Warranties (residential); Techo-Bloc, Warranties (full terms, June 17, 2025); Techo-Bloc, Care & Maintenance; Techo-Bloc, About Us; Techo-Bloc, Get Landscape Contractor Quotes (Techo-Pro); ASTM C936/C936M-24, Standard Specification for Solid Concrete Interlocking Paving Units
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Written and reviewed by Thayne Muthler, owner of Muthler Landscaping & Construction. How we check facts: editorial policy.