Brick Pavers Installed in the Midwest

Brick pavers patios, walks, and driveways

Brick Pavers in the last 30 years has evolved into one the most popular pavement options in the Midwest. The aesthetics and functional value of brick pavers make it the best financial choice for patios, walks, and driveways.  For purpose of this article, I will discuss grade (ground) level options and exclude elevated structures that compete with composite decks or landings.  In the Midwest, there are many challenges to pavement performance, mainly from the freeze thaw cycles (ground frost) we experience. 

The initial cost of installing brick pavers will exceed most cement and asphalt pavements.  Stamped concrete costs will be closer to the cost of a brick paver installation, but a variety of high end designed pavers will keep costs higher.  Brick paver manufacturers have spent incredible investment funds for research to improve the density, appearance, and performance of brick pavers.  Customer needs have changed over the past 30 years and meeting that need has improved the brick paver industry's response by giving many design, color, and texture options for homeowners.  

The cost of a brick paver installations have doubled over the past 15 years, mainly due to the cost of labor.  The brick paver market is a skilled labor that cannot be efficient or qualitative if done by a standard landscape crew.  Admittedly, it is not as skilled as masonry installations, but it takes an experienced and creative crew to execute the specifications and quality installation of todays brick paver designs.  General labor is still needed but this work is physical and time consuming.  Most brick pavers are installed for residential applications and each individual brick paver is handled and installed.  Mass installation of pavers by specialized equipment typically is reserved for large commercial or municipal applications.  Costs for base material has skyrocketed due the cost of mining and shipping.  Base materials are used for the base prep as well as the production of the asphalt, concrete, and brick pavers.

The cost advantage of brick pavers installation comes over time!  All pavements require some maintenance but asphalt requires the most frequent attention of surface maintenance and replacement.  Cement can be quiet for about 5 years in the Midwest but once cracks, shifting, and spalling occur, maintenance begins to accelerate for this pavement.  Replacement is the highest cost for cement pavements.  You can choose to do ongoing maintenance of crack filling, re-leveling, and staining but the aesthetic value declines considerably after 5 years.  

Brick pavers on the other hand give you the best value on costs over 10+ years.  Brick pavers do require some ongoing maintenance like sanding joints & sealing (optional) but these costs are nominal.  The aesthetic value is unmatched by other pavements as you can choose a design maximizing creative design, textures, and colors.  The functional value of brick pavers is the best pavement option for the Midwest's frequent freeze thaw cycle which moves or flexes all pavements during the Winter and early Spring.  I do not care how deep you prepare your base material for any pavement option, the earth will decide what it's going to do!  The beauty of brick pavers is that they have more flexibility to the movements of ground frost than asphalt and cement.  Brick pavers can easily be reset and do not require the replacement of the pavement over the long term.  Properly maintained brick paver applications like patios, walks, and driveways can last over 30 years before replacement may be considered.  

Brick Paver Driveway Repair and Restoration

Repair, Cleaning, and Sealing of Pavers Driveway

This past week we performed brick paver repairs and restoration, cleaning & sealing, to a pavers driveway and entrance in St Petersburg, Florida.   This pavers driveway and entrance was installed about 7 years ago but never had any routine pavers maintenance performed.  The homeowner was becoming concerned about the appearance and performance of their brick pavers.The paver repair areas were minor so we were able to reset the brick pavers in a few hours.  The biggest pavers maintenance issue that needed to be addressed was cleaning, re-sanding the paver joints, and sealing of the

brick pavers.


This brick paver driveway had a lot of hard water rust stains from the irrigation system.  We were able to get great results cleaning these hard water stains. Other stains, like oil and grease, were reduced but complete removal is very difficult or cost inhibited.  The best approach to these oil & grease stains is replacement of the brick paver itself.  During the cleaning process, we removed most of the paver joint sand that had been compromised by dirt, debris, vegetation, and moss/ mold.

