Brick Pavers Patio and Steps repair, restoration, and maintenance

Pavers Patios, Steps,Walkways, Driveways, Entrances, and more!

Brick Doctor Bill and Team are wrapping up the 2017 season for brick pavers repair, restoration, cleaning, sealing, and maintenance services as the weather changes in Michigan. 2017 was a promising season for brick pavers as the economic conditions and education about maintenance for brick pavers grows.

Repair & Cleaning

Homeowners not only have some expendable income to restore their brick paver patios, walkways, driveways, or more, they also are receiving better education and knowledge on the yearly maintenance needs for maintaining their brick pavers.  Many homeowners that were able to purchase homes the past five years inherited many neglected and dilapidated brick paver structures that were not maintained over the many years.

These outdoor brick paver structures become a major priority for homeowners as they complete interior projects and these outdoor living spaces not only are a visual blight but become a serious hazard to use.  The outdoor living space is becoming the biggest growth in home improvement projects that homeowners consider in there home projects.

Patio Restored

Hiring a qualified brick paver restoration contractor is very important.  It is not just acceptable to hire a contractor that "installs" brick pavers.  Repair, restoration, and maintenance of brick pavers patios, walks, driveways, entrances, requires a specific skill, experience, and knowledge for an effective result. Many landscape and brick paver installing companies are only interested in installing your paver patio, walks, etc.. but do not offer timely or economical follow up services which are essential to maintain the appearance and performance of your investment.  Installing a new brick pavers structure is a much easier task than rebuilding and restoring an existing brick paver installation.

Patio Sealed

Hiring a qualified and experience brick pavers restoration contractor will save you a lot of unnecessary expense by using your current brick pavers, paver blocks & caps, and base material.  We have great expectations for future years as repair, restoration, and maintenance of brick pavers is better understood and utilized by homeowners. 

Pavers Patio & Step Repair and Restoration

Brick pavers repair, cleaning, and sealing brings this Pavers Patio and Step in Canton, MI back alive!

This raised brick pavers patio  in Canton, MI needed some real attention.  After years of neglect and no paver maintenance, this pavers patio and paver step was beginning to show serious signs of failure and poor appearance. This patio and step was becoming a safety hazard for tripping.



We assured the homeowner that all is not lost and we can repair and restore their raised brick paver patio and paver step back to its glory days!  We reset and releveled the brick pavers and paver step where needed,  re-compacted the pavers to help relock an loose paving stones, did a professional cleaning, re-sanding all paver joints with regular paver joint sand, and sealed with an approved brick paver sealant which gave great color enhancement, surface protection, and joint (sand) stabilization.

Upon completion of this raised pavers patio and step repair & restoration, the homeowners where very pleased and amazed of the transformation from the old & neglected patio to the new and improved outdoor living space.


Now with minor routine (yearly) maintenance and attention, this raised brick paver patio and step will look beautiful for many decades!  We advised the homeowner to have the patio and walk sealed every 2-3 years and keep joint sand in the joints at all times.

Brick Pavers Patio Repair, Cleaning, & Sealing begins for Spring 2016

Restoration and Spring Maintenance for paver patio in Canton starts the new season

Brick Doctor Bill and Team has started the 2016 season with a brick pavers patio & walkway repair, cleaning, & sealing.  Contacting a qualified and experienced brick paver contractor is crucial to a successful and rewarding experience having your paver patio and walkway restored.

Before

This raised brick paver patio in Canton, MI is well over 12years old and required some immediate attention and restoration.  The upper level brick pavers had sunk below the height of the outside raised patio wall blocks & caps, therefore water could not drain off the patio and creating a serious trip hazard.  The paver step leading into the doorwall had fallen apart and due to the lack of any routine maintenance, weeds & dirt had taken over the brick paver joints.


Brick Doctor Bill and Team lifted up the entire upper level paver surface, recompacted the existing base, added additional base to raise & relevel the patio for proper drainage, rebuilt the brick paver step at doorwall, and secured any area of the outside raised patio wall blocks & caps that were loose.

AFTER

After we performed the brick paver repairs listed above, we cleaned the brick pavers, wall blocks & caps, and paver joints to prep for sealing.  We finished this brick paver patio restoration by sealing the entire structure with an approved brick paver sealant.

The client can now enjoy the beauty and functionality of this raised brick pavers patio that is was intended to perform.  Do not wait to call a qualified brick paver contractor to have your patio repaired or restored before it deteriorates even more or becomes a safety hazard.  After restored, some nominal maintenance cost or time each Spring will insure long-term performance and appearance.

