1. Leveling

Especially in large sites concrete pavers are laid in a prepared bed of sand. To avoid later offsets the bed must have a layer of gravel for frost protection. Treat the gravel with a plate compactor so that it is compressed. If you are working by hand the next layer of stone chippings can be made even by using wooden slats. The stone chippings are made even by pulling another wooden slat over the wooden slats in the stone chippings. When it’s even you will take the wooden slats out of the stone chippings and fill the ruts with stone chippings while you are paving.

2. Wiring

The pavestones are paved on this even bed of stone chippings or sand. Now you can put in Beckstones as well as spacers. When you are working with placeholders do not forget to put in the power lines or empty conduits before. Here you see an installation of a series of Beckstones.

The power line is lead thru the bed of sand straight ahead. By adjusting the bed of sand or stone chippings under the Beckstone you can also adjust the height of Beckstone to the surrounding pavestones. But make sure that the bed is compressed to avoid sinking of Beckstones later on.

3. Laying Beckstone

Finally all cables will be covered with sand to avoid damages on the cables by pebbles and gravel. Keep the bed of sand as small as possible because the pavers above will sink on different levels laying on the bed of sand in comparison to the bed of gravel. You can use the indentions from the taken away wooden slats for the sand bed and put the cable in there.

Afterwards you will level the stone chippings in the bed for the next row of pave stones. The picture shows the next Beckstone in the installation. Instead you can also use placeholders and empty conduits for an afterwards installation. If you do so you should sweep in the sand into the joints and use rubber vibration plate to compress the pavestone installation. Doing so will avoid damages on Beckstones while using the plate compactor.

4. Jointing

In general you should finish your installation process with sweeping sand into the joints to stabilize the pavestone installation. Use a hand brush to adjust the Beckstone properly to the surrounding pavers. Beckstones are a little bit smaller than the common pavestones. The joint protects Beckstone against damages caused from moving surrounding pave stones.

The procedure of sweeping sand into the joints should be continued several times. At least all joints should be filled with sand. After a few month you maybe have to sweep in some sand again. To avoid sinking sand you can also use stone chippings instead (0 – 5 mm granulation) of gravel. Ask your building contractor for advise what kind of bed appropriate for your area is.

Having the surface cleaned from sand, stone chippings and gravel Beckstone is ready to use and run over for non-intensive traffic with rubber tires. Careful planning and execution of all steps of the procedure will give you a lot of enjoyment on Beckstones and your pave stone installation.

1. Wiring

Implant the spacer firmly into the ground. Place it underneath where
Beckstone should be installed. The top edge should be above the level of your final concrete surface height.

Lead the cable through the hole in the bottom Styrofoam block. Pull a large enough loop of cable length (0.5-1meter/apprx. 1 yard) through the Styrofoam for the electrical installation of Beckstone. Lead the cable to the next point of installation under soil, gravel, sand or through and empty conduit so it is protected from the concrete during the concrete pouring process. Be sure that the cable loop stays in place by fixing it with a cable binder.

3. Removing spacers

After the concrete has hardened remove the Styrofoam spacer blocks out of the concrete.

4. Electrical Connection

Make the electrical connection according to installation manual for Beckstone.

5. Jointing

Fill the bottom with fine quartz sand and level Beckstone to the installation height. Fill all joints with quartz sand. Refill joints and level Beckstone after the first few time it rains until Beckstone stays level. (instead of sand you can make the joints with mortar or synthetic drain mortar as well).

1. Pathway upgrade

Beckstones can be added to all existing path, driveways and surfaces. It seems difficult to attach Beckstone to large size surfaces. It is not, because the appearance of surfaces is strongly influenced by its shape. Accent the borders easily with some Beckstones. The following pictures show you how easy you can add one or two rows of pave stones to your surface. Besides the neat look the border of concrete around your installation will avoid sinking of your pave stone installation into the green.

2. Preparation

Moat your pave stone or concrete installation 10” deep and 16” broad. (dimensions will differ according to your selected pave stones). Compress the ground in the trench. Do not fill it with loosen gravel, earth or sand to avoid sinking. Pave stones and trench should be in a 90 degree angle. The ground should not slide.