After cleaning the pavers surfaces and paver joints, we re-installed new paver joint sand.  After tedious sweeping, blowing, and joint touch ups, we applied a generous coat of Seal 'n Lock sealer to give the brick pavers a high quality protection and appearance to this brick pavers driveway.  The customer wanted a "matte" non-gloss, non-slippery finish that would further protect the brick pavers from weathering & etching.  It is highly recommended to have your brick pavers cleaned & sealed every 2-3 years for long-term performance & protection.  The improved visual appearance of the brick pavers is the best benefit for most customers. 

Keeping your brick pavers on a routine pavers maintenance program will insure a life time of performance and enhanced appearance.  Most customers are not educated by the brick paver installer or contractor as to the pavers maintenance needs.  In most cases, the first repair and restoration service we perform costs the most due to the current adverse conditions of the neglected brick pavers. Routine pavers maintenance over the future years should cost less as long as you keep on a 2-3 year pavers maintenance program. 

Restoration of Brick Pavers Walkway installed 10 years ago

Simple paver maintenance will help avoid repairs and major restoration

This brick pavers walkway in Ann Arbor was recently restored by our company. The condition of this paver walk is a common occurrence that I estimate restoration for on a daily basis.  It was a reminder to me that neglect of simple routine paver maintenance will turn into a major restoration cost in the future.

This pavers walkway had never received any additional sweeping of joint sand since it was installed 10 years ago!  Who is to fault?  Neglect by the homeowner? or the lack of educating the homeowner by the installing contractor?  Either way, the homeowner is now responsible for the cost to restore this pavers walk.

The 2 contributing factors to the deterioration of this pavers walkway was the lack of paver joint sand in the paver joints and the exposure of the cement bead edge restraint.  If these simple maintenance requirements had been addressed, the homeowner would not have the cost of complete re-installation of this paver walkway.

The lack of keeping joint sand in the paver joints allows for water to take the least path of resistance.  Water will rush down the joints instead of running over the paver surface.  The result is the base below slowly erodes over time and allows the paving stones to sink, tilt, or loosen.  Joint sand also is the key factor in keeping the pavers "locked-up" and tight.  Lack of paver joint sand will allow the paving stones to loosen, gap, tilt, and shift.

The lack of the cement bead edge restraint being covered by proper landscaping (i.e. soils, grass, or mulch) allows the edge restraint to erode, crack, and break loose.  In turn, the outside row of pavers begin to "creep" out.  The result is the inner paving stones begin to excessively gap, loosen, and tilt.  I was amazed after 10 years that the cement bead edge restraint was totally exposed.  All the homeowner had to do was allow the grass to grow over the cement bead on the lawn side with a few bags of topsoil & seed and cover with mulch on the inside landscape bed.

We completely lifted up this pavers walkway, re-compacted the existing base, added new base material as needed to re-level, re-installed the pavers in like shape & design, cleaned the pavers, and swept in new pavers joint sand.  The homeowner also elected to have the paver walk sealed to enhance the color and give it the "wet look" appearance. The final result was another successful house call by the Doctor and staff!

Brick Paver Patio Restoration in Ann Arbor

Pavers Repair, Cleaning, Sanding, and Sealing brings back the beauty of patio

Neglected Pavers Patio

One of the biggest rewards in this brick paver industry is the satisfaction of pleasing homeowners who have given up on their pavers patio, walks, drives, porches, etc.. .  Most homeowners are despair and overwhelmed by neglected and deteriorated paver installations.  This Brick Doctor is here to make House Calls!

We like to offer a pavers restoration package that includes options for brick pavers repair, cleaning, re-sanding, and sealing with an approved brick paver sealant.  Sealing of brick pavers is the one option that customers toil with after I explain the pro's & con's of applying paver sealer. 

