How to Repair Sinking Patio Pavers

[@twilliams64]

This dude is legit. He looks like a zookeeper/safari guide but he knows his shit. I liked and subscribed and you should too.

[@WesternInterlock]

Thank you!

[@sullivanspapa1505]

I have a newly established respect for guys doing paver work after installing a small 3’x5’ Walkway it’s a science and an art!

[@teresastrach5927]

This was very helpful to our small problem which sank after some heavy rain.

[@easy269]

Good tip to add is to lay down your leveler again after adding the concrete sand and poinding that in to make sure you are laying the bricks on a flat and even surface

[@WesternInterlock]

What I think that you are trying to say is that you can use a level to check your work as you go. This is a good idea, especially if you don't trust your eye.

[@Its_just_me_again]

yea good point, i was surprised it wasnt mentioned.

[@staceynewstead]

Awesome!! Not as complicated as I thought! Thank you!

[@WesternInterlock]

You’re welcome! Good luck!

[@wesleymarkmusic403]

Thanks for the video. I need to repair a section of my patio. You make it look doable.

[@WesternInterlock]

You're welcome! You can do it!

[@ArchStanton19966]

Wow, I had no idea that Edward Norton did this as a side job! Excellent!

[@djexclusivee]

If you have a pattern or cut pavers. Put them out & lay them the way they were pulled or you will have a headache

[@WesternInterlock]

This is very true. Often it is helpful to mark each paver with washable sidewalk chalk. Also, taking a photo prior to removing the pavers will make it easier to go back correctly.

[@twilliams64]

@@WesternInterlock take a picture before you remove everything so you can put it back the way it was

[@irepairofpc31familykartrac51]

Number every stone with a chalk stick and take a photo it will give you correct orientation and placement references.

[@dingo4229]

This comment prob just saved me

[@deletesoon70]

Gotta get on this, for us its the war on weeds that has been lost. Thanks, great vid.

[@redskins2434]

Pouring, then sweeping a think layer of baking soda on your pavers will keep weeds away for months!! It worked wonders for my old pool patio with uneven pavers. My weeds were a constant battle. The bonus is the baking soda will help keep the pavers clean year round, less mold growth.

[@philipcrewe540]

Colin thank you so much for your advice, I've got this to do, outside our golf club house, only done straight forward flag paving before

[@WesternInterlock]

You're welcome! Best of luck!

[@stevedietrich8936]

Thanks, this was informative. I have a paver that is sunk in and I've been unable to remove it with things like screwdrivers due to the tight fit. I'll have to find my putty knives and dry to go at it from two different sides.

[@WesternInterlock]

Sometimes it's helpful to scrape out as much of the joint sand as you can, then use a rubber mallet or a sledgehammer and a block of wood to jar the pavers to break up the interlock in the sand joint. If you actually have polysand in the joints, it can be extremely difficult to remove the pavers. Hot water is then necessary to loosen the polymers.

[@georgejaxxon481]

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[@georgejaxxon481]

@Westin Kamari i really appreciate your reply. I found the site thru google and im waiting for the hacking stuff atm. Takes quite some time so I will get back to you later when my account password hopefully is recovered.

[@georgejaxxon481]

@Westin Kamari It worked and I finally got access to my account again. I'm so happy:D Thanks so much you saved my ass!

[@westinkamari5560]

@George Jaxxon happy to help :D

[@maxsablosky]

Awesome video great steps I have a few issues in my yard like this! Will have to give it a try!

[@WesternInterlock]

Thank you! Let us know how it goes!

[@nicklangmusic]

Super informative! I’m sure I might not get it right the first time on my patio, but at least I’ll know how to get started now!

[@WesternInterlock]

Best of luck!

[@hhova29]

Great video, and very informative. I just discovered today that a corner of my home the pavers kind of actually lifted making them uneven from the rest. Hence I noticed all the other pavers have sunken evenly about 1/2 inch in 13 years from the line mark on my home. I will tackle that corner edge but do you consider the others sinking in over 13 years normal?

[@WesternInterlock]

There will always be some sort of settling over that period of time. I would consider it to be normal for a standard paving stone installation. The industry has moved forward in the last 13 years and current installation methods are more durable than were used back then.

[@IRISH-SPARTAN]

Good clear video 👍

[@WesternInterlock]

Thanks!

[@parvez2103]

Thanks. How do you make sure that the layer of the freshly laid concrete sand is exactly at the right level, so that after you put back the interlocking pavers, they are not higher or lower than the rest of the area.

[@WesternInterlock]

That's an excellent question. This is why we recommend pulling up pavers for quite a ways past the problem area. This way, you can use the undisturbed bedding sand as a sort of guideline to go off of. Additionally, you can use any sort of straight edge that will fit across the hole and then measure down to make sure the gravel is flat before putting the sand back. Honestly though, this operation is more art than science, so just feel it out as you go. Trust your eye and you should be good.

[@robdc4829]

Ya...came here with the same question. Levelling the base layer in multiple directions has been very fine consuming.

[@kevinogrady9675]

How should I remove the old pavers if poly sand was used in the joints?

