What should you know before installing pavers?
by
elranas
Definition and general Information
Individual brick concrete paver pieces are used to pave driveways, patios, walkways, pool decks, and loading decks. Pavers will usually be used as an exterior pavement solution replacing other methods of pavement or ground covers. Pavers will be installed on compacted sub base and concrete sand with minimum of 90% compaction. Cement parameter will hold everything in place and sand will be swept on the top surface to interlock and prevent movement.
Other materials exist in the market like rubber pavers, glass pavers, plastic and clay. Clay pavers, also called brick pavers, provide an advantage of color resistance since they are made from natural materials and are oven baked.
Interlocking pavers were brought from Europe in the early 70s and were commonly used with natural stone pavers in street and houses. Today most projects use concrete pavers due to the many advantages over other pavement methods, for example: Interlocking pavers support heavy weight and are manufactured as individual pieces with a high compression process (min 8000 psi). Pavers dont crack since the joints absorb pressure differences over the top surface. Pavers are low in maintenance and do not require any future treatment compared to asphalt and stamped concrete. Another big advantage with using pavers is that they are easy and inexpensive to repair. Dealing with repairs and stains will be faster and cheaper than with any other method and will not look like a patch.
Pavers are available in a wide range of colors and designs to choose from. Today, pavers are commonly used on residential and commercial projects for their elegant and or old look as well as for their low maintenance with results that last a life time.
Pavers do it yourself
Necessary tools:
Shovel, wheelbarrow, pick, rake, rubber mallet, 2×4, level, paver saw, marker,
Hand/power compactor, broom, marking paint, string.
Materials:
1 ton of fill (ABC and/or sand) will cover 240 sq.ft of 1 depth
1 bag of Portland cement will be enough for 25 rf of border 4 depth.
If using glue (for veneer pavers) 1 tube will cover 10 rf.
Using marking paint mark the parameter of the area you want to pave.
Using string and a level stretch the string across the longest line creating more than slope away from the house foundation
Using a rake, a pick, and 2×4 level the marked area following the string to be smooth and even.
Using a compactor, compact it couple of times at least once for each 1 of fill.
Again using the string, find the longest straight line and stretch the string across and start laying the pavers against it in a straight line.
Using the marker, mark the final shape and make all cuts.
Dig down around all the parameter 4-6.
Fill up a wheelbarrow of sand and mix it with bag of cement, add water and mix.
Using a shovel and rubber mallet, fill up all the parameter with concrete and put the paver border as you go.
Sweep sand on the top surface.
Different projects will have different requirements and a few changes in the installation process. Feel free to call and ask any questions about pavers installation.
Installing pavers is time consuming and hard work, sure everybody can do it if you have the time and the knowledge, but we often see and repair projects that homeowners did without help from a professional dealing with more expenses and work. This is something that will affect reselling or at least come up as a negative point and at some point in time, the homeowner will decide to call a pro to fix or reinstall the whole project. With years of experience our crews deliver professional results in minimum amount of time. We make sure all results are for your satisfaction leaving the job site as clean and as neat as it was. We know how hard it is to have a construction project on your property, so we do all we can to keep everything clean and organized during the project, even on most rainy days or when weather temperatures are 115 degrees. Our efforts of finishing your project in time won’t stop us from working and finishing your project. Let the professionals do the work. We do pavers and just pavers every day all year round, we are licensed bonded and insured, and we are members of the Interlock Concrete Paver Institute and also with the Better Business Bureau. Isn’t that already talked for itself? Its surely worth your money and time and if you really need, we will be more flexible by stretching your payment with an interest free plan of up to 180 days.
We highly recommend hiring a pavers company to do the work if you have more than 150 sq.ft.
10 things you should know before hiring a pavers contractor.
Hiring a licensed pavement contractor doesnt necessarily mean that he has a specific K-05 brick paver license. Today also block, landscape, and general masonry contractors do pavers, some of them do a great job, but still they are not trained to do pavers as their main specialty.
Most contractors will give lower rates for higher sq.ft, if you plan extending your project in the future its better if you wait until you have all the funds to do all at once, this way you will save money.
Short research on the contractor with BBB, ROC, ICPI and on-line reviews will give you a better picture of who the contractor is.
