Then and Now : Replace Old Decks with New Raised Paver Patios

Replace old high maintenance Decks with new low maintenance Pavers Patios

After a homeowner has experienced the high maintenance costs and seasonal requirements of a deck, they are quick to replace these decks with a low maintenance option of Raised Paver Patios.  When properly designed and installed by an experienced brick paver contractor, Raised Paver Patios will out perform any other outdoor living space at a minimal upkeep cost.

Since the economy suffered in Southeast Michigan, homeowner's are not moving as much so they are investing home improvement dollars into their current home.  There has been a trend in improving their outdoor living space by removing dilapidated and high maintenance decks with the dramatic impact of brick pavers and modular retaining wall blocks & caps.

This post includes some before & after pics to give you the visual of a dramatic transformation for your backyard. Raised Paver Patios offer unlimited design options for long-term performance and unmatched beauty.  When designing a raised paver patio, function is the main design aspect that a good brick paver contractor will consider.  Paver step design, usable patio space, elevations, and traffic flow all influence the design process.

Maintenance for raised paver patios is minimal.  Sweeping of paver joint sand each Spring and occasionally in the Fall will reduce any need for repair in the future.  To reduce the frequency of sweeping of paver joint sand, you can choose to use polymeric sand at a little higher cost.  Full service brick paver contractors will offer seasonal sweeping service at a nominal charge.

If you choose to seal your paver patio with an approved brick paver sealant, you will only need to perform this maintenance step every 3 years.  If you decide not to seal your pavers patio again in the future, the structural integrity of the pavers, blocks, and caps will not be compromised. Decks require stripping, staining, and re-sealing every 2 years at a high cost or your extreme sweat equity to keep its original appearance.

The cost of a new Raised Paver Patio is inline with a cost of a composite or cedar deck depending on height.  If you your doorwall is 3ft or under to the grade, the cost is inline. If you exceed 3ft, there needs to be an evaluation of the feasibility of using interlocking pavers & modular retaining wall system.  Combinations of composite decking steps and brick pavers is a viable option when heights are extreme.


The best paver jobs I have installed over the past 29 years have been the replacement of old wooden decks with raised paver patios.  These paver patios dramatically improve the curb appeal of the home and give the homeowner piece of mind that they will not experience long-term upkeep costs or aggravation. 

Raised Paver Patio Replaces Old Wooden Deck

Homeowner chooses lower maintenance & aesthetically pleasing advantages of Brick Pavers

Many of our installation projects are replacing old worn & high maintenance wooden decks with interlocking pavers and retaining wall blocks and caps.  With the versatility of paving stones & modular retaining wall blocks, multi-level or raised paver patios and steps are possible.  When properly installed and maintained, raised paver patios are unmatched in beauty, function, and long-term costs.

This homeowner was tired and frustrated from the continued maintenance costs & time of their wooden deck.  It was time to consider another option and my team and I were here to satisfy their need.  After reviewing the layout & heights, I was able to design a raised paver patio that met their need for function, space, and pleasing appearance.  My team executed a timely & detailed installation that will insure optimum performance for years to come.

Paving stones offer a variety of colors, shapes, and textures that will complement any home structure or yard.  After careful selection of products and colors, this plan came together with a shared vision of homeowner & contractor. The new pavers patio needed to be elegant and simple with a strong design and construction for long-term success.

We began by completely removing the existing wooden deck. We then began to construct the modular retaining wall blocks & caps, FENDT's Country Manor in Limestone color, to build the outside framing of the new raised paver patio while filling up the structure with base material, all along compacted in 4-5" each lifts.  A back wall was constructed along the elevated four seasons room to insure strength and avoid cave in.
   
Filter fabric was used behind the wall blocks to restrict any base material from filtering through the blocks.  This step of installing a geo-texile blanket behind walls is often missed by inexperienced landscape contractors who install raised paver patios or retaining walls.

Once the outside framing was complete and the base material was set at the proper height, we spread the bedding course material for screeding. After screeding the entire paver patio, the pavers, FENDT's Hollandstone Paver in Polar Ash color, were laid in a herringbone pattern with a soldier course border. The soldier course border is laid inside the wall caps and along all other edges butting up to the house or steps.  The diamond saw cutting piecing was completed, joint sand was swept in the paver joints, plate compaction was performed, and then another sweeping of joint sand was executed.

We completed the project by cleaning up the site & installing soil around the new raised paver patio until the homeowner can properly landscape. Landscaping around paver patios is crucial to long-term success by reducing or preventing any erosion that may compromise the installation.  We left the homeowner an extra bag of joint sand for future touch-ups of paver joints and explained the expectations for on-going low maintenance needs.