[@david47295]

Love the video! Just wondering, are you able to still follow the same process but using limestone screening instead of gravel? My paver's have sunk a lot (around 3 inches), and I noticed that it originally had limestone screening underneath.

[@WesternInterlock]

We do not recommend screenings. #57 stone is the best.

[@david47295]

​@@WesternInterlock I took another look outside and it seems I misunderstood what was being used for my pavers. It was limestone gravel, not screenings (the rocks were really small since the probably broke down over the years). Either way, thanks for response!

[@DarrenG]

Really good video!

[@WesternInterlock]

Thank you!

[@chloebeary]

how thick of a layer of the gravel should be laid down?

[@WesternInterlock]

The base should be at least 4” for a walkway and 8” for a driveway. The bedding layer should be 1” thick for both.

[@mariestreeting4213]

Hey there, I have to do a small area on the driveway. You mentioned Concrete Sand, I’m in Australia and don’t know yet if it’s available here BUT I do have half a bag of concrete and half a bag of gravel like sand. Can I just mix them together and when I water it sort of sets if that makes sense. My Hubby went home last year and my family are all Tech nerds😆. Help appreciated 🥰

[@WesternInterlock]

Washed concrete sand is the specific sand that is used in concrete here in the US. What you need to find there is some sort of washed quarry sand. No need to add concrete. 😊

[@brandonblanks9610]

Do you have a video about loose stones? Not necessarily sinking

[@WesternInterlock]

We have a video about repairing a failing edge. If there are loose stones it means the edge restraint is failing somewhere and allowing the pavers to shift. kzbin.info/www/bejne/in60imV4rLx3fpIsi=_fbPPx-RItI9A9uu

[@nikolasdang5196]

Nice this what I need

[@WesternInterlock]

Awesome! Glad we can help.

[@cheripettus9472]

What is the difference between concrete sand and joint sand? Are those 2 separate things I need to purchase?

[@WesternInterlock]

They are two different things. Concrete sand has larger pieces in it and is often damp. Sweeping sand is very dry and very fine. You could conceivably use concrete sand as jointing sand, but you're going to work a lot harder getting into the joints. Sweeping sand is also available as polymeric sand that has polymers in it, which, when activated with water, harden.

[@purplearrow47]

Thank you

[@WesternInterlock]

You're welcome!

[@elizabethvalade1630]

I have about twelve sinking pavers on the edge of my patio. The sand from underneath keeps appearing right next to the patio in a pile, as if a critter of some sort is digging the sand out of there. Is there some sort of material I can use to prevent animals from digging the sand out from underneath the pavers?

[@WesternInterlock]

There's a couple of different things you can do. The first thing, and probably the best is to remove your edge restraint all the way along the edge of your pavers and replace it with a concrete type edge restraint like Perma Edge. When properly installed, Perma Edge will keep rodents out from under the pavers. You can view a video about how to install it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rKLYip6mjb-IldU The second option would be to bury some 1/4" - 3/8" stainless or galvanized hardware cloth along the problem area. This will effectively fence out the critters. However, it is important to bury it quite a ways down to prevent them from burrowing under. Here's a sample of the hardware cloth: www.amazon.com/Fencer-Wire-Gauge-Galvanized-Hardware/dp/B00989DJDO Best of luck!

[@wyn2302]

How to judge how much sand to put in to be level after putting pavers on?

[@WesternInterlock]

You would leave a shelf of existing bedding material in the surrounding area as a reference of what level to bring it to.

[@wyn2302]

@@WesternInterlock ok, thank you.

[@jamesjeffrey399]

That's was helpful, thank you . What joint feller did you use ?

[@WesternInterlock]

Thank you! We recommend using fine dry sand or polymeric sand!

[@JimBox810]

how do you figure out how much gravel and sand you need to add to make it level again?

[@WesternInterlock]

There's no easy way to figure out what you need beforehand. Depending on what you are doing, a wheelbarrow of each should be plenty.

[@JimBox810]

@@WesternInterlock thank you

[@nesthi]

I want to lay pavers on top of my uneven concrete patio. Can you recommend anything to use to level beneath the pavers? I don't want to pour concrete below it because I want something I can remove in a few years. Thanks!

[@WesternInterlock]

We recommend using a layer of sand on top of the patio to help eliminate any unevenness. If it's too bad, I'd mix up a bucket of self levelling concrete and pour over the top first. Any imperfections larger than 1/4" will telegraph right up through the pavers. You could also use a 60mm paver around the perimeter and a thinner paver (40-50mm) for the middle. This would give you even more wiggle room with the sand.

[@WesternInterlock]

We also have a video about overlays that will be dropping in a few weeks.

[@nesthi]

@@WesternInterlock Thank you for the advice and the reply! 👍

[@Samson-EC]

My pavers are locked in. No room to get any putty knife between them. Any suggestion on how to get out that first paver without destroying it? Thks jc

[@WesternInterlock]

Sometimes, you may need to approach from a little further out from the epicenter of the settled spot because the settling can pinch the center pavers tightly. It is sometimes helpful to pound the pavers with a soft, heavy mallet to vibrate them loose before you start. You may also have polysand, which can really lock in the pavers. If this is the case, use boiling water to dissolve the polymers and loosen the sand. Unfortunately, it is possible that you will need to break a paver to get started. Sometimes this is unavoidable.