Pour the trench along the pave stone installation with concrete. This is the bed for the surrounding pave stones and Beckstones. The concrete should be lean and dewily. If you have any doubt about this kind of installation ask for professional help at a building contractor. We are not reliable for installation damages and defects.

3. Paving

Use a rubber mallet to knock the pave stones and Beckstones leveled into the concrete.
Install the first Beckstone like you would do it with a common pavestone in the border of your surface. To protect the cable it should be leaded in the bottom of the indention. When the ground is not solid and might move. We highly recommend the usage of empty conduits in this case.

4. Concrete curb

Protect the pavestones and Beckstones as well from moving. Use a concrete curb to avoid tipping over and moving of the interlocking pavestone installation. Compact the concrete of the curb in a 60 degree angle to avoid frost heaving.
 Indent a bed of sand next to the concrete curb and lead the 12v power line in the bottom of the bedding. Pull the Beckstone cable towards the bedding of sand and connect them with your 12v power line.

5. Electrical Connection

Make sure the cable installation is set deep enough or protect them from gardening tools. Test your installation of Beckstones in steady intervals. Especially while you are working with concrete it’s important to detect installation errors immediately. Make a waterproof installation according to IP 68 and cover the cables with an appropriate layer of sand.

Because of its’ low energy consumption Beckstones are perfect for overnight basic and emergency lighting. A line of pavestones with Beckstones along your old concrete path not only makes it more atmospheric but also stabilizes sinking pavestones or concrete.

1. Preparation

Take off the surrounding row of pave stones and clear it from sand and gravel up to a 4-5 inches indention. Put the 12v power line in this indention.

2. Wiring

Measure the distance between each point of connection and cut your landscape lighting cable accordingly. Leave enough wire loop in-between each point of connection for more flexibility during the installation process. Connect the Beckstone with the 12v power line according to our "Installation Manual". Conduct several function test while you are connecting Beckstones to the 12v power line and installing pavers. Make sure they did not get damaged by some installation procedures.

Pour the taken off sand and gravel as a bed for your first Beckstone into the indention. Make sure that the power line is on the bottom of you indention and not damaged by knocking on the pave stones.

3. Paving

Knock in the surrounding pave stones as well. Stabilize the Beckstone with the surrounding pave stones.

Cover the connection with gravel and sand. Make sure the cable will not be damaged by your further procedures. Pave further on and put in the Beckstones where you like it.
 A border of different colored pave stones around your current installation is an alternative to the procedure mentioned above. Install a series of Beckstones on a 12v power line and ad the surrounding pave stones later. This installation method works well with small sized pave stones.

4. Results

As a result you see that a few Beckstones are enough to cause an intense positive change to this entrance. Besides the safety improved and even at daylight the new surrounding pave stones make the entrance more attractive.

Concrete pave stones

Proceed in the same way as mentioned above with concrete pavers. Replace some surrounding pave stones with Beckstones 'Style 4x4 in.' and connect them with the 12v power line. Level the bed of gravel and sand and attach the original stones into the gaps.

1. Preparation

When all plates are leveled just take the row of plates off where you want to put the Beckstones and the power line. If you choose the border row, make sure that it has a surrounding foot of concrete that protects the plates from sinking into the green. Avoid damages on the bed of sand. So it’s much easier to put them back again.

2. Cutting

Mark the taken off plates and the location of the Beckstone. Then cut off the Beckstone size you use about 10 mm bigger than the actual size. So you will get a surrounding joint of 5 mm on each site.

3. Electrical Connection

Connect the Beckstone to the 12v power line. Make sure you have a waterproof connection. Lead the cable towards the next Beckstone and cover it with sand. Avoid damages on the existing bed of sand. Compress the loosen sand. So you can avoid unsteady patio plates and sinking.

4. Jointing

At last stabilize the joints of your new Beckstones with sand and sweep in some sand for several times. This afterwards installation took about 5 hours of electrical and mechanical installation. Stage-Manage your patio and have an atmospheric garden party. Enjoy the look of your new patio.