Installing a pavers driveway is not an easy job. It requires a lot of planning and preparation work before you can even get to the paver installation process itself. There are many ways that you can go about installing your own pavers driveway, but there are some important things that need to be done first in order for it all to work out well.
This post will discuss the 13 steps involved in installing a pavers driveway so that you know what needs to be done beforehand.
Step One: Decide on the Material
The type of material you are going to use for your pavers driveway will largely depend on where you live. If you are living in a cold climate, then it is best that you opt for something like poured concrete, concrete pavers or asphalt instead of natural stone. On the other hand, if you reside in an area with a warmer climate, then you can use pavers or natural stone. Of course, there are a few other materials choices you can go with as well, but these 3 will be the most suitable.
Step Two: Design Your Pavers Driveway
The pavers driveway design is something that you need to give a lot of thought to beforehand. You must decide where your pavers driveway will start from and where it will end. You also need to figure out how wide you want your pavers driveway to be and the best pavers layout that will suit your needs. One great tool that can help with this is pavers software .
Step Three: Prepare the Area
The next thing you need to do is prepare the area where your pavers driveway will be installed. Remove any grass, dirt or other types of vegetation that may interfere with laying down a good foundation for your driveways. It’s also important to check if there are any underground utilities such as electric cables running through the area. If there are, then you will need to get permission from the utility companies before you can proceed with your driveway pavers installation project.
Step Four: Marking and Layout of the Pavers
Description: With a shovel or any other marking implements such as spray paint, mark out where each individual paver is going to be installed on the ground. You will need to plan out where the paver is going to be placed in order for your pavers driveway installation project to come out well.
Step Five: Digging and Preparing Foundation/Sub-Base For The Pavers
This step involves digging up the area you have marked out on the ground, about 12 inches deep or more if required. The depth of the hole you dig out should be according to your pavers driveway height.
You will also need to remove any rocks or stones that are present in this area while making sure that it is smooth and level. If there are big pieces of gravel, then these can damage the paver when someone steps on them over time; hence, it is best to remove them.
Step Six: Lay a Foundation/Sub-Base
The next step in the process of a pavers driveway installation would be laying down a foundation or sub-base for your pavers so that it has something sturdy and durable underneath where you can place the stones on top of. If this base is not properly laid, then your pavers driveway will not stay in place and would begin to create a number of problems. The base should be even on all sides so that it can serve as a solid foundation for the stones you are going to use later.
Step Seven: Lay Drainage Layer
Having good drainage with your driveway is very important, especially if you live in an area where it rains frequently. It can consist of either gravel or sand and needs to be at least 4 inches deep. If you live in an area that is prone to flooding, then you want to use gravel instead of sand.
If the driveway does not have a good drainage system underneath, then water can accumulate and cause problems for your paver installation project over time. Before laying down the actual stones on top of your foundation or sub-base, make sure to lay down some type of thick material that will be able to absorb all the incoming water that will come in contact with it.
Step Eight: Lay Pavers
After laying down your drainage, you are now ready to lay out individual pieces of driveway pavers on top of this foundation or sub-base. Make sure that they are level and evenly spaced apart. You can also opt to use a mallet in order to pound the stones in place so that they are stable.
Step Nine: Fill Holes
After your pavers have been laid down, you will need to fill up any holes or gaps between each individual paver with the proper joint sand or gravel. This enhances stability and ensures that the stones stay in place for a long time.
Step Ten: Add Joint Filler
In this step of your driveway pavers installation project, you will need to add some type of filler between each paver so that there is an even and consistent look once everything has been completed. The recommended material for paver joints would be ASTM C144 sand or even gravel or polymeric sand.
Step Eleven: Cut Edges
Lastly, you will need to cut off the edges of your paver with a sharp tool such as a power saw for best results. This ensures that there are no jagged ends sticking out from between each individual paver which can cause problems in the future when someone walks across the driveway.
Step Twelve: Brush, Sweep and Clean
After your paver installation project is complete, you will need to sweep away any dirt or sand that may have fallen between each paver stone during this process so that it looks clean and free from debris. You can also use a light brush in order to clear everything away.
Step Thirteen: Seal Pavers
Finally, you will need to apply a driveway paver sealer on top of the pavers to prevent them from fading and to improve their longevity. Read this article for more information about cleaning and sealing your paver driveway. After your paver driveway has been in place for at least a month, you may wish to examine it for efflorescence and treat it before sealing your paver driveway.
Click here for more information about our industry best paver sealers or contact us us with any questions at 813-308-9202. We’re waiting to hear from you! Or contact us by filling out the form here.
We’re sure you have a lot of questions. So, we made this FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) available to you all in the interest that it may be helpful for your stone and paver sealing project and its success!
