Ground Level Brick Pavers Patio, Step, and Walk Restored

Neglected for over 12 years, these Pavers are Restored by Repairs, Cleaning, & Sealing

Last week in Canton, Michigan, my team and I completed a total restoration of a ground level Brick Pavers Patio, Step, & Walkway. Daily I see these interlocking brick paver patios & walks that have been neglected & ignored until they become unsightly & unsafe.  Since these pavers have been installed over 12 years ago, no pavers maintenance or joint sand sweeping had been performed.  The pictures to the right is the results that you can expect from neglecting your brick pavers.

We started by performing necessary paving stone repairs that had sunk, lifted, and gapped.  Due to riding lawn mower damage, we also reset the outer 2 rows of paving stones for the entire paver patio & areas of the pavers walk that had tilted.  It is important to keep riding lawn movers off your paving stones. You or your hired lawn service contractor needs to weed whip approx. 1ft out from the outside edge of pavers to keep the mower tires off. Also, sprinkler heads need to be adjusted to keep water from spraying over or onto the paving stones.

The most immediate need was to repair the small curved Paver Step at the doorwall. This was not only an eye sore, but it had become unsafe for foot traffic.  We completely rebuilt the Paver Step by re-using the same materials but with a stronger construction.  As soon as Step caps or blocks come loose, it is important to address the issue before it quickly deteriorates.

After performing touch-up repairs to the paver walkway, we cleaned & power washed all paving stones and paver joints freeing them of moss, dirt, weeds, and grass.  We completed the process by sweeping in paver joint sand after the paving stones had dried. We cleaned up the job site and scheduled our return for Sealing all the pavers.

A few days later when all the pavers & paver joints where dry, we returned and applied an approved brick paver sealant over the pavers patio, step, and walkway.  The transformation of this interlocking paver project was tremendous!  The homeowner was ecstatic and I took the time to educate her on the minimal maintenance requirements for long-term performance & appearance.

This total restoration was just under $1,300 which included the repairs, cleaning, & sealing costs for this particular size & needs.  I explained the importance of keeping the paver joints filled with joint sand each Spring and if she did not have the time or inkling to perform, we offer seasonal  paver sweeping services at an affordable cost.

It is important to not blame brick pavers for failure, in most cases I see like this one, it was homeowner's neglect. It's not always the homeowner's fault because they were not properly educated by the installing contractor.  This is why it is important to select a brick paver specialist who offers ongoing advice & maintenance services.  Address the issues early to avoid high costs of repair and frustrations.

2011 will be a good year for Brick Pavers in Ann Arbor

Paver Patio Installations, Repair, Cleaning, and Sealing is on the rise!

As the economy in Ann Arbor, Saline, Canton, and Southeast Michigan improves slightly in 2011, homeowners are now reconsidering their brick paver patios & walkway needs. Paver Patios and walks have dominated the Outdoor Living spaces market for the last 30 years but has suffered a tremendous downturn due to the economic turmoil the past few years.

As a hard working brick paver specialist and contractor the past 28 years, I noticed the pendulum starting to swing back to more brick paver interest and needs during 2010.  I expect 2011 to make huge strides in the installation, repair & restoration, cleaning, sealing, and maintenance of interlocking pavers and modular retaining walls.

All service areas for paving stones are on the rise and good brick paver contractors are offering the spectrum of services that homeowners need.  Below are the reasons I am so optimistic about the 2011 brick paver season.

Installations:

As the economy has slightly ticked up, so has new home building. Though it is minimal, new home building has began to re-emerge.  Up until about 2006, 50% of my brick paver company revenues came from "new" home installations. In 2008, it fell to less than 10% of my total revenues.

Brick paver contractors lived and died by the new home construction sword if they were not diversified with offering "all" brick pavers services.  New home paver installations are the most profitable projects for brick paving contractors and this slow insurgence of new home building will help make this concrete paver industry more attractive.

Repairs & Restoration: 

The flip coin of homeowners not being able to sell their homes or build new ones was the insurgence for the need of "existing" brick paver patio, walkway, driveway, and porch repair. Homeowners quickly realized they were staying put and there was an immediate need for their brick pavers and retaining walls to be repaired and restored.

