I get the concern about shifting concrete, but honestly, I’m not convinced pavers or asphalt are much better for those cables. Pavers move around a lot, especially with freeze-thaw cycles, and I’d worry about the cables getting pinched or exposed over time. Asphalt’s a bit more forgiving, but it still flexes and cracks. I tried heated mats on my old asphalt drive, and after a couple winters, there were spots where the mat shifted and stopped working right. Maybe it’s just the nature of our climate—nothing’s really maintenance-free.
Maybe it’s just the nature of our climate—nothing’s really maintenance-free.
That’s been my experience too. I’ve seen pavers heave and settle so much after a rough winter that any cables or mats underneath would be at risk, especially if water gets in there and freezes. With asphalt, it’s a bit better, but like you said, it still cracks and shifts. Did you ever try anchoring the mats down somehow, or just let them float? I’ve wondered if there’s a way to keep them from moving, but maybe that just creates new problems...
I hear you on the shifting pavers—my walkway looks like a rollercoaster every spring. I tried anchoring the mats once, thinking it’d keep things tidy, but honestly, it just made it harder to adjust when things moved around. Ended up with a weird lump under the snow. Sometimes I think “floating” is the lesser evil, even if it means a little more fussing each season. Nothing’s really set-it-and-forget-it in our climate, but hey, at least we get a good workout fixing it every year...
Nothing’s really set-it-and-forget-it in our climate, but hey, at least we get a good workout fixing it every year...
Man, you’re not kidding about the “workout.” I swear, my back gets more action in March than it does the rest of the year combined. I’ve tried both ways—anchoring and letting the mats float—and honestly, neither one’s perfect. Anchored mats just gave me a new kind of headache when the ground heaved. Like, suddenly there’s this speed bump in the middle of the path and you’re wondering if you should just start charging admission for the thrill ride.
I’m curious—anyone tried putting a layer of sand or something under the mats to help with the shifting? I keep thinking maybe a little cushion would help, but then again, maybe it’d just make things even squishier. Or maybe that’s just wishful thinking on my part.
Also, has anyone actually had a season where they didn’t have to pull everything up and reset? Or is that just a fantasy for those of us with four real seasons?
I get where you’re coming from, but honestly, the sand idea never worked out for me. Gave it a shot one year—figured it’d help with drainage or at least keep things level. What actually happened was the mats just got wavier and the sand migrated everywhere by April. If anything, it made the reset even messier. I haven’t found a true “set it and forget it” either, but I will say, the floating method at least saves me from having to chisel frozen anchors out of the ground. Trade-offs, I guess.