These homeowner's were originally reluctant to bring a brick paver patio into their landscape but were now ecstatic with their decision.  I was confident we would meet or exceed their expectations and needs.  This combination of four seasons room and raised paver patio is now the envy of this condo development.  So when you finally have had it with your old high-maintenance wooden deck, consider the option of installing a raised brick paver patio.

Brick Paver Raised Patio Restored in Canton

Paver Patio Walls and Paving Stones repaired & cleaned for new life!

After 15 years, this Raised Brick Paver Patio in Canton was in much need of restoration. The homeowner was not the original owner but the need for using their paver patio became a priority when they began to work out of their home.  With some aggressive repair techniques & surface cleaning of the wall blocks, caps, and paving stones, my crew and I where able to renew this homeowner's passion for morning breakfast on the patio.

In so many reconstructions of raised paver patios, the wall blocks & caps needed stretches rebuilt to retain the pavers properly.  The wall caps were removed, cleaned of glue & dirt, and re-adhered after we completely re-leveled the wall blocks that had dipped and leaned out. 

We removed all the paving stones, removed any contaminated base, re-compacted the existing base material, and added additional base as needed.  We relaid the pavers in the same herringbone pattern and then power wash cleaned them.  We finished as always by sweeping in paver joint sand, compacting, and then sweeping again.

The new homeowners were amazed by the transformation.  They had just avoided using this raised paver patio for the last couple of years due to its state of distress.  Embarrassed to have family or friends over, it was time for them to take action.
There is no reason to be discouraged, embarrassed, or scared to use your brick paver patio.  There is no reason you can't enjoy morning coffee on a pristine pavers patio that can be newly restored.

Raised Paver Patio is Restored after 17 Years

Multi-Level Brick Paver Patio in Canton restored back to original beauty and function!

After 17 years since being installed, this elevated or raised brick paver patio needed some immediate attention to restore the enjoyment the homeowner experienced for so many years.  Brick paver repair, cleaning, and sealing can restore outdoor living spaces like patios, walks, driveways, etc.. to their original beauty & function.

The homeowner admittedly ignored the need for repair, cleaning, and sealing of this raised paver patio for many years.  The result was added settling of the patio retaining walls and paving stones.  As dirt & silt , moss, weeds, and grass flourished due to the lack of paver joint sand & seasonal maintenance, this raised paver patio slowly deteriorated in structure & appearance.


My team and I began by completely removing all the paving stones from the top of the elevated paver patio.  The patio retaining walls areas that had settled were torn down and rebuilt using the same blocks & caps.  The existing base material was re-compacted and additional base was added as needed.

The most difficult task was to recreate the same layout of design in the pavings stones. This particular product, Unilock's Classico St Clair color has been discontinued, so we needed to pull up an area off the raised patio at ground level that did not serve any purpose.  In large brick paver projects that have a creative design, not all the little pieces fit exactly back together. So, additional matching or similar paving stones are needed to complete the restoration.

The homeowner also took advantage of a design change while we were reconstructing this pavers patio. There was a sunken 8ft X 8ft pad within the patio structure that allowed for a Hot Tub. The customer no longer had the Hot Tub and this area was not functional.  We reconfigured the patio walls & caps, filled the area with added base material, and installed the paving stones to the same height as the lower raised patio area.  This is the beauty & flexibility of what interlocking brick pavers and modular retaining walls allows.

After re-installing all the paving stones to the original design & layout, resetting some of the wall block & caps, and redesigning the Hot Tub area, the multi-level raised paver patio was given a general power wash cleaning and re-sanded.  Later this Summer or Fall we will return to apply a  brick paver sealant after we touch up the paver joints with additional joint sand as needed.


Upon completion, the homeowner was ecstatic!  The total cost for this restoration, not including sealing, was about $2,800.  It sounds like alot but over 17 years it is an average of $165. I explained to the homeowner that the extent & cost of these paver repairs could have been alot less or totally avoided if addressed early on.  The homeowner has guaranteed me they will NOT let their brick paver investment plummet again.

From my 28 years of brick paver experience, I believe the average maintenance cost over time is $75-$100/ year for paver patios that are properly maintained with Spring sanding of the joints. You can expect to have touch-up paver repairs done within 5 years that can cost you $350-$500.  If you let the patio walls & caps deteriorate, you can expect double or triple this average repair cost.

This raised or elevated brick paver patio was at an extreme state of despair. The biggest advantage of interlocking brick pavers, paver steps, & modular patio retaining wall block & caps is the cost advantage of long-term maintenance cost & appearance over wooden decks and stamped concrete.  This paver project is living proof it can be done!

