Homeowner guide · Systems
Permeable Pavers in Minnesota: How They Work and What They Need
Most paver patios shed rainwater off the surface. Permeable pavers take it in. That can reduce runoff and puddling, but it changes almost everything below the surface and how the patio is looked after. This page explains the system; it is not an offer to design or install one.
How they differ from a standard patio
| Standard sand-set | Permeable | |
|---|---|---|
| Joints | Tight joints filled with sand or polymeric sand | Open joints filled with small chip stone — never sand |
| Base | Dense-graded crushed aggregate, compacted | Open-graded, washed angular stone that stores water |
| Rainwater | Runs off the surface to lawn, swale or drain | Soaks through the joints into the base, then into the ground or an underdrain |
| Design basis | Soil, drainage and load | Soil, load and the rainfall volume the base must hold |
| Winter | Can be sanded for traction | Must not be sanded; sand clogs the joints |
| Upkeep | Sweep, top up joint sand | Vacuum sediment from joints; top up joint stone |
Do not treat the two as interchangeable. The standard system on how pavers are installed is designed to keep water out of the base; a permeable system is designed to let it in and store it.
Where the water goes
- Through the jointsRain passes through open joints filled with small, clean chip stone.
- Into the reservoirA deep layer of washed, angular open-graded stone holds the water between its voids.
- Into the ground — or a pipeWater slowly soaks into the soil below, or leaves through an underdrain where the soil drains too slowly.
Because the base is a reservoir, it has to be engineered for the rainfall it must hold and the loads it will carry. How quickly your soil absorbs water is a design input, not an assumption.
Cold-climate design
Writing about Minnesota, one landscape company says permeable bases need angular, open-graded aggregate that drains quickly and does not trap water, and that installation depth may be increased to account for frost and drainage. The aim is the same as on any Minnesota patio — keep water from freezing in the base — but it is achieved by letting water drain through rather than shedding it. Why frost moves bases is explained in the Minnesota base and drainage guide. As with any paver system, the 42-inch Minnesota footing rule is not a paver base depth.
Winter care
Plowing
- Plowing is compatible with a slightly raised blade
- Keep edges flush so a blade cannot catch
Traction
- Never sand a permeable surface — it clogs the joints
- Fast drainage means less surface ice to begin with
De-icing
- Usually needs less de-icer than solid paving
- Still keep salt to a minimum for the pavement and plants
What different de-icers do, and where sources disagree, is in winter paver care.
Maintenance
- Vacuum the joints: sediment in the joints is the most common problem; one Minnesota-focused source recommends vacuum sweeping one to two times a year, depending on the site.
- Top up the joint stone as it settles or is vacuumed out — with chip stone, not sand.
- Check drainage: after heavy rain, water should disappear from the surface; if there is an underdrain, it should be inspected periodically.
- Keep sediment off: mulch, soil and sand washing onto the surface clog it faster.
Routine care for standard pavers is covered separately in paver sealing and maintenance.
Is it right for your site?
Worth considering when
- Water ponds or runs off where you want to pave
- You want to reduce runoff from a new hard surface
- You will keep up with vacuuming and joint top-ups
Think twice when
- Soil, mulch or sand regularly washes onto the area
- You want to sand the surface for winter traction
- The budget only allows a standard base
Any stormwater rules or credits that might apply are set locally; check with the city before work starts. Permeable systems are a specialised design, so ask any contractor directly whether they design and install them and how they size the base. If you call about your project, say that you are considering a permeable system so it can be discussed from the start.
Permeable paver questions
Can I turn my existing patio into a permeable one?
Not by changing the joint material. The difference is mostly underneath: a permeable system needs an open-graded stone base designed to hold water, so converting an existing patio usually means rebuilding it.
Do permeable pavers cost more?
Sources describe a higher upfront cost, mainly from the deeper open-graded base. No published Minnesota or Faribault price is given here; any estimate has to come from a contractor who designs these systems.
Sources and limitations
- How Permeable Pavers Reduce Urban Runoff and Restore Groundwater (opens in a new tab) — Natural Environments Corp (landscape company, writing about Minnesota). Checked October 25, 2026: washed, angular open-graded base stores and slowly releases stormwater and must be engineered for rainfall and loads; in Minnesota, depth may be increased for frost and drainage; rapid drainage reduces surface ice and de-icer reliance; plow with the blade slightly raised; avoid sand; vacuum one to two times a year; minimize salt; top up joint aggregate and inspect any underdrain. Limitation: A landscape company’s guidance, not an engineering standard.
- Paver & Patio Installation: The Complete Technical Guide (opens in a new tab) — RemodelCalculators. Checked October 25, 2026: permeable interlocking concrete pavement drains stormwater through open joints filled with No. 8/89/9 chip stone (never sand) into an open-graded No. 57/No. 2 stone reservoir that infiltrates the subgrade through a geotextile. Limitation: Secondary source; material gradations are typical, not a site design.
- Upfront cost of permeable pavers, summarized in research — Willy Homes. As summarized in research reviewed October 2026: permeable pavers cost more initially but help with drainage and reduce runoff. Limitation: Not re-checked for this page; no price figure used.