PALMETTO PAVERSTONES

After being introduced to the Gator Base system at a local trade show in Myrtle Beach, Bryon decided to put it to use on one of his own projects. “Our first project was an outdoor patio with a fireplace and a knee wall, and it was in Charleston, South Carolina. […] We used the Gator Base and it just was really nice—because it’s just a good product. Easy to use, versatile,” said Bryon.

There are a number of reasons why Bryon has continued to use the Gator Base system but one of the main ones is that the local terrain can prove to be difficult to work with. “We do a lot of yards—backyard patios—that are not easily accessible. So, it was a much better deal to go in there and use [the Gator Base], than to lug out and lug in all the gravel and have to take out all the dirt […] We have a lot of clay soil here and that’s the best—the perfect scenario for this stuff.” Gator Base panels are made from a light-weight, high-density polypropylene and designed for pedestrian areas. They won’t collect water or degrade in the ground and are excellent for a variety of projects.

In addition to this, he and his team at Palmetto have found it to be a useful system, because instead of letting the paving stones sink into the base sand, they sit on top of the Gator Base units allowing for adjustments to be made easily. “You’re tamping your sand material, then putting the Gator Base on top and then you’re setting the pavers right on top of that, which allows a hard surface and it’s just really, really nice to have that. If you have to move your pavers a little bit—to nudge them, to fit in the corners—you know that walking on them doesn’t cause an issue, it’s really nice to have that,” explains Bryon.

He has also found that he’s saving money by reducing the amount of materials that he’s transporting to the job site and the amount of excavated material that he has to dispose of. “Yeah that’s where it becomes an issue: when you’re excavating material to have to go dump it. Absolutely there’s savings there.”

On top of all these reasons, Bryon looks at this as a way for his company to stay ahead of the curve. “It’s allowing me to promote a product that’s newer on the market, and it promotes my company as being a leader in products that are coming out […] people respect that, they tend to go towards a contractor who’s more knowledgeable, who’s using up-to-date materials, and knows what he’s doing.”

At the end of the day, Bryon sees the benefit in using the Gator Base system on his hardscaping projects, and plans to continue to work with and sell the product. “It makes for a neater job, it makes for an easier job. Yeah, there’s savings in that, absolutely.”

You can find Bryon Fletcher online at www.palmettopaverstones.com