Restored Pavers Patio

To restore some of the original beauty & function of the brick pavers requires professional repair, cleaning, and re-sanding.  With some simple maintenance education, homeowner's can now maintain a rewarding outdoor living space for years to come.  A true brick pavers contractor will also offer follow-up maintenance services to better serve homeowner's who are busy and seek professional help.

Pavers Patio Sealed

This pavers patio in Ann Arbor is a perfect example of the many patio restorations we perform on a daily basis.  The homeowner had no idea what to do or where to go until they contacted us for services.  We completed the repairs, cleaning, and sanding in one day and returned in a couple of days to apply the proper paver sealant.  Time to enjoy the backyard as this pavers patio was intended!

Raised Pavers Patio is Redesigned to be more Functional

Multi-Level Paver Patio is reconstructed to One Level for added space

Old Multi-level Patio

This Raised Pavers Patio in Saline, MI was installed by a local landscaper over 5 years ago.  Though the design concept was appealing for the homeowner, the execution of a quality installation and functional design failed.  The quality of detail & cuts was poor to say the least, but the biggest complaint by the homeowner was the lack of useable space.  The scaled drawing they supplied looked so nice on paper but it did not serve the needs of this young growing family.

 The homeowner hired us to re-design this pavers patio to be more functional while using as much as possible the current products on-site so the project was economically possible.  This is where a true experienced brick pavers contractor works at their best.  Any contractor can start a paver project from scratch with nothing there!  Qualified and highly trained brick paver contractors know how to maximize current products and foresee issues & obstacles that may arise. 



My first suggestion was to make the entire pavers patio one level.  This would create one larger patio giving the added space needed for patio furniture, chairs, grill, fire pits, etc.. .  Multi-level raised paver patios are aesthetically pleasing but unless you have a very large design, you end up with 2 smaller patios.  Sometimes the smaller of the two is unusable like in this homeowner's situation.


The pavers patio redesign required us to reconstruct the paver steps coming out the doorwall.  We wanted to make sure they had a safe 3ft out landing step for the young ones & guests.  Because we eliminated the upper level patio and the steps leading down to the lower level patio, the paver steps needed to be transferred to the landing step at the doorwall.  With 12" wide treads, these paver steps were a comfortable and safe transfer to the newly expanded patio.

After disassembling the existing upper level patio pavers, block steps, & sitting wall, the back breaking work of removing the upper level base material began.  We needed to lower the base to the level of the lower level patio so we could install the paving stones flush with the current lower level patio height.  This took 4 workers approx. 7 hours to accomplish. We could not excavate with equipment since it would have disturbed the lower level patio which was to remain.  Many times you have to weigh the decision and trade offs of using good ole fashion man power versus power equipment use.


We completed this redesign and reconstruction of the raised pavers patio in 2 days.  We finished by completely power washing the patio & joints, and sweeping in new paver joint sand.  The transformation was incredible and the homeowner's were ecstatic.  The homeonwers had an upcoming party where they wanted to show off their newly designed patio.  Now, they had enough room for seating and Summer enjoyment!

Brick Pavers Patio and Step Tune-up in Canton

Repair, Rebuild, Cleaning, and Sealing of Brick Pavers will bring back life

In Canton, MI this past week, we performed one of our popular Pavers Patio & Step Tune-ups that will restore some of the original beauty & function of this outdoor living space.  My crew and I have been a leader in this area of expertise in Southeast Michigan for quite some time now offering full brick paver services, education, and follow-up maintenance programs.

This paver patio needed the current paver step rebuilt. The patio had several sunken, gapped, & loose paving stones throughout. The outside soldier course row of pavers where raised and needed re-leveling and we replaced the raised plastic edge restraint with a hidden cement bead.


After performing all the necessary repairs & rebuild of the paver step, we cleaned the patio and prepped it for sealing.  We returned a couple days later to apply a proper brick paver sealant.  The restoration of this pavers patio was very dramatic and well within an acceptable budget for the homeowner. 


