FAQ

Ordering

Do you have a brick and mortar store or showroom?

At this time we are online only. Samples of all Paver colors are available for purchase, and ship within 3 business days. We encourage sampling before placing paver orders, and viewing our project portfolio for additional imagery of our products installed in real garden settings. Email us at hello@orcaliving.com with any questions.

Where do you ship?

We ship only within the contiguous United States.

When will my order ship? 

Some of our products are in stock and some are made-to-order. Please check the product page details to see whether an item is in stock or has a production lead time. Note that lead times do not include transit time (see Shipping below). Stock items and Paver Samples ship within 3 business days.

Shipping

How will my order ship?  

Showers, Samples, and Accessories ship via UPS Ground. Rates are calculated at checkout. For expedited shipping, please send a request to hello@orcaliving.com.

Oversize items such as Furnishings and Paver projects ship via palletized freight. Freight rates will be calculated at checkout. For paver orders larger than 400 sq ft, please contact hello@orcaliving.com for a custom quote.

Can an order be picked up?

We do not offer customer pick-up at this time.

What to expect of a freight delivery?

We will contact you when your order is complete, to make sure you are ready to receive your freight shipment. Transit time is usually 1-5 business days depending on your location. Once your order has been picked up and is in transit, we’ll follow up with tracking details.

Freight tracking usually estimates the date the cargo arrives at your nearest freight terminal. Within 1-2 days of this date, expect a telephone call from the carrier to schedule a delivery appointment. If the carrier is unable to reach you by telephone to schedule delivery, resulting in a delay, they may charge storage penalties.

At delivery, the driver will offload your product curbside. They are not authorized to move the product any further, unless prior arrangements were made at the time of booking. At this point you should inspect the pallet(s) for any damage that may have occurred during shipping. If none, you can sign the carrier’s delivery receipt. If there is severe damage, take pictures, note “Refused due to damage” on the carrier's paperwork, and contact us immediately to file a claim. Claims discovered after 48 hours will likely not be processed by the carrier, so it is your responsibility to thoroughly inspect the product at the time of delivery.

Returns

Do you have free returns?

We do not offer free returns but can assist you with creating a ship label, the cost of which would be deducted from your final refund. If you need help creating a return, email hello@orcaliving.com.

We advise using sufficient care and materials to ensure your returned item arrives undamaged and in its original condition. We are not responsible for items lost, damaged or stolen in the mail.

Which items can be returned?

In-stock items such as Hardware and Accessories can be returned in new, unused condition within 30 days of delivery. Please note there is a 30% restocking fee on showers, to be deducted from the final refund.

Please refer to the Product Page details to confirm whether your item is made-to-order or in-stock.

Which items are final sale?

Made-to-order items such as Pavers, Furnishings, and Firepits cannot be canceled or refunded after order confirmation.

Please refer to the Product Page details to confirm whether your item is made-to-order or in-stock.  

Pavers

How to choose between pavers or tiles for a project?

This depends on the load bearing requirements of your surface and your site conditions. We recommend pavers for permeable patios, walkways, and driveways. We recommend tiles for mortar-set applications such as: cladding concrete slabs, steps and walls, interior finishes, vertical cladding, and fireplace surrounds.

What is permeable paving?

Permeable paving is more flexible and sustainable than rigid-paving systems because it promotes water infiltration and stormwater management. It refers not to the paver material itself but to the method of installation: setting pavers with joint widths of ¼ - ½ inch and infilling with permeable aggregate. All our standard and split pavers can be installed in this way to achieve permeability.

How to calculate and add pavers to cart?

Enter the needed square footage of your project (plus 10-15% overage) in the Quantity field, and we will calculate and ship the correct number of pieces for your project. We recommend 10-15% overage to account for breakages during transit and allow for cuts and layout adjustments during installation.

We also recommend sampling in advance of your project. A good practice is to mock up multiple pieces in the field, to get an accurate sense of color and variation among the material.

Can pavers withstand vehicular traffic?

Full thickness standard pavers can be used in driveways when installed correctly. Thin formats (less than 2”) are not strong enough for vehicular traffic, and should be used only for pedestrian walkways, patios and steps when mortared to a substrate.

Earth Terrazzo cement pavers are not formally rated for vehicular traffic, and can only be recommended for driveway use when mortared to a concrete substrate.

Can pavers be used on a slope, and are they slip resistant?

Our Clay and Earth Terrazzo products are naturally slip resistant and suitable for sloped walkways. Note that sealing tiles will decrease their slip resistance. Sand-set pavers can also be effective on slight slopes up to 10%, as long as they are properly edged to prevent shifting over time.

Can pavers be sealed?

We don't always seal pavers outdoors as we like them in their rawest form, but there are certain circumstances where sealing can be advantageous- especially in interior applications where cleaning and stain prevention is desired. There are many sealant products on the market, so when choosing be sure to look for keywords penetrating (or impregnating), breathable, colorless and matte. We recommend formulas with active ingredients silane or siloxane, and avoiding acrylics (which tend to form films at the surface). Costs vary depending on the percentage of active ingredient, which also determines how long the sealant performs before reapplication is needed.

Can pavers be used for a pool?

Our tiles and pavers can be used for decking around a pool, but we do not recommend using tile in permanently saturated areas like the pool lining.

Can pavers withstand freezing temperatures?

Almost all of our clay pavers (Clay, Worn Clay, and Pressed Clay) are freeze/thaw rated for exterior use and can be used anywhere in the continental US. The exception is one color that is not freeze/thaw rated: Light Copal.

Earth Terrazzo products are finished with Rain Guard to help with water entry but because they have not undergone formal freeze/thaw rating, we do not advise using them in areas with frost and snow.

How are pavers installed?

See installation guide here

How are pavers cleaned?

See cleaning guide here