Paver Patio Step & Soldier Course Repair in Canton

Common Elevated Brick Paver Patio Repairs

Elevated or raised paver patios in Canton usually require some touch-up repair to Steps and the soldier course row of pavers along the back of the Wall caps.  This job in Canton was no exception and our experienced & qualified crew was able to bring this elevated patio back to life!

The Paver Step was completely disassemble and rebuilt to its original height & dimensions. After 5 years of settling, this paver step became unsafe and unsightly. We were able to totally reconstruct this brick pavers step using the same blocks, caps, & paving stones.

The Elevated Patio needed a few minor repairs. There were some sunken areas along the house and most noticeably, the soldier course row of pavers immediately behind the wall caps had settled.  We removed about 2-3 rows of pavers behind the caps, re-compacted the base, added more base, reset the paving stones, compacted, and finished with joint sand.


The total cost of labor & materials was $900 and this paver patio repair had restored its original appearance and our client was ecstatic. The original pavers contractor did not educate this client about the need to sweep in paver joint sand each Spring and the need to report any major settling to avoid extensive added settling.

Our customer followed up with an email that evening ...

         Brick Doctor Bill,

Great Job!  Thanks for the quality work and staying in touch with me during the entire process.  I didn't have to call you once to ask what the status of my job was.  You gave me a time frame and contacted me as the date approached.  I can't tell you how refreshing it is to work with a company who understands customers just want to know what the status of their job is and don't want to be the one chasing down their contractor.  I will certainly recommend you to all me neighbors and will use you in the future.

Roger Runyan

 Good Brick Paver Contractors not only perform professional & quality brick paver installaitons & repair, they are honest, timely, and communicative. In times of uncertainty, it is important for homeowners to receive the "full" package of quality service & performance.

Anatomy of a Raised Brick Paver Patio

I am very select in the brick paver installation projects that I will perform in a given year. I will not bid on every brick paver patio, walkway, driveway lead that I am contacted on. I am not interested in bidding against inferior brick paver installers like landscapers who cut corners, create poor designs, and do not pay attention to custom detail. Customers who seek brick paver excellence and education are the clients I seek to service.

This paver patio project was beneficial to both the homeowner and myself because we were on the same page throughout this paver patio project. I feel this is the best method of installing a brick pavers project that insures a successful business arrangement between client & contractor.

This client had an open schedule, had researched the product and new what they wanted, and had budgeted from installations we had performed for family & friends. After I made some crucial recommendation to the paver patio size and layout, the brick paver installation commenced. We used UNILOCK's Stonehenge 3 shape brick pavers and Roman Pisa wall & caps to construct the raised patio frame & step.

Here is the "Anatomy of a Raised Brick Paver Patio" that we installed for this client. Performing basic brick paver and modular retaining wall techniques will insure the long-term success and beauty of this raised paver patio.  Enjoy this picture time line and I hope it helps educate homeowners and brick paver contractors a like.

The customer had a patio stone patio laid on an inch or two of sand. This was a temporary patio until they could reach their budget for the "real" paver patio they desired! As you can see, the patio size did not facilitate the patio furniture and grill.  We began by removing the patio stones, temporary cinder block steps, and removed the sod where the new raised patio was to be installed. We removed 10-12" more of the sod on the outside of the expected paver patio.

We started by shooting heights for the paver patio by using one of the most important tools for any brick paver contractor..the transit level.  We then dug our trench for the modular retaining wall blocks. These Unilock blocks are 12" deep so we dug the trench 20" wide (4" either way) and dug deep enough to install 6" of compacted gravel under the blocks. The retaining wall block trench then was filled and compacted with 1" down to fines crushed gravel.

The compacted gravel was then screeded and set to the height needed to set the modular retaining wall blocks & caps to the finished height of the paving stones of the patio. The radius and gapping of the blocks were set to best fit the limitations of the product and the objectives of the paver patio design. It is best to merge the restrictions of the products and objectives of the design to best maximize the appearance of the final product.

Filter fabric (geo-textile blanket) is installed under paver base material and behind wall blocks to limit filtration of sub soil into paver base and limit any washout through joints of wall blocks.


The gaps of the wall blocks are filled and compacted prior to capping. This also will help firm up the wall and give it some added strength and help from settling behind the wall.




  Wall caps were marked for diamond blade cuts and done uniformally to give the wall a finished look with no gaps.

This is a tedious task having to cut each cap in the radius but the finished look sets off the whole appearance of the paver patio giving it that rich coping look with a natural rock face.

Cutting with Diamond Blade saws is usually best done by a brick paver contractor. Many inexperienced paving contractors or homeowners use a guillotine cutter (hydraulic snap) or just plain out leave gaps for a poor finish look.