Restoration of brick pavers has become a popular option for homeowner's who have neglected or inherited distressed paver patios, walks, driveways, steps, porches, etc.. .  Many homeowners believe they have to replace the current brick pavers with something new paving stones or other products, but in most of my estimates, they are surprised to learn that with some repair, rebuild, redesign, cleaning, & sealing, their existing paver products can look new & beautiful again!


 Of course some weathering effects may exist that can not be reversed, but with some minimal replacement or applying paver sealant, imperfections can be somewhat masked.  Paver restoration benefits usually outweigh the costs of replacing the existing pavers.  Unless a homeowner is adverse to the style or color of the current paving stones, I will always suggest re-using the current products in the restoration, rebuild, or redesign.

It is important for homeowners to know that the restoration of brick pavers is a viable option before getting frustrated and considering replacing them with another product. Your paver installation project needs to be evaluated by an experienced brick pavers contractor to get the best options that will meet your long-term expectations and budget.

Old Paver Patio Replaced with New Brick Pavers

Homeowner elects to replace old Brick Pavers if total rebuilding of Patio is required

This homeowner in Ann Arbor, MI had Unilock Classico Pavers for a patio for over 16 years.  The trend in the mid 90's for paving stones was circles, fans, and spirals to create fancy designs & European styles.  Though this homeowner enjoyed this creativity of pavers for many years, they now wanted a more conservative design that best met their change in style.


The current brick paver patio required some extensive rebuilding & repair.  The paver patio had not had any maintenance done for over 16 years and the paving stones had become uneven, loose, gapped, and areas pitched back towards the home.  The paver joints had been taken over by dirt, moss, weeds, and other organic matter due to neglect and lack of sand sweeping over the years.  

My recommendation was for total re-installation & cleaning of the paver patio.  The "band aid" approach of repairs was not an option in this case.  Cleaning & sanding would only be a temporary improvement to the appearance unless the extensive repairs where done.  Due to the cost of this paver repair & restoration service, the customer wanted to explore the option of replacing the existing paving stones with a new style of paver.  Though the overall cost of the restoration project will be more, the paver patio will be brand new & updated!

They now wanted a style of brick pavers that was more linear, geometrical, and tighter fitting, while having some flexibility of being creative.  I suggested using the traditional 4" X 8" Holland Paver shape.  Even with it's simple shape, there are many laying patterns & colors that allow for some easy creativity at an economical price.  By using "quilting" techniques like colors, textures, & shapes to achieve creative designs, brick paver contractors can use re-invent boring old paver patios, walkways, driveways, and more.

Every paver repair &  restoration project that I quote, there needs to be a cost / benefit analysis by the homeowner as to the approach to take in restoring their brick pavers.  Function & performance is always the most important approach.  Improved appearance, creativity, and design is then evaluated whether the additional cost is worth the benefit.  For this homeowner, the additional cost to use new pavers was well worth the additional costs.

We slightly changed the dimensions of this paver patio and installed an impressive design that the customer loved and admired.  The size was increased to create two usable patio areas, one for seating & dining and the other for casual seating, lounging, or sun bathing.  The homeowner plans on adding a decorative fire pit or chimnea to complete their outdoor experience.

 The simple creativity of this new pavers patio is not only functional, but improved the appearance of the home's landscape. Now educated and aware of simple routine maintenance, this homeowner will never need to restore their paver patio again. What turned out to be a undesirable situation for the homeowner resulted in a very positive experience and new addition to their outdoor living space.

Full Service Brick Paver Contractors Give You the Best Option

Homeowner's will need post or after installation services of their Brick Pavers

I sold a brick paver patio cleaning and sealing project this week whereby a homeowner had a prominent Ann Arbor landscape company install their brick paver patio last Fall.  They contacted this landscape firm this Spring to have the paver patio sealed.  The homeowner was told they do NOT provide any of those services! I hear this theme on a daily basis and this has shaped the business model of our company.

