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Photo courtesy of
Labyrinths in Stone

 

Installation Process





The concrete paving stones are purchased at the Paveloc Industries, Inc. factory in Marengo, Illinois. Approximately 50 percent of the pavers are hand sculpted at the factory to fit the intricate design before they are shipped to the installation site. 

The concrete containment ring is constructed at the installation site. First, the entire area for the labyrinth is excavated 15 inches deep from finished grade. Then the containment ring is poured, using some steel rebar to provide extra support. The containment ring should be 4 to 6 inches wide and 12 to 15 inches deep. (If cost reduction is a major concern, we recommend using a local contractor and volunteers for this part of the process.)

More than fifty percent of the square concrete pavers are sculpted to fit the intricate design of a labyrinth. In fact, more than 1,000 hours of painstaking labor are invested in creating a replica of the Chartres-pattern labyrinth. The exacting details of the lunations and fleur-de-lys are achieved by hand-sculpting the individual pieces. Pencil lines are drawn on the pavers before the precision cuts are made with a diamond-blade saw.

Marty gathers his crew and equipment to travel to the installation site. His installation crew consists of Juan Puga and his sons, all of whom are skilled artisans in their own right. Pictured from left to right are Juan, Gerardo, Marty, Emiliano, Cecilio, and Jorge. The crew travels an average of 1,000 miles to each installation site. Marty and his crew spend approximately 180 days of the year on the road making labyrinths.

The crew and the paving stones arrive at the installation site. We purchase base material from a local supplier to fill the containment ring. A quality foundation consists of 10 to 12 inches of base material, which is compacted in 4-inch lifts until they reach a perfect grade. When all is set and compacted, a ¾-inch bed of sand is then added. The labyrinth is now ready to be installed on an extremely sturdy and stable foundation.

The complex process of labyrinth installation begins in earnest. In this photo, Marty determines the placement of the labyrinth components (e.g., quadrants, entrance, lunations, trefoils) for the Naperville Millennium Labyrinth in Naperville, Illinois. The concrete paving stones are then laid out in the design. The superb craftsmanship exemplified the Naperville Millennium Labyrinth earned Artistic Pavers, Inc. First Place in Specialty Designs by Precast Concrete Pavement Awards in 1999.

Sand is then swept into the joints, and the process of compaction is completed. Compaction locks the pavers permanently into place, ensuring the durability of the labyrinth for generations to come. The surface is then thoroughly swept and cleaned, revealing the labyrinth’s stunning artistry.  The surface is then thoroughly swept and cleaned, revealing the labyrinth’s stunning artistry. Truly a marriage of form and function, each labyrinth is a Kermeen original--a work of art that demonstrates the Labyrinths in Stone award-winning excellence in labyrinth design and installation.