It is easy for homeowners to neglect their paver patios since it was not a financial necessity.  But as homeowners came to the conclusion that they were remaining in their current homes for years to come, they focused on home improvements.  With a little touch-up and re-focused attention too, paver patios could once again be an attractive and functional family outdoor living space. I predict that my paver repair & restoration projects in 2011 will double due to the emphasis by homeowners to improve what they currently have.

Cleaning, Sanding, and Sealing:

Good brick paving contractors will educate their homeowners to the benefits of touch-up repairs, cleaning, sanding, and sealing (optional) of paving stones.  In Ann Arbor, there has been a tremendous interest in these brick pavers services.  Interlocking brick pavers and retaining wall maintenance is now in the forefront.

With new and improved products for paving stones hitting the market each year, the needs for these opportunities to improve the appearance of paver patios has come to the attention of homeowners. From removing moss, efflorescence, and rust stains to polymeric sand to varying sealer appearances, paving stones products are revitalizing the attention too paver patios, walkways, driveways, and paver porch maintenance.

In conclusion, there is a resurgence in the attention for interlocking brick pavers and modular retaining walls services throughout Michigan as the economic uncertainty is stabilizing. Homeowners are reinvesting in their current homes while new home builidng begins to reappear. Capitalizing on these diverse services of paving stones will improve profits during 2011 for any good brick paver contractor who pays attention to this opportunity.

Best Time to do Brick Paver Repair

Interlocking Pavers and Paving Stones

When the winter frost starts to come out of the ground in Ann Arbor, Michigan, brick paver customers begin to get anxious if they have brick paver or retaining wall repairs.  It is important to be patient about when those paver repairs are to be done.

I explain to my clients that it is important to wait until the ground has firmed up and is dry.  Winter freeze thaw cycles churn up the ground and make it very soft. My prior post explained some of the damaging effects of frost and what to observe when your paver patio or walk shows signs.

In Michigan and other Midwest states, we are fully aware of the numerous pot holes our roads experience in early Spring.  States impose "frost laws" on the roads which limits weight that can be hauled. This is intended to help save our roads from further damage as a result of the soft ground (subsoil) under our pavements.  The same holds true for interlocking pavers and modular retaining walls.

Barring any safety issues, the best time to do brick paver repair or retaining wall repair in Ann Arbor is usually June.  Usually after the April rains, May begins to have drier weather which allow the ground (subsoil) to firm up nicely. While performing brick paver repairs, it is important to recompact base material and reset your paving stones on a firm and compacted subsoil.

When a client reports a warranty or non-warranty brick paver repair, I assure them that their paver repair needs will be addressed.  It is always hard to pinpoint a date but we begin to address paver service calls in June to insure a proper repair process.  The biggest problem for us brick paver contractors in Ann Arbor is that June is our busiest brick paver installation month of the year.  So it is a double edged sword.  As a paving contractor, we have a limited time to be profitable with the Michigan climate and at the same time have the man power & resources to perform service calls.

Be patient with your brick paver contractor if it takes until Late Spring or Early Summer to perform some brick paver or retaining wall repairs.  I always make exceptions for paver repairs  that present a safety issue, such as, a tripping hazzard. As a client, it always helps the process by sending pictures of the needed repair to your brick paver contractor.

This dilemma for paving contractors and customers alike is why I have specialized in brick paver repair, cleaning, sealing, and paver maintenance service as our main focus of business. After almost 10,000 brick paver installations and repairs, it is time reinvent my business to the brick paver after-market services that clients desperately need.

Brick Paver Repair Costs

When it comes to costing out brick paver repairs, it really is a subjective method of pricing. There are two common approaches I offer clients that need their brick pavers repaired.

The first is a Job Cost approach. This is usually a single total "job" price. For sake of argument, there may be several pricing options that determines the final total price, but for the most part, this will be the total price the client pays after the paver repairs are completed. This brick paver repair job cost should cover all labor & materials and mention any possible unforeseen costs that may occur. While performing brick paver and retaining wall repairs, it is possible that some existing products or materials will not be reusable. I will list on my paver estimate that I will supply the necessary brick paver replacement receipt for reimbursement. When it comes to the dreaded "unforeseen" , I will cover the cost with my client before I proceed with the paver repairs. Nobody wants to get a bill at the end that is more than quoted and was not discussed during the project. 90% of my brick paver repairs have come in on the total Job Cost quoted!