Testimonials and references are a great way to measure customer satisfaction. Most contractors will have a list of them.
Consulting local pavers suppliers is a great way to collect more information on your contractor.
Delaying a project after it started because of a misunderstanding or a conflict will discourage the contractor of finding a solution because of lost work days. Do good research before and in case of any problem during the project, try to solve it on the spot.
Usually signing a contract for labor and material will save you money since most contractors have better rates based on quantity for all kind of materials, you can still ask to break down the price to see a summary of the costs.
If you have a landscape and hardscape combined project it will save you time to hire one contractor for both jobs, but the results may result in lesser quality than if you were to hire individual professionals to do the work. You will have to manage your project and deal with each contractor separately, but youll have professional results besides saving money.
Negotiating for a better price is always good to a certain point where you are not compromising quality. The contractor will not tell you that so if you are getting a lower cost than average, ask the contractor how was he able to do it and what is behind it, dont accept answer like; its a special that we have right now.
Compaction and paver base are the most important parts in doing pavers. Focus your question about them to make sure that the contractor has enough knowledge about it and later talk about colors and designs.
concrete paver installer in pohenix
How to choose a contractor to do my pavers project.
Ask for testimonials and references. Try to contact previous customers and ask as many questions as possible. Be specific, most customers wont remember small details unless everything went wrong, any way the contractor will not put them on his reference list.
Challenge his knowledge and find out how active he has been in the pavement industry, it will show you how much he is devoted to his job.
Make sure the contractor is licensed bonded and insured. Also, being a member of the BBB and ICPI adds creditability.
It is always better to hire a pavers contractor and not a landscaper, this way you are guaranteed hiring a contractor with enough experience and knowledge to do the work.
Ask to see a portfolio, look at pictures and the type and size of the projects.
Getting a first impression over the phone is important and will save you time. Try to get a ball park of the price and ask some question to eliminate the options.
Refer to local suppliers and make an on-line research.
Make sure your contractor doesnt sub your project; it will reduce the chances for complications and problems.
Ask how long your project will take, it shouldnt be more that one day for each 500sq.ft for an average project, otherwise the contractor may put you in between other projects or stretch it leaving you in a mess until he finishes. Make sure to get a completion date.
The presentation and the way the contractor will explain you and write you the estimate will give enough information on how everything will be managed, it will give you an idea of what to expect for.
Ask what type of warranty he offers and what does it include.
Have more questions visit us at www.ipaverdesign.com
About pavers and ground compaction
Ground compaction is the most important stage in pavers installation; this is the stage you will have to put extra attention to in order to avoid repairs in the future, most problems with pavers occur from poor compaction.
Depending on the type of soil, you will have to add sub base, usually ABC and concrete or coerces sand, in some cases the ground is rocky and its enough do add concrete sand only.
Ground compaction is necessary to avoid sinking, movement, and to support the weight that the paved area was designed to take. Good ground compaction also eliminates weed growth and erosion.
Compaction is needed every 1 of fill. Compaction that is done towards the end of the project on top of the pavers is not effective due to the thickness and the fact that the vibrations dont reach all the way down. Compaction on the top surface only helps speed up the sweeping process and shouldnt be substituted to compaction before laying the pavers on the ground.
Before installing pavers 95% of compaction is needed, that can be reached only with the right type of soil, the necessary conditions, and tools.
Ground compaction cant be done when soil is soaked with water (more than 25%), then when the water gets dry, the air takes place and creates pockets that will sink and generate movement in the future. In this case the installer should replace the soaked soil with dry ABC or wait until it dries.
Our 10 list gurus in the paver industry, pavers in phoenix.
We are not an advertizing agency and we dont have the intentions of advertizing any company. This list brings you the people and the names of those who move the wheels of the pavers industry in the Phoenix area. This list is just another piece of information, recognition and appreciation of the people that do great work.
Im not adding contact information, youll have to look them up on-line. I have marked in bold their company names. When planning a pavers project, this list is a good reference list for achieving a successful project.
Bart, Jackie, and Carl from Phoenix Paver – local paver supplier in phoenix. Contact Jackie for any general questions you may have. Contact Carl for sales, contact Bart (owner) for any other matter. They offer quality pavers and fast service.
