Brick Paver Patio Steps Repair

Paver Patio Steps need some expertise performed by a brick paver specialist

One of the most common Paver Patio Step repairs that we perform is the restoration & releveling of Brick Patio Steps.  Pavers Steps require knowledge & expertise to be installed or repaired properly. Every day I am amazed by the inferior layout and construction by inexperienced landscape and brick paver contractors.

Brick Paver Steps require a sound design for strength and longevity. After properly designing a safe & sound layout, the execution of properly installing is crucial.  The set of Patio Steps above where installed only 3 years ago and required us to totally rebuild them from the ground up.  The wall blocks had leaned, the coping caps where gapped and loose, and the brick paver inlay had drastically sunk.

Upon reconstructing these Paver Patio Steps, we noticed the lack of using filter fabric materials, lack of filling all holes & gaps of the blocks, the lack of compacting in 4inch lifts, and the use of inferior adhesives for the caps. These block steps & caps never had a chance to properly perform.

This all resulted in this homeowner having to get a qualified brick paver specialist to repair.  The most disappointing thing for the homeowner was that the original installing contractor was not interested in servicing his needs.  The homeowner was thankful he was able to contact us and get his Paver Step repair done correctly and in a timely manner. Brick Doctor Bill and crew are restoring "one step at a time!"

Paver Patio Steps Repair in Belleville

Raised Paver Patio Steps needed to be reconstructed to be functional & safe to use

My team and I reconstructed some poorly designed & executed Paver Patio Steps leading into this bay doorwall this past week.  An inexperienced landscape contractor originally installed these paver steps so poorly, they had almost completely collapsed. Not only where these paver steps unsightly, but became dangerously unsafe to use. This has been an ongoing issue in the brick paver industry for over 25 years.

When it comes to bay (overhang) doorwalls, Paver Steps need a "back wall" constructed with the same blocks & caps to support the structure.  For many years now, unqualified & inexperienced contractors attempt to "box in" the bay doorwall overhang.  This is a recipe for failure. It is not only impossible to properly compact the base under this "overhang", it is not advised to close in this area from airflow. There can be long term problems with flooring inside the house that is directly above this overhang due to moisture & rotting wood.

Landscapers & inexperienced brick paver contractors usually do not have the expertise or knowledge to tackle these challenges.  Some will be reading this blog to finally gain some insight. Last week alone I had 2 calls from Landsapers who wanted to pay me for an on-sight visit to instruct them how to install some paver steps. Boy, if only their customers knew they hired someone who was "learning" on their job. 

This homeowner's paver steps not only where designed wrong, but the contractor used some cap units (not blocks) as riser units within the structure. Also, this modular retaining wall & cap system, Fendt Country Manor, requires fiberglass pins to lock them together. There were no pins any where throughout the structure. They just glued the block units together.

The biggest issue facing these block steps & caps was the collaspe under the bay doorwall which compromised the entire step system.  There was NO back wall to support these paver steps and therefore they were doomed to fail. It took 6 years before they were completely unusable, but signs of failure where evident to the homeowner after the first year.

When this landscape contractor returned for warranty work, they simply and wrongfully plugged gaps & holes with caulk and plastic bags!  Yes, they stuffed plastic bags in gaps & holes!  Due to the failure of this contractor performing professional work, this homeowner had to spend $1,150 to completely rebuild these Patio Paver Steps.

My team and I not only constructed the proper "back wall", but we used the required fiberglass pins for this wall & cap system, wrapped the interior with a geo-textile fabric, and installed the proper corner units to solidify this step structure.  We also increased the foot tread to 12" wide to allow for more safety by using a better cap unit then the previous installation.

The one area that separates the good brick paver contractors from the bad is the capability to design & install quality paver steps.  Paver steps are never really cheap because they require expertise, time, and attention to detail to give long-term success.  Paver Steps are always custom designed & installed.  Make sure your contractor can handle the challenge when it comes to patio, walkway, or porch steps.

Brick Paver Steps Down to Basement Walkout Patio Replaced

New Brick Pavers Steps lead to Paver Patio

In Ann Arbor this past week, we replaced some unsightly and dangerous patio block steps that had deteriorated and eroded. These dilapidated steps lead down to a basement walkout paver patio that was also repaired and increased in size.  The step replacement was the customer's immediate need for our services.

The old brick steps were loose, sunken, and slippery which all contributed to an unsafe path down to the brick paver patio.  I see these make shift steps all the time leading from an upper grade down to the lower level.  A good design and execution of installing proper paver steps is essential for long-term success & beauty.


I decided to use UNILOCK's Siena Stone Coping Step Units for this particular application.  They are large massive units that when properly installed, should not fail. They have preset 7.5" rises, 4ft wide, and are 20" deep for a comfortable & safe tread.  These particular units weigh over 300lbs and require equipment placement or brute strength to set in place.  We used the latter with some aid from a tree ball cart.

We needed to strategize the placement of these concrete stone steps by evaluating the total height and slope.  Each set of these paver steps would require small brick paver pads in between to transition to each set of steps.  Because the grade in this area was inconsistent, we had a 2-5-2 placement of stone steps. An experience brick paver contractor can foresee or adjust to challenges when if comes to installing landscape steps.

The biggest challenge for designing & installing paver steps is to create a structure that can deter erosion.  Because of the natural slope of grades, water will travel faster and therefore challenge the ground or landscape.  I use two different application approaches when designing & installing paver steps.

Beating the Grade

The first is called "beating the grade" which I have coined over the years for installing the steps and/or paver pads above the grade. Thus, "beating" the grade so water flow does not go over the brick paver step installation but around.  This method is better suited for grades that are gradual and not steep. This is the method we used in today's job post.

Inset Steps

When the grade is steep, the second method  called "encasing or insetting" is the better approach. This "encasing or insetting" method is installing your paver steps "into" the grade and creating sidewalls to prevent erosion onto the paver steps or paver pads. This method is more expensive due to more product needed and added labor but the aesthetic value and appearance is unmatched.



Which ever method is used for installing brick steps down a grade, proper landscaping around the borders and edges is crucial.  Grass, wood mulch, or stone mulch is needed to protect any areas where water may erode.  If you experience any signs of erosion around or on top of your newly installed paver steps, make sure you address the area immediately to avoid unnecessary and costly future paver repair.

In terms of paver maintenance for steps, keep paver joint sand swept into the brick paver pads in between. The step stones or step blocks & caps do not need sand swept inside them but make sure the caps are secure and blocks do not gap. Keep one thing in mind, if a lower paver step begins to excessively settle or move, upper paver steps will soon follow so do not wait to address this need for repair.