Poorly sealed Paver Patio

When some of these contractors do perform these services, they usually send inexperienced labor and not skilled workers.  This has lead to many frustrating problems for homeowner's who are left with inferior repairs and discolored sealed patios.  I had one homeowner who's paver patio & walkway had totally turned white from an inferior sealer or was improperly applied. He was told to "wait a year and it will go away".


I have been preaching for years that homeowners must do their due diligence when hiring a contractor to install, reconstruct, or redesign their brick pavers.  Start by hiring a true brick pavers contractor who's main business is interlocking brick pavers & modular retaining walls & steps.  Then make sure they offer after installation services, such as, after warranty repair, cleaning & sealing, and routine maintenance programs.

Patio falling apart

 Make sure that these brick paver after installation services will be scheduled work, even in the Spring, and not "fill in work" or the famous "when we can get to it" response.  A true brick paver contractor emphasizes the paver repair & restoration service end of the business and not just when the season gets slow.  The homeowner wants to enjoy their pavers patio, walkway, or driveway during the Summer when Michigan presents its best opportunity.

Reconstructing from the ground up

Keep in mind that doing brick paver repair, reconstruction, rebuild, and sealing services is more difficult to execute than an unrestricted new installation.  It takes experience, forethought, and some expertise to execute some of these repair services. Prepping and making the right decisions on timing and application for sealing brick pavers is crucial too.

Patio reconstructed & sealed

You can not just send anybody out there to perform these paver services.  A true brick paver contractor will have an experienced, foreman type, worker performing your restoration services. The owner will have the forethought to offer the best options & costs that make sense for either the short or long-term. The brick paver company will schedule your work like any other work they perform, and not make you wait until it is convenient for them!

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Brick Paver Driveway need is easily resolved

Driveways constructed from Interlocking Pavers allow for easy maintenance solutions

In Ann Arbor this past week one of our brick paver driveway repair & maintenance customers had a unique request.  They wanted us to improve the appearance & curb appeal of their paver driveway and replace a dozen damaged paving stones. Though we did not initially install this 5,000 sq.ft. paving stone driveway, we have been contracted to perform ongoing maintenance services.

The original brick pavers contractor did not leave the homeowner any extra paving stones for future replacement of damaged or stained bricks.  This customers brick paver driveway was a special run of color and buying extra pavers was not available.  The resolution for this special need was then conceived.

We decided to create a design within the paver driveway that would allow us to obtain extra needed paving stones for current & future replacement and at the same time, rejuvenate the curb appeal at the street.

We removed @100 sq.ft area of Cobblestone pavers at the bottom of the driveway and installed a traditional and distinctive herringbone pattern using Holland pavers. The herringbone pattern is a strong lock up design and is a perfect application for brick paver driveways. We then replaced a few damaged & stained paving stones and stored the rest neatly in the homeowners garage. 


We will be returning later this Spring to power wash clean the entire brick paver driveway and paver joints, re-sweep new paver joint sand, and then apply an approved brick paver sealant. It is important to have a brick pavers contractor who performs ongoing maintenance services so they can resolve your special paver needs.

Brick Pavers Repair, Cleaning, & Sealing requires a Specialist

Not all Brick Paver Contractors are the same

For years now I have been preaching to homeowners to make sure they hire a qualified & experienced brick paver contractor or installer for their pavers patio, walkway, driveway, porch & steps, and retaining walls. It is important to select a good pavers contractor whos sole business is interlocking paving stones & modular retaining wall systems.

When it comes to brick paver repair, cleaning, and sealing, not all brick paver contractors are the same.  Most contractors installing brick pavers are just interested in installing new patios, walks, drives, etc..  and not in providing for the "total" services needed for long-term performance and enjoyment.

The repair of brick pavers and retaining walls is much more challenging than installing new from scratch.  Forethought, experience, and expertise are necessary qualities of a quality brick paver contractor to successfully perform paver repair services.  Cleaning & Sealing of paving stones requires acute knowledge of products & techniques that most inexperienced contractors do not properly perform or care to perform.