Brick Pavers Repair, Restoration, Cleaning & Sealing, and Maintenance Programs for 2014

Canton, Plymouth, Northville, and Ann Arbor lead the way in requests for brick paver repairs & restorations 

This past 2013 year, brick pavers and retaining wall repairs, restorations, cleanings, sealings, and maintenance programs gained a lot of ground in the industry.  A growing area for overall brick paver restorations is the Canton, Plymouth, Northville, and Ann Arbor areas.

Due to the booming growth in the 90's for these communities, they experienced the unprecedented installation of brick pavers and retaining walls in there landscape projects.  Now 20 yrs later, the life of these brick paver installations have come full circle.  Lack of maintenance and neglect will greatly reduce the shelf life of any pavement in Michigan.

Poor installations by unqualified landscapers and lack of educating the homeowner of seasonal maintenance requirements greatly contributed to the failure of many paver patios, walks, steps, and driveway installations. The great home foreclosure period we experienced also contributed to the added neglect of paver installations that basically where left for dead.


As the economy slowly improves and job security is more prevalent in these once booming communities, homeowners have focused their attention on restoring their brick pavers.  Whether it is due to appearance or safety issues, homeowners are contacting an experienced and specialized brick paver company. Homeowners want to resurrect their once functional and desirable outdoor living space.


 
Canton, Plymouth, Northville, and Ann Arbor are regaining ground lost from the past 10 yrs. The increased requests for repair and restoration for a homeowners brick pavers has mirrored this stable growth in 2013.  Re-creating that beautiful paver installation you once enjoyed is a feasible possibility if you hire the right  brick pavers contractor for the job! 

How Deep Freeze effects Brick Pavers

Brick Pavers are designed to withstand the effects of Winter Freeze Thaw Cycles

As a deep freeze comes over Ann Arbor, it reminds me of the advantages that Interlocking Brick Pavers offer.  All pavements are tested this time of year.  The expansion of the subgrade and actual paverment materials will test the strength of concrete, asphalt, and pavers.

When we are talking about Winter Frost, we are not talking about frost on your car windshields or frost on the lawn. We are referring to the actually freezing of the ground or soil below.  In Ann Arbor, MI, it is typical for the ground or soil below to freeze on average of 3ft deep in a normal Winter. 

The Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute (ICPI) defines "Winter Frost" or "Frost Action" as the "freezing and thawing of moisture in pavement materials and resultant effects on them".  Northern United States, Canada, and most of Northern Europe experience the devastating effects of Winter freeze thaw cycles.

The ICPI defines "Frost Heave" as the "raising of a pavement surface due to the accumulation and expansion of ice in the underlying soil or rock".  Heaving or "humping up" of pavement or pavement slabs is a common occurrence.  I see slabs of concrete lift making lips or toe catchers at cracks or relief cuts.  Asphalt or brick pavers will stretch or hump up creating a pimple like bump or pot hole.

Brick pavers have always offered the best performance to the effects of Winter Frost.  First, brick pavers offer the best Freeze Thaw durability testing.  Pavers have the least absorption rate of moisture when totally immersed in water.  Second, the installation of brick pavers requires the most stringent use of base materials below.  Normal poured concrete and asphalt installations require only a fraction of the use of base materials that brick pavers specify.



The biggest advantage of interlocking brick pavers is the low cost of repairs compared to the other pavements. By properly designing, installing, and maintaining a brick paver project, an experienced brick paver contractor can increase your long-term success and performance of your pavers.

Winter Frost or Mother Nature can NOT be totally defeated.  There is no thing as a "permanent" solution.  Every pavement has a life cycle and brick pavers is your best option. Brick pavers can easily be restored at a nominal cost.  The advantage of re-using the paving stones offers the unique advantage that poured concrete, stamped concrete, or asphalt can't offer.

Brick Paver Parking Area off Driveway is Restored

Neglected pavers are given repair, cleaning, and sanding in Ann Arbor

Brick Paver Parking Areas or Driveway Strips are a popular use for interlocking brick pavers.  This pavers area off the side of a cement driveway had been left for dead by the homeowner.  In its day, it was used to give additional area of parking for their teenager's vehicles and added space around the basketball net.  But as the children went off to college and no one was playing basketball any longer, this brick paver area was severely neglected.


The homeowner originally wanted to remove the pavers altogether and establish lawn in the area .  After weighing the pricing option of having this brick paver parking area restored to its original beauty & function, they felt that repairing it for the additional nominal cost would better meet their needs.  They still needed the additional parking area for returning college students and visiting guests.