The second is a Hourly Rate approach. This approach should not be accepted by a brick paver repair client unless they have total TRUST of their brick paver contractor! This approach to repairing pavers is an open end final cost. I usually spell out that all material costs will be reimbursed and receipts will be supplied. The difficult part is letting the customer know an exact range of hours needed to complete the brick paver repairs. I am within an hour or so on smaller paver repairs and usually within 5 hours on large paver repairs. I do supply an exact hourly rate for paver repairs for myself or package workers. This approach to costing brick paver repairs can get dicey and it is important to communicate to the client each day your strategy and job performing tasks. Clients need to be aware that the time of obtaining materials and unloading tools and materials are part of the hourly rate of repairs. I do not include in my hourly rate of paver repairs any lunch breaks or time of loading tools at the end of the day. This approach of costing is the fairest approach to brick paver repairs as long as both parties TRUST each other!

Brick paver repair costs is a necessary evil for homeowners to maintain and protect their investment in brick pavers or retaining walls. It can be a very emotional decision for a client to accept your brick paver quote for repairs. I always felt that communicating and selecting the best costing option before performing the paver repairs is the BEST approach.

Brick Paver Repair Options

On many of my brick paver repair estimates, I am asked to give pricing options for the repairs of their brick paver patio, sidewalk, driveway, porches, steps, or retaining walls. Usually these pricing options include doing the paver repairs using the "band aid" approach or the total reinstalling of the interlocking brick paver or modular retaining wall project.

The dilemma for the homeowner is to decide whether to accept the "band aid" approach which is usually considerably cheaper, or biting the bullet and accepting the commitment to properly reinstall the paver project. Because of the price disparity of these approaches, their are considerable questions and angst by the customers.

The "band aid" approach is referred to as the "cosmetic" approach. The homeowner wants me to just "make it look better" at a minimal cost. I tell customers that the "band aid" approach is a short term repair method that will improve the appearance but not necessarily the long term performance of their brick paver installation. I usually have this request from people that are going to be selling their homes in the near future or if a pressing safety issue exists. Basically this approach is to "cosmetically" repair the paving stones or landscape walls without addressing the sub base below or the major issues that may result in future failures. I will only give a 90 day warranty on these type of repairs. I believe that this brick paver repair approach is more suited for minor settling or heaves from frost. The "band aid" approach should be used early on to correct any minor or small brick repairs that become visible. Too often customers let minor settling or heaving of pavers go unattended which results in major repairs & costs.

The other approach to brick paver repairs is to completely reinstall the brick pavers or modular retaining walls from the bottom up. This will require not only lifting up the paving stones or landscape blocks but completely removing and reinstalling the base & bedding course. Obviously the cost of this type of brick repair far exceeds the "band aid" approach. The customer does save the product costs which is the major advantage of interlocking brick pavers and modular retaining walls. I will usually warranty any total reinstallation project for 1-2years since I am completely reinstalling to my specifications which meet or exceed any brick paver manufacturer's, such as, Unilock or Belgard, recommended installation specs.

It is very disheartening to me for customer's to pay $1,000's of brick paver repairs after making a considerable investment in their paver patio, sidewalk, or driveway. Brick Pavers are NOT no maintenance. Paving stones & landscape blocks require some minor touch up maintenance to keep them beautiful and functional. It is much better to pay "band aid" prices of $100-$200 each couple of years with brick paver maintenance then to wait 5 years and let the pavers or walls collapse and cost $1000's to repair.

Top Reason for Brick Paver Repairs

Yesterday I met with Al Martin, a UNILOCK sales representative for North America's largest brick paver manufacturer. We were discussing the challenges that the climate in southeast Michigan presents for interlocking brick pavers and modular retaining walls.

We both agree that our frequent "freeze thaw cycles" , the cycle of the ground freezing and thawing during the winter months, creates a lot of paving damage. It has been no secrete that the roads & highways in the Detroit area exhibit these damages like no other metropolitan area in the country, with Chicago a close second. I would like to comment on the effects of sub grade frost on pavements.

