Add a 1″ Layer of Bedding Sand
Sand gives you a soft, moldable area that will make sure your pavers don't move around while you lay them. All while also helping to lock the units together once they are laid. To make the sand layer, pour approximately one inch of paver sand over the gravel.
Prevent pavers from moving about with a firm edge attached to your patio. A cement edge, plastic, or metal edging can be used. When you're finished, spread fine sand over the patio and sweep it into the cracks to help hold the bricks in place. For increased longevity, you may consider using polymeric sand.
Install edging materials: Edging materials like concrete, plastic, or metal can help hold the pavers in place and prevent them from shifting. This will also help prevent soil erosion by creating a barrier around the installation.
Trusted by landscaping professionals and contractors, polymeric sand plays a crucial role in securing patio pavers in place and deterring the growth of weeds between pavers.
Use the same course, irregular sand to fill the gaps that you used in your foundation so that pavers are more likely to stay in place. Professional landscapers refer to this coarse sand as joint sand because it works so well to stabilize pavers when you put it in the joints.
To keep your pavers in place and prevent lateral movement, you might choose to build a wall, curb, or edging stone around the soft surfaces of your project. In our opinion, this is the greatest strategy to keep your project contained. It retains a high level of functionality while being the most aesthetically pleasing.
A SnapEdge paver border. The two most popular materials for securing a concrete paver installation are a pre-formed edging, such as Snap-Edge, and concrete. Let's take a look at the key factors in choosing your edging material.
Patio pavers shift if the foundational base is not deep enough. Usually, the depth of a patio base depends on its use, and a deeper base is recommended for a patio that will carry significant weight. Patio pavers shift when there is too much sand used underneath.
Without a solid base, the pavers may shift or sink over time, causing an uneven surface.
To hold the unbound block paving place and fully secure the edge restrains, they should be backfilled with concrete (also known as haunching). The backfilled concrete will ensure the edge restraints are not going to move and provide the driveway lateral stability.
Yes, pavers can shift and move over time due to various factors such as ground movement, poor installation, and dramatic temperature changes. In most cases, improper edging tends to be the leading cause of pavers shifting.
You don't want any space for the pavers to wander, so raking in some gravel and tamping it into cracks will help keep the base solid. In addition, if you're using brick or concrete pavers, make sure the pattern fits together snugly to keep things solid.
Place edging stones along all the exposed patio edges and secure them with concrete or mortar. Another option is to add paver edging. This is a hard plastic edging that is the same height as your pavers. Stake paver edging in the ground to secure.
Concrete sand will lift slightly into the joints of the pavers when they are being leveled, locking them into place. This also helps stop water from seeping under the pavers and lifting them.
The primary benefit of polymeric sand over using regular sand is that it hardens up. By solidifying and bonding to the surround pavers, it provides an extra line of strength to keep the pavers together and to help prevent shifting.
Adding more sand will strengthen the base and fix the loose pavers.
Now you get to see the whole space come together, I used pea gravel between my pavers. It took about 12 bags for this area. once you empty the bags, make sure you rinse them off with a hose because they are really dirty fresh out of the bag. I packed them in pretty tight between my pavers to help keep them in place.
Using a good weed barrier beneath the pavers will help keep your patio from sliding around. If you're using gravel or sand underneath your pavers, you can put the weed barrier between that and the soil. Filling in cracks between stone pavers with gravel or sand is a key part of keeping the whole system stable.
Do not place plastic under any paving application. Some people place plastic believing this will prevent weed growth. Plastic will entrap water, potentially causing other problems. In most cases, seeds start from the top of the cracks and work their roots down.
Cement creates a solid, immovable bond between pavers, ensuring they remain firmly in place. This is particularly useful in high-traffic areas like driveways or commercial walkways, where movement and shifting can cause misalignment over time.