[@Samson-EC]

@@WesternInterlock Thanks very much for the advice. I do have polysand. I will try all you suggest. Appreciate your time....jc

[@Samson-EC]

@@WesternInterlock Thanks Very much...jc

[@WesternInterlock]

@@Samson-EC you are welcome!

[@gilhoi]

Whats up with the major moss and weeds around that area? Wouldn't those areas keep affecting that previously low area?

[@WesternInterlock]

We're in the PNW. Here, if it doesn't move, it grows moss. It is everywhere, so no, moss is not necessarily indicative of a drainage problem. We're more concerned about the final grade.

[@boarding711]

I tried this and I can't figure out why I have space and no room for a line of bricks when it fit before

[@WesternInterlock]

Did you clean the pavers before reinstalling? Any latent joint sand on the edges of the pavers will make them larger than they actually are. Also, be sure to lay them back in tightly against each other and then go back and adjust them to take up any slack with a flat screwdriver.

[@anasser5356]

awesome 👍

[@WesternInterlock]

Thanks ✌️

[@maynardhahn8118]

Wow he’s fast no I’d like to know when he puts his engine how high he puts it in to his favors that are already in there does he put it in a 16th of an inch on the stones does he put in level with the stones does he put it in I don’t know

[@norbiudeako518]

Job

[@vurujak]

how much woud a job like this cost ,my house needs one i need to know before commiting

[@WesternInterlock]

It is impossible to give any kind of quote without seeing the project first. There are just too many variables involved. We would recommend talking to your local material supplier and/or a contractor. They can give you the best idea of what you'll be looking at cost wise.

[@vurujak]

lets say this very job here@@WesternInterlock

[@jbOO7]

Can I use this method to raise a walkway by 6"? The walkway is too low compared to the steps it meets up with.

[@WesternInterlock]

Yes, you can. Scrape away the sand and add your gravel, tapering up to the height that you need. Just be sure to add your 6" of additional gravel in 2" layers, compacting each layer. Then rescreed your sand and relay the pavers. Whatever you do, do NOT add 6" of sand. You will be saddened by the results.

[@saharal-haddad9381]

I wish you had shown exactly how to level it and video taped the process. It’s the hard part of the project. Then we could see how much you add and how you level.

[@WesternInterlock]

Yes, you are absolutely right. Getting it level is the hard part of the project. The challenge with showing exactly what to do is that it is more art than science. Basically, you are removing enough material to expose an area that is level and then adding material to the low spot to match, then blend it in by eye.

[@saharal-haddad9381]

@@WesternInterlock very useful. Thank you!

[@artistlight]

In this situation after you lay down the sand and even it out, you can place a couple pavers in the middle and bridge those with your level to the side pavers to see if you need to add more sand or remove some.

[@sleevedaftersixty4255]

Would you power wash before pulling the pavers?

[@WesternInterlock]

It's not necessary to do so. Once you pull the pavers out, it's really easy to clean them. Even simply banging the pavers together often gets most of the dirt off. A stiff nylon brush also works. If you do pressure wash, be sure to turn the pressure down to below 1500 psi to prevent damage to the pavers.

[@luissonoma6255]

How much does a job just like this typically go for; I feel like underbid the job, got haggled down but still agreed. 🤦🏿‍♂️

[@WesternInterlock]

There are simply too many variables to give any sort of accurate answer to this question. Know your costs and what the local market will bear and go from there.

[@luissonoma6255]

@@WesternInterlock Ok, well I factored in the concrete sand but didn’t factor in gravel and the stuff used on top of pavers at the end. 🤷🏿‍♂️

[@luissonoma6255]

@@WesternInterlock Ok, So I just watched the video again & I thought of something. Say I was to do this exact same job but wanted to pressure clean the pavers afterwards. Would I have to reapply the joint sand afterwards? And what if I wanted to apply some type of sealer for the pavers, would the joint sand go in after it’s all sealed or before being sealed?

[@Lilfabo124]

Why u can’t use the old sand

[@WesternInterlock]

Conceivably, you could. It's not going to save you a ton of money and it's going to be contaminated with dirt and debris. It's just a lot easier to work with fresh materials.

[@xThExGoDFaTheRx]

What would you charge a customer for a job like this?

[@WesternInterlock]

There are simply too many variables involved in a project to give accurate numbers. We'd recommend contacting a local contractor to get some estimates.

[@cynthiaevandyke-melchor83]

💜👍

[@WesternInterlock]

Thank you

[@mucked4u]

you mention nothing as to leveling sand base so stones lay even

[@WesternInterlock]

You are correct. That is why we pulled up past where the bad spot was. This gives you a reference point to work from. This part of the repair is definitely more art than science. Just trust your eye and it should be close.

[@akg_table]

Very useful video, however I dont think your tools and equipment used in your description add up. I dont think I need $3000 of Generator and Plane Compactor lol

[@WesternInterlock]

That's true. You can accomplish this and many other paving stone projects with out any special or expensive tools.