People enjoy the warmer weather here in Michigan during winter month's, but like most good things, there is always a price. When the ground freezes, water or moisture does not trickle down through the water table. Typically, in the Detroit area the average frozen ground depth is 3 feet. This is the reason footings for deck posts or masonry walls must be a minimum of 3.5 feet so the frost does not get below. When the top of this frozen ground starts to "thaw" due to warm weather, it becomes mushy & permeable. The soil below brick pavers, concrete, and asphalt becomes unstable and falters from loads (traffic) and voids in the subsoil. To add more salt (no pun intended) to the wound, it refreezes and traps more moisture between the frozen ground below and the surface. This freeze thaw cycle creates tremendous stress on any pavement by heaving and contracting.

It is not unusual for the Detroit and Chicago areas to experience over 30 freeze thaw cycles during the winter months (Dec thru Mar). This is probably the equivalent of 5 winter frosts versus 1 for a northern city like Minnesota. Many municipalities try to reduce the damaging effects of frost thawing by imposing "Frost Laws". These laws typically reduce the weight allowed by trucks to haul by 50%.

This background leads us to the the conversation I had with Al Martin on brick pavers & retaining walls. It is obvious why UNILOCK locates most of its brick paver manufacturing plants in Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, New York, Ontario Canada, Toronto, etc.. . These cities fall in what I call the Frost Belt. Interlocking Brick Pavers and Modular Retaining Walls are the most economical and functional pavement for the "frost belt" over time. Repairs of brick pavers is much more economical than repairs of stamped concrete or asphalt. Over 60 years of paving stone experience & feedback has proved this throughout Europe, Australia, and North America.

Many of my clients blame their brick paver repairs on poor installation and this is not always true. Often I do see brick paver patios, sidewalks, and driveways that were poorly designed and installed. The first thing I point out to them is how many times in the last 15 years did the County or State redo that stretch of highway nearby. Usually, it has been redone twice so that is 3 different pavements, sometimes 3ft thick of concrete, that have been totally removed and replaced on average 5-6 years.

Brick pavers and retaining walls that are properly monitored and maintained will out perform any wood deck, stamped concrete or ashalt pavement. Whether you perform brick paver maintenance yourself or use a professional, you can enjoy the financial and aesthic value of paving stones for a lifetime!

The Top Brick Paver Repairs

After 25 years of installing and repairing brick pavers in Ann Arbor, I have come up with a Top List of repairs that I have seen and done. Brick Paver repairs are not uncommon in States with continued frost damage but these particular repairs are the most common.

SOLDIER COURSE SETTLING:

This particular interlocking brick paver repair is the most prevalent. This is the outside brick border that frames most brick paver patios, walkways, or driveways. It most cases, this row of "soldiers" settles or moves more frequently. The main cause is under prepping the base. Alot of installers only install the base to the exact width of the brick paver installation. When this is done, the edge restraint, plastic pvc or cement bead, is not properly installed on the same paver base material, thus this brick paver edge restraint fails and the concrete paver moves with it. It is also very important to cover the outside edge restraint with landscaping, such as, grass, ground cover, or mulch, to protect from long term erosion.
The most evident of this brick paver soldier course settling is the row of brick behind the caps of modular retaining walls and steps. Again, it is the under prepping of base behind these wall blocks. When you build up the base behind these modular blocks, you must compact carefully in 2-3" lifts. The most important step is to fill all voids or gaps with compactible base material, not sand. Over the last 8 years , the use of a geo-textile filter fabric is important to use behind these modular blocks to give added support to the base.

LOOSE PAVERS or WEED GROWTH:

This brick paver repair is the easiest to avoid, but is seldom prevented. The lock up of interlocking brick pavers occurs when the plate compactor goes over the top of the pavers, thus embedding them down in the 1" bedding course (usually a course sand). What occurs at this point is the the bedding course sand "jets up" through the joints from below. This is much like sticking your hand down into sand and the sand comes up between your fingers. The final crucial step is to then sweep an approved joint sand into all joints of your brick paver walkway, patio, or driveway, run the brick paver compactor over the entire brick installation again to jiggle down any loose sand, and then finish off with a final sweep. The joint sand keeps the pavers from moving laterally and keeps them from coming loose. Keeping the joint sand filled in the brick paver joints also helps prevent dirt or weed seeds embedding into the joints.
I will go back to brick paver installations that where installed 5 years prior, and no joint sand will be in the joints. I can stick my finger in most joints and feel the bottom of the paver. When joints are not filled, the pavers can move laterally and come loose. The most damaging effect is that water will easily come of the paver surface, tunnel down through the joints unabated, and slowly erode the the base material below.
Just 15-20 minutes of your time and $10-15 worth of joint sand each Spring to sweep your paver patio will help you avoid 100's of dollars of brick paver repairs and frustrations of a unsightly patio.

