Made from clay, stone, or bricks, pavers are an aesthetic way to add texture, style, and color to pools, walkways, entryways, patios, and other outdoor spaces.
However, installing pavers by yourself isn’t as easy as it seems. Don’tdive headfirst into your new DIY project; instead, take a few moments to plan out what you’re doing so your pavement can look beautiful for the time to come.
We’ve grouped together a list of mistakes the first-time pavers make so you don’t have to follow theirpath:
Not Mapping Out the Area
Thinking about just starting your project? Don’t. Before you begin, you should come up with a drawing or map of your project area. It will assist you in calculating how much material you require and give you a glimpse of how your completedwill look. With proper planning, you’ll end up with a pavement that you’re happy with it.
Not Taking the Soil into Account
You can’t just lay pavers on top of any soil—for example, Clay soil is a definite no, as it shifts as time goes on. You should also take the weight of your paver blocksinto consideration. Some soils are great for walkways but not for driveways.
Not Measuring the Space
Many first-time pavers guess their project area and end up wishing they had made the area larger. But it’s too late by then.
When it comes to construction, estimates just don’t do. You need to take out the time to scale the area and see how large your dedicated space will be.
You also need to know how much room you’ll have to walk around once you install other outdoor elements along with your pavement like patio furniture, fireplaces, bbq spots, etc.
Filling Your Pavers with Dirt
Don’t be impatient. After excavating the area, if you dump all your base materials at once, you’ll be compromising the structural integrity of your pavement.
You need to dig a very secure base layer before moving on. Dirt is a no-no as it sinks a lot, and you’ll end up with pavers that look lopsided over time.
Instead, carefully layer your area. Start with a base layer of washed concrete or gravel, and then arrange your pavers.
Improperly Compacting the Base
Whichever material you use for your base layer, you need to ensure that you have a compact base for your pavement. The base should be pressed firmly before you lay down any concrete.
Also, stay away from compacting bedding sand as you need it loose to keep your pavers in place. Once you’ve successfully compacted the base, this loose sand will make its way into spaces between pavers, setting the pavers and creating a smooth, even surface.
Not Laying a Deep Base
Not layering a deep base for your pavement is another mistake newbies make. You should dig at least a four to six-inch base,but it can go up to nine inches. The depth of the pavement base depends on the area you expect it to cover, e.g., a driveway vs. a walkway.
Before you begin, you should also consult a paver installation service for any additional help.
Not Being Precise When Laying and Spacing the Pavers
Precision is necessary when it comes to pavement installation. You should use a string, paint, or tape to have a visible straight edge. Continue using tape to ensure every edge of your pavement is straight and perfect. If you make a mistake on the outside, it’ll make things worse when you start laying down your pavers inward.
Not Using the Click and Drop Method
You can’t just throw paving stones on your base. There’s a correct way to place them using the click and drop method.
If you don’t follow this process, you’ll end up firmly pressing the loose sand layer beneath your pavers. This will create a sunken pavement or one that is too high. You might also end up filling the bedding sand gaps, which is bad because those gaps are needed to stabilize your pavement joints.
Hammering the Pavers
Feeling that urge to hammer your pavers for a tighter look? Don’t give in to that. If you place your pavers too tightly together, you’ll be opening the door to massive problems over time.
As a rule of thumb, keep your pavers spaced at 3mm. It’s a small gap, so you don’t need to use a measuring tape but be conscious of the distance when placing pavers and leave the room in between them.
Not Using an Edge Restraint
Ground shifts and moves overtime, and so will your pavers. However, you can make sure your pavers stay in place using an edge restraint, so they don’t have to be re-installed.
If you don’t like how stone and concrete edging looks, you can opt for invisible ones. They’re easy to use, and very reliable.
Activating Polymeric Sand Too Fast
Activating Polymeric sand should be the last thing on your list. Once your pavers are installed properly, you can sweep the polymeric sand between your pavers to level everything.
Before you spray the sand with water, make sure there’s no excess sand on the pavement. Failure to do so will result in a huge mess you really don’t want to deal with.
Stepping Over the Pavers Before They Have Settled
Steer clear of the pavement until your pavers have had enough time to settle. You should also ensure all the gaps between your pavers are filled properly. Just to be safe, wait at least a day before walking/driving on your brand new pavement.
Get Masonry Repair Services in Mesa Today
Whether you want to create a sturdy and simple path or an elaborate pathway, you can count on our paver installation service in Mesa. At CF Vice Construction, our expert technicians help turn residential and commercial outdoor spaces into modern and contemporary styled walkways that add instant value to your property.
We also offer block wall repair service and construction, artificial turf installation, putting green installation, concrete construction service, and commercial painting service in Mesa.We also offer block wall repair service and construction, artificial turf installation, putting green installation, concrete construction service, and commercial painting service in Mesa.