Small element segmental paving units have been used to construct roadways for more than 5,000 years, using stone setts, wooden blocks and clay bricks. The practice was so well established in Europe that at one time Guilds of Master Paviors held a monopoly on the craft.

This medieval tradition included a hierarchy of masters and journeymen who passed the "trade secrets" on to the next generation of apprentice paviors (similar to many construction trades that required tremendous knowledge and skill to accomplish properly).

Some Roman roads constructed in this manner are still in serviceable condition. They were so well designed and constructed that they could quite easily be used today except for the fact that they are more valuable as tourist attractions.

Segmental "interlocking" concrete pavers as we know them today were developed in the Netherlands in the late 1940s as a replacement for clay brick streets. The long-established tradition of segmental paving in Europe quickly established concrete pavers as the first choice for pavement design engineers. Currently, there are more than 500 million sq m installed annually around the world.