Brick Paver Dips or Waves:

This repair is usually immediately evident if a poor paver installation is performed. Keep in mind that any & all repairs are NOT the result of poor installation. The whole premise of interlocking brick pavers is to withstand the effects of winter frost or ground settling, at a minimal cost of resetting or repair. The biggest cost savings is the ability of the paver repairs service to reuse the same products, thus reducing material costs.
A poor brick paver installation can begin with a poor base preparation. Often installers cut cost & time by not excavating deep enough to install a proper base depth. A basic base material depth for patios & walkways is 4-6" and driveways 10-12". Actual base material depths vary due to weight requirements and soil conditions to name a couple. If the base material depth is compromised, your brick paver patio may not drain properly and therefore have added stress during frost periods. It is also very, very, important to compact the subsoil (dirt) prior to installing the base material on top.
Another common mistake by brick paver installers is not compacting the base in "lifts". This means they should not dump more that 3-4" thick of base material at any given time with out spreading evenly and compacting. The common brick paver compactor can not properly compact more than 4" lifts at a time. I see many contractors filling raised brick paver patios or driveways with base material over 8" high, then raking and compacting the top only! This will have an extreme effect on the performance of the brick pavers!
Another faux pas of installing paver base is not spreading and compacting in level lifts. Some paving contractors rake out, compact, and then install bedding course over a "wavy" base installation. Keep in mind that the bedding course can not make up for the uneveness of the base material in terms of long term paver performance. What you observe with base material installation will mirror the brick pavers in the future!

This is just some of the top brick paver repairs that I have seen & performed over the many years that the brick paver industry has experienced here in North America. In the fuure, I will continue my list and requirements.

Time to Repair, Clean, or Seal your Brick Pavers

May is here and it time to repair, clean, or seal your brick pavers or retaining walls. The hard winter frost that we experienced this past winter in Michigan is now gone and dried up. May is the best month to begin any maintenance on your brick paver patio, walk or driveway.

The soft ground has now hardened enough to reset any pavers that may have settled from the tremendous flexing of the winter frost. It is now time to sweep approved joint sand in all the paver joints to keep the brick pavers from moving, weed seeds from settling in, and deter water tunneling. The one maintenance each spring on brick pavers is joint sand sweeping. Cleaning is only required if you neglected the brick pavers and allowed dirt and weeds to take over the joints. Also, moisture stains or moss may be overtaking the beauty of the brick pavers surface. High pressure powerwashing may be required to clean out the joints and paver surface. After a thorough powerwashing is complete and dried, an approved joint sand should be swept in.

In the past few years, there has been a great improvement in the joint sand swept in the brick paver joints. Not only has there been an expansion in colors, but an improved product has come to pass. This new joint sand product is Polymeric Sand. This joint sand is mixed with polymers, which after getting wet, the sand bonds hard, much like mortar in the joints but flexes to the subtle paver movements. This bonded sand also keeps weed seeds from establishing and also keeps you from tracking sand into the house or pool.

The final option for brick pavers is the application of an approved Sealer. This is not any sealer that you can purchase at Lowe's or Home Depot. This very high quality and long lasting sealer has thermoplastics in it to withstand the outside elements. Usually sealing brick pavers is optional but I am an advocate of its use. First, it gives the brick pavers the "wet" look which enriches the color appearance. Second, it keeps the brick pavers from "etching" which is the exposure of the stones in these high density concrete pavers over time & weathering. Lastly, it hardens the regular joint sand in the paver joints which gives you the same benefits of the polymeric sand explained above.

Routine and minimal maintenance on your brick pavers will give you many years of aesthic beauty and functionality. Much like replacing the roof on your house, if you neglect the surface (top), the rest will come crashing down.