What Are Turf Block Pavers? Cost, & More

What are turf block pavers? Often referred to as grass block or grow-through pavers, turf block pavers are a unique way to add hardscaping to your yard or driveway nontraditionally.

Turf block pavers are a great alternative to concrete, asphalt, or traditional pavers and a great way to add environmentally friendly solutions to your outdoor living areas and driveway. Today, we will review turf block pavers and highlight a recent project we completed for a turf block driveway.

What are turf block pavers?

What do you call a paver that can have so many names and let grass grow through it? A grass block paver.

Okay, all bad jokes aside, turf block/grow-through pavers are popular in coastal areas or places where homeowners want to add functional stability but perhaps not have a solid surface. Seen as an eco-friendly option, turf block pavers are typically comprised of recycled concrete and designed to support vehicular and pedestrian traffic while allowing grass or other vegetation to grow between or within them.

Also known as grass or permeable pavers, turf block pavers are a type of paving system with an open-grid design that promotes drainage and reduces surface runoff. They are commonly used for driveways, parking areas, walkways, and erosion control applications.

➡️ Pro Tip: We often use grow-through pavers in areas where a thick, lush lawn is hard to maintain or where there is heavy foot traffic, like the side of your home near a back gate.

Pros of Turf Block Pavers:

Here are the common upsides to utilizing grass pavers:

• ✔ Eco-Friendly & Permeable – They allow water to filter through, reducing runoff and preventing soil erosion.
• ✔ Aesthetic Appeal – Blends natural greenery with structural stability, enhancing landscape design.
• ✔ Durability – Strong enough to support vehicles and foot traffic while maintaining green space.
• ✔ Heat Reduction – Grass-filled pavers help lower surface temperatures, unlike traditional asphalt or concrete.
• ✔ Erosion Control – Stabilizes soil in areas prone to washout or erosion or where growing a thick lawn is challenging.

Cons of Turf Block Pavers:

There are a few drawbacks to grow-through pavers, which can include:

• ✖ Maintenance – Requires regular mowing, watering, and occasional replanting of grass.
• ✖ Initial Cost – This can be a higher upfront investment than standard concrete or asphalt.
• ✖ Load Limitations – May not support heavy-duty vehicles as effectively as solid paving materials.
• ✖ Grass Growth Challenges – In high-traffic areas, grass may wear out, requiring reseeding.
• ✖ Not Patio Ideal – The turf blocks are great for walking or driveways but not for patios and entertaining because of uneven surfaces.

Overall, turf block pavers offer a sustainable and visually appealing alternative to traditional pavement or solid patios. However, they require ongoing upkeep to maintain their growth through the elements. Some homeowners will use gravel, shells, or other hardscapes to fill in the areas around the pavers to minimize grass maintenance.

How much do turf block pavers cost?

Turf block pavers typically range from $3-$5 per square foot for the material. The paver block’s design, material, and thickness can sometimes increase or decrease the price. Belgard Turfstone, a top grid stone and paver manufacturer, starts at $6 per foot. Most turf blocks create a “lattice design” and cover 2-3 square feet each. 

Turf block installation costs can vary depending on several factors, including how much digging and site prep is involved. Installing pavers of any sort is where the majority of your expenses will reside and most of it has to do with preparing the paver base. Proper excavation depth, paver base installation, slope, and other factors such as design and cutting is why most turf block pavers cost $15 to $30 installed.

Turf Block Driveway Project:

At Coastal Hardscapes, we have built countless hardscape patios, driveways, walkways, and outdoor living areas. Recently, we installed a brand new turf block driveway on Tybee Island in Georgia. With a charcoal tabby finish, this paver driveway was beautifully enhanced with seashells in the paver cells for a coastal aesthetic.

Here are the highlights from the project below:

One of the first steps we always take after helping our clients with the design aspect is ensuring all materials are on-site during excavation. This is vital so that once the paver base is set, there is zero downtime when the pavers are installed. In this project, the existing driveway was a combination of dirt and grass with some old pavers that had to be removed.

The Coastal Hardscapes team dug out the entire area and utilized a sub-base of crushed stone/gravel, ideal for support and proper drainage. This step is vital, especially when installing turf blocks for driveway areas. Ensuring the sub-base is compacted thoroughly for a stable foundation is also vital.

Once the paver base was set, we installed these charcoal tabby-finished turf blocks. Instead of letting the grass grow through the paver cells, this homeowner preferred a solid fill of seashells to accentuate the coastal beach theme of their home!

Some homeowners prefer grass; others prefer hardscape materials such as gravel, shells, or other hard materials. A key strategy to help minimize ongoing paver maintenance is to ensure you don’t fill the cells with soil if you don’t want grass or other vegetation to grow through!

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the most frequently asked turf block paver questions we get!

1. Where can you install grow-through pavers?

Grow-through or grass pavers are best installed in areas with heavy traffic, such as walkways, stepping stone areas, or driveways. They are an ideal solution where grass struggles to grow or there is heavy foot or car traffic but you would like to add curb appeal or vegetation to the area. Additionally, areas where you need help with erosion control can be ideal for stable grid paver blocks.

1. Where should you not install turf block pavers?

We recommend avoiding installing turf block pavers anywhere you would sit or gather, like a backyard or patio area. While they look great, turf block pavers have open cells, which means sitting and lounging can be challenging with uneven surfaces. We generally recommend patios have a solid paver grid.

3. What type of grow-through paver materials are there?

Typically, there are three types of grow-through pavers: concrete, plastic, and what is also called a stable grid. Concrete pavers are best for heavy-traffic areas like parking lots or driveways because they can handle the weight of cars.

Plastic grass, through pavers, can handle heavy weights but is ideal for walkway areas or erosion control. Over time, plastic does wear down, and in sunny climates, the sun can break down the plastic quickly. Lastly, a stable grid is like a reinforced plastic netting that helps with erosion control. The grid stabilizes the soil, allowing grass to grow and further solidify the area.

4. How do you grow grass in the turf block paver cells?

Growing grass in turf block pavers is simple. Once the pavers are installed, fill the cells with soil and dirt. From there, broadcast grass seed over the block area and gently water to tamp seeds. Over time, grass will grow and you may need to repeat the process another time to create a thick, lush grass area!