Once the modular retaining wall blocks & caps were installed for this raised paver patio, the entire area was filled with paver base material in 4-5" lifts. Each lift was raked level and compacted with a power plate compactor. Tight areas along the back of the wall blocks and house were completed by a hand tamper. This particular raised paver patio needed @ 8" (2 Lifts) of compacted paver base to allow for the bedding course & paving stone thickness.


It is important to make sure the paver base is compacted level. If compacted uneven or pitching back to the house, the results over the years will be a wavy and improper pitching paver surface. The top of the paver patio will mimics the base below over time. The compacted paver base is your foundation!

After the paver base material is correctly leveled and compacted, it is time to bring in the bedding course. The bedding course is the 1 to1 1/2" layer of screed that will be the layer of base for the interlocking pavers to "lock up" into. It is also the leveling course for the finished paving stone height. In Michigan, we use either 2NS Sand (similar to sharp sand) or 30A Slag Sand.

Here is where the real magic occurs for the experienced brick paver contractor....leveling the bedding course to prepare for the proper installation of the paving stones. The heights and pitches need to be correct to insure a well draining patio and appearance.  Screed poles, level transit, and patience are most during this stage. Done correctly, the laying of the paving stones will be simple and timely.

Due to the size of this paver patio, we decided to split the brick patio in half and screed one area, lay the paving stones, then screed the second half and finish laying the remaining paving stones. Screed poles which are no more than galvanized 10ft poles bought at a hardware store are suffice. We usually use 3 poles at a time to screed large areas.  The poles are reset and checked for height & pitch a few times before the final screeding takes place. After the final screed, the poles are carefully removed and the holes left are filled.

For areas that are tight or irregular, a keen eye and experienced "hand" screed is done with a mason's spatula.  Going in different directions so slightly will help insure holes or voids being filled. We will check these areas with small torpedo levels to insure proper pitch.

After we were satisfied that the screed was prepared for the laying of the paving stones, we began laying the interlocking brick pavers.  We discussed the best place to start the pattern to insure the best look of the paver patio.  We take in effect all sides of the patio and where best cuts should be performed.  Most inexperienced brick paver contractors just start laying and worry about the outcome at the end.  This can lead to a cut up or botched finish look.  Much like inside tile work, there is a thought process that needs to take place.

String lines are used periodically to insure that the laying pattern of the brick pavers is not "floating" or "veering off". It is amazing how dimensional paving stones will be off due to variances in the dimensions of the paving stones themselves.  If your brick paver installer is using string lines to level your pavers, you are in trouble!  String lines or more accurate in squaring off patterns or aligning borders.

Mixing from multiple paving stone bundles is a must to insure a good color mix.  Not all bundles of pavers or wall blocks are mixed evenly in color due to production lots.  If you do not mix, even within a bundle itself, your final paver patio may have an uneven quilt look of dark and light stones.  We always inspect the paver bundles prior to laying and discuss the strategy for grabbing the pavers & spotting.  It is best to mix the color shades while spotting so the brick paver layer can move quickly and not fuss with changing out paving stones.

After all the paving stones were laid in full pieces throughout this raised paver patio, the piecing of all openings takes place.  We cut all of our paving stones with a diamond blade and use both a chop saw and cut saw (fireman's saw).  It is important to set the brick paver cut in the opening and mark for cutting.  Cutting is an art for some. Some workers are a wizz and others struggle. That is what makes someone a carpenter and another a mechanic.  When ordering your product for a paver project, you should add upto 10% more to account for the loss of cuts that are not going to be usable.

We now give the entire brick paver patio an initial sweep of regular paver joint sand or polymeric sand.  Do not worry about filling every little joint as you will be doing a finish sweeping later. Make sure that the brick patio or paver joint sand is completely dry when sweeping.

 We then use the power plate compactor to set the interlocking pavers into the bedding course to achieve lateral "lock up" and set in our paver joint sand.  We went in several directions to insure proper lock up and followed up with the hand tamper in tight spaces where the plate compactor could not get into. After we are satisfied with the final compaction of pavers, we do the finish sweep with the paver joint sand, making sure we get all joints and nooks & crannies.

   Here is the finished patio! Another estactic and satisfied client by Brick Doctor Bill.  It was a pleasure working with a client who allowed us to work with the products benefits and now they will enjoy a patio for life. With proper yearly minor maintenance like sand sweeping and addressing any substantial settling due to frost damage, this raised paver patio will give years of enjoyment and neighbor envy. 

At the end of the job, I spent about 45 minutes educating the client on the paver maintenance requirements, options of polymeric sand or sealing, what to look out for to avoid future costly brick paver repairs, and how best to rub it in our your neighbor...lol.

I will return in the future to post great pics of the paver patio maturing and landscaping accents. I hope this pictorial was helpful in assuring a successful and long-term brick paver patio investment for you.  On to our next "house call" we go!