Nathan from Belgard Nathan is the Dealer/Architectural Sales Representative of belgard in Arizona. Nathan keeps us update with all the new colors and designs including all other products available.
Larry from Marvel building supplies location on 24th St. and Indian school. Great service, nice smiling faces, here you will find all the building supplies and all you need for your pavers project.
Christina and Shane from Hippo Hauling grading, deliveries, removal, and bobcat work, excellent service with affordable prices.
Roger from ABC supply sales representative, building supplies, here you will find all the building supplies and all you need for your pavers project.
Jack from AZ block 2000 he is part of the AZ Block 2000 team and also the treasurer in ICPI, he is very active in the pavers industry and very devoted to his work.>
Dan from Pioneer Landscape. There are many locations over the valley, but the one on 7th St. and Happy Valley offer great deals on ABC, Rip Rap, and some Gravel. This location is one of the biggest that pioneer has.
Acme power wash pavers cleaner stain removal including; oil, grease, paint, hard water stains and more. Very professional in what they do.
Bill from Anazazi – offer great service and the best veneer stone selection in town. Start here if you are looking for any veneer products.
Ewing Hardscape products, great place to compare prices.
Pavers Phoenix – Certified local installer click here
Where to choose pavers.
There are many show rooms in the valley, different suppliers and different brands. Here are two locations that we like to recommend.
Phoenix paver 515 East Elwood St., phoenix 85041
Or
Marvel look for the branch closest to your location
I will suggest asking from your contractor a list of jobs that you can stop by and take a look, that will give you a better idea of how your project will look like after installation because pavers will look slightly different from the sample board and very different from the brochure.
When visiting other projects you should consider and pay attention to the surrounding colors and the landscape. Most pavers will be on the scale of earth colors, but a nice match can be a color that gives a nice contrast with your house. Whatever looks nice in one project does not necessarily mean that it will look good in another.
Pavers FAQ
Q: How do you secure the edges?
A: There are different types of methods to make sure your patio or driveway wont fall apart:
Plastic edger along all the parameter secured with 7 nails each 1ft.
Cement border along the edge supporting only the back of the last paver.
4-6 depth cement border along all the parameter. This is the right way to secure the edges and the most effective. It is the actual required by building code.
Cement border against the last paver, usually 6-9 wide, also called curbing.
Q: What type of base do you put?
A: Depending on the type of soil you have, we run a test and make sure we are able to get 95% of compaction. As needed, we will add ABC and concrete sand and we will compact it every 1 to ensure a strong solid base for the pavers.
Q:How long does a pavers project takes?
A: We are able to cover 850 sq.ft a day (in average), it all depends on the pre-installation and how complicated the project is. Time consuming tasks will take more time.
Q: What does the warranty include?
A:We offer life time warranty that covers all labor and material. We will cover the manufacture defects and problems as well as any problem that occurred form poor installation. The warranty doesnt cover movement caused from tree roots or any other third reason that created damage.
Q: What is the thickness of the pavers?
A:Standard pavers are 2 and you can find different sizes and shapes. Most pavers will range from 1.1/8 to 3 .
Q: What maintenance do pavers require?
A:If installation is done properly, pavers dont need any repair maintenance unless you add sealer, then it is necessary to maintain it by reapplying sealer every year or so depending on the sealer type.
Q: How long does paver sealer last?
A:Depends on the type of sealer and brand. Normally in Arizona, sealer will last less time than the manufacture average estimate because of the heat and sun.
Wet look sealer (average) 1 year
Semi wet look (average) up to 3 years
Natural look sealer (average) up to 5 years
Q: Should I seal my pavers?
A:You dont really need to seal your pavers, the natural look of the pavers is nicer than any other look (for most opinions), some people like to enhance the color a bit which can be done by adding semi-wet look sealer. If you like the wet look on the pavers, adding wet look sealer would be the best. It is important to know that once you apply sealer, the process will need to be repeated each period of time to maintain it. Usually the big advantage of pavers is zero maintenance and for that reason we like to recommend no sealer or natural look sealer to prevent heavy water stains and sodium stains.
www.ipaverdesign.com
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