Paver Patios and Walkways

What makes a paver installation last

Excavation to proper depth. Six inches of compacted base under a patio, and closer to ten to twelve where vehicles will drive.

Compaction in layers rather than all at once. Stone compacted in lifts of a few inches reaches a density that a single deep dump never will.

A bedding layer of coarse sand at a consistent depth, screeded rather than used to level out an uneven base.

Edge restraint around the whole perimeter. Without it the outer units migrate outward, joints open and the field of pavers spreads. This is the most common failure on a patio that was otherwise built well.

Polymeric sand swept into the joints, which locks the units together and resists weeds and washout.

Pavers against poured concrete

Pavers cost more installed. They do not crack the way a slab does, because movement is absorbed in the joints, and individual units can be replaced.

Poured concrete costs less, gives a continuous surface with no joints, and is faster to install. It will develop cracks over time and repairs are visible.

For patios where a section may need lifting later, for example over a utility line, pavers are the practical choice.

• Poured concrete patios
• Stamped concrete as a middle option