How do I install rubber plates on split stone or gravel?

Only a few rubber plates are truly designed for installation on split stone. There are several reasons for this:

• Split stone cannot be properly installed and compacted; it always remains somewhat mobile (the crunching sound when walking on a split stone path is well known).

• Over time, the split stone shifts from the centre of the plate toward its edges; the overlying elastic plate adapts to the resulting depression and sinks in the middle—similar to ruts on a road.

• For rubber granulate plates with a strongly structured underside, split stone gradually fills the gaps beneath, causing the plate to sink into its bedding.

In conventional construction, the supporting layer is made of compacted crushed stone. A layer of split stone is then applied and levelled to create a smooth base for the surface layer. Often, especially when the crushed stone layer is not properly installed, the split stone layer becomes too thick, which negatively affects the stability of the surface.

When using rubber granulate plates or pavers designed for split stone installation, the split layer should be between 0.5 and a maximum of 2 cm thick.

A viable alternative is to install turf grids (also known as ground grids or stone combs) filled with split stone or gravel, which, thanks to their honeycomb structure, hold the fill material in place and form a permanently stable supporting layer.