This brick pavers installation was totally lifted up. The existing base material was leveled & re-compacted.  Additional base material was added to eliminate rutted and sunken areas and also compacted.  The proper pitches and finishing heights were determined and the old existing brick pavers were relaid in the approximately the same design, shape, & dimensions.


The old basketball pole & back board was removed and the hole was properly filled & compacted.  The removal of the basketball pole made this area much easier to access for vehicles.  After finishing with paver joint sand and compacting with a power plate compactor, the rejuvenated brick paver parking area had become alive again!


Most of our clients are surprised by the results of a total pavers restoration project at a nominal cost versus replacing with another pavement or landscape product.  Hiring a qualified and experienced brick paver contractor can be very rewarding when deciding to restore versus replacement.  This has always been the special asset of having brick pavers installed in the first place!

Brick Pavers Repair, Cleaning, & Sealing Peaking this Summer

This past week we completed some intricate brick pavers repair, cleaning, and sealing jobs that restored some of the original beauty & function. Each of these brick paver installations have been installed over 10 years.  After we completed our restoration service, they all looked like they had been installed yesterday!

With high school graduations, weddings, and parties an integral part of Summer events, restoration of brick pavers patios, walks, driveways, and pool areas are at an all time high request for us brick paver contractors.  Balancing needs with budgets is always a challenge for homeowners but an optimum plan of attack has always been manageable.

Each paver restoration project this week required some extensive and touch-up repairs of areas that had failed or where neglected over time. Each project was power washed & cleaned and paver joints were restored. 

The  "coup de gras" was each project was sealed with an approved brick paver sealant to enhance the color and give the brick pavers the much popular "wet look" appearance.

 Each homeowner has committed themselves to a routine maintenance program that will insure long-term performance and appearance.  Minimal routine paver services will help avoid any costly future restoration needs. We educated these homeowners about simple steps to take to maintain the appearance of their pavers and explained the need to observe the signs of distress that may lead to future expensive repairs if not addressed early.

Small Raised Paver Patio & Steps Restored in Ann Arbor

Brick Paver Patio is Rebuilt to Restore Original Beauty & Function

On a weekly basis, we are rebuilding Brick Paver Patios to restore the original beauty & function that they were intended to provide.  This small raised pavers patio in Ann Arbor needed a complete rebuild restoration.

When giving an estimate on a paver patio restoration, we always provide cost options for the customer to consider.  In this particular project, a total patio rebuild restoration made the best sense for the homeowner.


The homeowner admitted to never performing any seasonal maintenance or addressing the settling of the wall blocks and paving stones the last few years.  Had the homeowner performed some simple routine maintenance and addressed the first signs of settling, they would not have the current cost for a total rebuild of this raised pavers patio.


My very experienced crew attacked this neglected raised pavers patio with precision and resolve.  The paver steps where re-leveled & re-glued. The raised patio wall blocks & caps were totally torn down and re-installed. Lastly, the paving stones where removed, cleaned, and re-installed in the same dimensions, shape, & design that the customer enjoyed so many years ago in the past. It takes alot more expertise to rebuild a pavers patio then to originally install from scratch.

With routine seasonal maintenance and attention to any settling in future years, this raised pavers patio will last a lifetime of enjoyment & function.  When we witness brick paver patios in this condition the major factor contributing to their demise is homeowner neglect.  Treat your brick pavers like any other outside maintenance need or project you address each Spring and the results will be spectacular.

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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Restoration of Brick Paver Patio & Walkway in Canton

After 13 years, this Raised Paver Patio needed some Repair & Restoration

In Canton, MI there are 1,000's of raised paver patios that need some attention.  This homeowner hired the original installing contractor who did not instruct him to sweep joint sand in the paver joints. The contractor also did not prep him for the event of the outside row of brick pavers settling behind the raised wall caps.  If unattended, the wall blocks & caps will begin to settle and lean out, leading to a more costly paver repair work. 

This paver patios wall blocks & cap started to sink in one area and the rest of the patio walls were at risk because 3 to 4 rows of  brick pavers were sunk below the height of the caps.  The homeowner contacted us at the right time to repair this patio before the cost became more expensive.

We lifted up and relaid 1-2ft of brick pavers behind the entire raised paver wall caps, re-leveled @6ft of wall blocks & caps that dipped, and reset some sunken individual brick pavers throughout.  We power wash cleaned all the brick pavers, wall blocks & caps, and the paver joints.  We re-sanded the entire pavers patio and ran the power plate compactor over the patio to relock up all the paving stones.