Aside from totally tearing down & reconstructing a paver or landscape wall project, repair services have many more challenges than installing from scratch.  Meeting height restrictions and reusing existing products can be frustrating.  Lifting up installed paving stones is more tedious than taking them off a stacked bundle.  Cleaning off the products from dirt, sand, gravel, glue, and other debris is another added step.

Planning a strategy that best meets the need for a repair and homeowner's budget can further restrict the services performed.  I would love to re-design & rebuild from the ground up to insure success & functionality but homeowner budgets do not usually allow for this approach.  I do several estimates a week that other unqualified paver contractors say their project needs to be totally rebuilt but really is not necessary.

Unforeseen situations, lack of availability of older products & colors, and poor original designs will handcuff most inexperienced brick paver contractors.  In the past, I have found that you can not just send out any crew member to execute brick pavers or retaining wall repairs.  I find that sending an experienced foreman gives the best results for both the contractor and homeowner alike.

Most stories I hear from frustrated homeowners who have had paver repairs that have failed or have not met their expectations all end the same way ... "they sent some kid out to fix our bricks !"  Landscape contractors and psuedo brick paver contractors do not prioritize brick pavers and retaining wall service, techniques, or resources.  Sure, they are really interested when they give you an inflated quote which then will make it worth their time and effort.

 When getting pavers repair quotes, ask what percentage of their business is brick paver repair, cleaning, & sealing services.  We perform 80% services and 20% new installations.  You want a quality contractor who will schedule your repair services and not just get to it when they have time.
 It is important to select a local brick paver contractor who focuses and cares about the restoration services that you need to enjoy your investment for years to come.

Brick Pavers Estimates in Snow are Difficult

Paver patios, walkways, driveways, porches, and steps covered in Michigan

As another 6 inches of snow falls on Ann Arbor, Saline, & Canton today, accumulating snow has made it very difficult to give estimates on brick paver repairs, installations, and restoration services. Snow covered pavers patios, walks, driveways, porches and steps will not reveal their true needs for service or installation.

Paver repair, cleaning, & sealing is the most difficult to properly estimate. The obvious reason is the accumulation of snow but the larger effect is winter frost.  Winter frost can mislead a brick pavers contractor to conclude that there is a need for a repair that will disappear when the frost thaws here in late March or early April.

Interlocking brick pavers, retaining walls, porches, and steps can bulge and contort during the winter months, fooling homeowners that a repair is needed. An early post about winter frost damage will help guide you for what to look for during the freeze thaw cycle. It is important for a brick paver contractor to ask the homeowner about the state of these areas during the past summer. 

The biggest obstacle of estimating a brick paver installation is not being able to evaluate the physical area for installation.  Existing landscaping & pavements can not be properly viewed. Soil conditions and grades are almost impossible to evaluate accurately.  Grade drops are one of the most important variables when costing a brick paver installation. Retaining slope with either landscaping, boulders, or modular retaining walls will make a substantial difference in an estimate.

Homeowners who supply me a scaled drawing for a new brick paver or retaining wall installation project can get the process started.  With this drawing, I can begin estimating their project but will need to verify grades and installation area when the snow melts.

I do encourage homeowners to begin the bidding process now by contacting a good brick pavers contractor or specialist.  If you wait until all the snow melts or frost is out of the ground, the pavers contractor may have a backlog.  This past week, I just rescheduled my estimates for 2 weeks from now to see if the snow melts again like last week. 

It is always in the best interest of the homeowner and contractor to receive and prepare an accurate estimate. If conditions are adverse, it is best to remain patient and getting it right. If you are worried about getting on a contractors Spring schedule, offer a small $100 deposit to reserve space and finalize the details later. It is going to be a great year for brick pavers so your needs will be satisfied.