How to Fix Settled Pavers
Creating a patio, walkway, sidewalk or driveway from paver stones is a popular choice among do-it-yourselfers, landscapers and masons. Pavers are natural rock, cut into flat surface stones or man-made and poured into molds. Laying pavers on a bed of sand and butting them up against each other tightly results in a hard-wearing durable surface. Pavers will sink or settle if the ground is improperly prepared prior to installation. They will also settle if the ground is in a damp environment. The repair method depends on the number of settled pavers. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Chisel or flat-blade screwdriver
- Mallet
- Sand
- Level
- Tarps
- Shovel
- Hand tamper or plate compactor
- Long board
Instructions
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A Few Settled Pavers
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1
Place a thin chisel or flat-blade screwdriver straight up and down in between the settled paver and an adjoining paver.
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2
Tap the screwdriver with a mallet to drive it into the sand below the pavers.
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3
Press the handle of the screwdriver down toward the adjoining paver. This will lift the settled paver out of its place.
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4
Add sand to the hole and place the paver back in position. Place a level across the paver if the bubble is not in the center; remove the paver and then add or remove sand to level the paver.
An Entire Settled Surface
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5
Place a thin chisel in between pavers and press into the sand. Push the handle of the chisel down to pop up the first paver. Remove and set it on the side outside the confines of the structure. Continue to remove the pavers one by one, until only sand remains.
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6
Spread out a large tarp. Remove the sand from under the pavers with a shovel and place it on the tarp for future use.
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7
Lay out a second tarp. Remove the crushed stone from the base of the hole and set it on the tarp.
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8
Tamp the ground with a hand tamper or rent a plate compactor to compress the base of the excavation tightly.
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9
Add a 2-inch base of crushed stone and tamp it in place with the plate compactor or hand tamper. Add 2 inches of the sand over the top of the crushed stone. Drag a long board across the top of the sand to smooth the surface. Place the pavers back into the structure, one by one. Level each paver as you place it in.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Wear gloves and safety glasses when working on paving stone structures.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