The paver walkway leading from the dirveway to the patio had become loose, gapped, and crooked from lack of attention over the years.  We relaid half of the brick paver walkway to straighten out the crooked lines and gapped outside row of pavers.  We also power wash cleaned the entire paver walkway and joints.  We finished with re-sanding the paver joints and ran the plate compactor over the walkway to relock the paving stones.

To complete this total paver patio restoration, we returned a few days later to seal the paver patio and walkway with an approved brick paver sealant.  Sealing enhanced the color and brought this 13 year old, neglected, brick paver patio back to life!  Now with continued low maintenance steps of sweeping joint sand in each Spring and resealing in 2 to 3 years, this pavers patio should perform beautifully for 20+ years.

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.

Elevated Patio Repair and New Extension in Canton

Many Elevated or Raised Pavers Patios in Canton need attention

This homeowner in Canton purchased this home a couple of years ago and inherited this elevated paver patio that needed immediate repairs. The paving stone surface and outside retaining wall & caps pitched back to the house, causing puddling and water in the basement.  The flexibility of interlocking pavers & modular retaining wall systems allow for the reuse of products to keep the overall repair cost affordable.

This raised paver patio had been in for over 10 years and it was obvious from the consistent settling that the original builders backfill along the foundation had settled.  Knowing the history of Canton through the building boom 10 years ago, I am sure this paver patio & landscaping was installed that Summer and the backfill was not allowed to go through a winter frost for proper settling.

While repair to the paver patio was going to be performed, the homeowner also wanted to expand the usable patio space to allow for a fire pit & sitting area.  After deliberating some options I supplied, the homeowner decided to save on the cost of us installing a block fire pit and use this cost to make the paver sitting area larger.  Today there are many creative & functional options for buying pre-made fire pits & chimineas.

We began by "shooting" the level of the brick patio with a transit so we could determine the exact spot where the brick pavers & walls and caps pitched back to the house.  We removed the pavers and wall blocks carefully, compacted the existing base materials, and added additional base so we could set the proper heights. Meeting 2 set points and making them appear natural is always a challenge with repair work.

The wall blocks & caps were installed first and feathered into the remaining walls and then the paving stones were reinstalled.  The sunken paver step at the doorwall was also re-installed for added safety and appearance.  We were able to achieve a positive pitch away from the house while giving the overall paver patio appearance its original natural look. The brick paver walk leading from the driveway to the patio needed some dips reset too.

After completing the patio repair, we then began the installation of the new fire pit sitting area. We located the same paving stones & colors at Fendt so we could best match the existing paver patio & walk.  The new fire pit sitting area will stand out from the new color but the layout facilitated this look.

The homeowner was ecstatic to regain the usable, functional, and beautiful appearance of their pavers patio while gaining some additional outdoor living space to enjoy a weekend fire & marshmallows. 

Interlocking pavers & modular retaining walls & caps are versatile and if serviced by an experienced brick paver contractor, it can be achieved at an affordable price.

Brick Pavers Walkway Repaired, Cleaned, & Sealed in Ann Arbor

Overhaul of paving stones can bring back the original beauty & function!

We just finished the total restoration of a Brick Paver Walkway in Ann Arbor this week. Like many products, interlocking pavers can be restored to its original beauty & function by an experienced & trained brick pavers contractor.  This paver walk needed some desperate repair for safety reasons and the homeowner wanted to restore its original elegance with cleaning & sealing.

The damaged areas of this paving stone walk was created by the PVC edge restraint lip severely lifting up the outside bricks.

We removed the PVC edge restraint, lifted up @18" in on both sides of the walkway, re-compacted the base, re-leveled using additional base, and ran a power plate compactor over the entire walk to help re-lock & re-level heaved paving stones.  We used a cement bead edge restraint to avoid the same repair in the future. The final result was spectacular!

We then restored this brick pavers walkway's original beauty by power wash cleaning the paving stones & paver joints, re-sanding with joint sand, and then carefully applying an approved brick paver sealant a few days later after all paving stones & paver joints where completely dry.

This paver walk did not have any routine or periodic maintenance performed for over 10 years and it showed.  We were able to completely restore this walkway for just under $1,000 and with routine sanding of the paver joints and occasional sealing, this brick paver walkway can give a lifetime of beauty & function.

Brick paver walkways that are properly designed, installed, and periodically maintained will be successful in appearance, function, curb appeal, and safety. Do not give up on the chance for yours to be restored & enjoyed again.