Condo Paver Patios are becoming very popular

Brick Pavers are very versatile for transforming small spaces

I have noticed in the last couple of years that there is a high demand for installing paver patios, planters, and steps for condominiums.  I believe that paver patios for condos is becoming a viable option and used as added Outdoor Living Space.  Paver patios have become an easy way to add usable & functional square footage to a condo unit.

Most condos usually have wooden decks or cement pads installed as patios.  It is not often that developers will upgrade to interlocking paver patios during construction.  The draw back usually with condos is the limited space available to create a functional and aesthetically pleasing outdoor living space.

Unlike residential homes in subdivisions, condos are also restricted by building envelopes or easements.  Every brick paver patio we have installed for condos requires board approval. The big advantage of interlocking brick pavers is that they are not considered a permanent pavement like cement or wooden decks that require footings or permits. This usually allows some more flexibility in expanding the outer limits of design.

Brick pavers and modular retaining wall blocks & caps are the perfect product for creating beautiful and functional spaces that the homeowner's can enjoy for many years. They also offer low maintenance needs that most condo owners are looking for when they decided to move into a condo.  As I always preach, all brick pavers require some minimal seasonal joint sand sweeping to reduce the need for future pavers repair.

From simple economical designs to more intricate creations, brick pavers are unmatched in the performance and appearance of paver patios, steps, and planters.  Small spaces create an addeded challenge but we have been able to mesh homeowner's needs with the expanded capabilities of these paver products.  Safe and attractive paver steps is where it begins and then the landscaping wants are considered.  In the end though, the pavers patio usable space is most important aspect.



Each photo I have included in this post had it's own challenges.  The versatility of brick pavers and modular retaining wall blocks & caps allowed us to blend function, beauty, and cost into a spectacular home improvement .  It is important to maximize the space available and meet homeowner's wants & needs within the building restrictions of the association.


Creating an Outdoor Living Area in small spaces requires some forethought & experience.  If the usable area is not designed properly, the condo owner will not have functional patio space to enjoy and entertain.  It is true that big gifts can come in small packages!

Pavers Patio Repair , Restoration, & Cleaning in Ann Arbor

Old Brick Paver Patio and Window Wells are restored & redesigned

I came across this brick paver patio in immediate need of repair and restoration this month.  To the homeowner's admission, no maintenance or joint sweeping had ever been performed for 15 years on this deteriorating brick paver patio in Ann Arbor. 

Since it was installed in 1996, this paver patio had been neglected and ignored.  The current patio was full of dirt, water stains, weeds, dips, gaps, and pitching towards the home.  I assured this homeowner that my crew and I can restore this patio to its original beauty & performance.

The homeowner and I discussed some important design improvements that would give this paver patio an updated look.  The homeowner was very happy with the current size & dimensions so I suggested we soldier course frame the entire brick patio with a contrasting color that closely matched the house siding color. This small detail really gave this patio restoration the wow factor!

I also suggested we replace the old steel window well units with new landscape wall blocks that would be more functional and aesthetically pleasing.  The old steel units usually push up with frost and contort and warp over time.  The new landscape blocks will flex to future frost movements and drastically improve the paver patio appearance.

With these new improvements to the patio restoration approved, my crew and I began this project by completely lifting up the entire paver patio for reinstallation.  We cleaned the current paving stones and removed the contaminated top layer of base material.  The new landscape block window wells where installed and the current existing base material was recompacted. We added additional base to create proper pitches away from the house and reinstalled the paving stones with the new colored soldier course borders.

The end result was an incredible transformation and updating of this brick paver patio.  The new landscape block window wells were a perfect match and the paver patio now properly pitched from the home. The new color accented soldier course border gave the patio some "pop" and the cleaning brought back most of the original paver color. Next year the homeowner is having us return to seal this  paver patio to complete the total restoration.

It is usually never too late to update and restore an old pavers patio. An experienced and knowledgeable repair and restoration brick pavers contractor can meet your expectations for revitalizing your patio, walkway, driveway, etc...  Do your due diligence and you will not be disappointed.

Paver Repair and Installation #1 Tool

The number one tool in repairing or installing brick pavers and retaining walls is the simple "contractor's level" or "transit".  It amazes me how most landscapers and "wanna-be" brick paver installers do not utilize this amazing tool! It is a minimum requirement for installing or repairing interlocking brick pavers and modular retaining walls.

Brick paver patios, walkways, driveways, and retaining walls require some expertise in dealing with grades, slope, and pitch.  When properly used, this contractor's level or transit can solve a lot of these challenges with ease.  Landscapers and brick paver contractors who "eye ball" or use string lines with bubble levels are asking for trouble, which in turn, means trouble for the homeowner!

We are currently finished a brick paver patio repair in Saline where the center of the patio was installed 5" above the height of the basement walkout. The water pitched back to the house and water has seeped into the basement.  When the homeowner called the landscaper who installed the paver patio, their solution was to install a drain box at the doorwall to catch water flowing back towards the house.  ARE YOU KIDDING ME! Install the paver patio with a positive pitch!  The drain failed and because these homeowners were not the original owners who hired this so-called brick paver contractor, there was no warranty on the workmanship.

When installing a paver patio, the good rule of thumb is to achieve a 1inch pitch or slope per 10 ft to insure a perfect pitch without noticing the slope to the naked eye.  This pitch ratio is not etched in stone and factors may modify this parameter.  In the end, positive pitch is the minimum requirement for a good draining brick paver installation. Here you will see our finished paver patio with a new positive pitch out into the yard!

The contractor level or transit is the first tool a "real" brick paver contractor needs to use when installing a brick paver or retaining wall installation.  We also use it with most of our paver repairs so we can better solve our customers paver repair problems. It is usually the first item we set up on our interlocking paver installations, repairs, or patio replacements, well maybe second to setting down our lunch boxes & coffee thermos!

Brick Paver Patio Cleaning

This past week we performed a brick paver patio repair, cleaning and polymeric sanding on a paving stone patio in Ann Arbor.  As you can see in this pic, the paver patio was in an extreme need of cleaning.  The abundance of moss was the direct result of moisture and shade.

We performed a brick paver repair by lowering the paver edge restraint that had raised from frost. The raised edge restraint was not only unsightly but it created a dam around the paver patio and did not allow water to run off the paving stones.  Therefore creating a lot of moisture on the paver patio and allowing moss to thrive combined with the shade in this area.

Reinstalling the plastic edge restraint is not easy. Grass & roots grow around the edge restraint and the spikes rust and make it very hard to remove.  We removed @18" of sod around the paver patio so the client could install enviro mulch or stone mulch. We reinstalled the paver edge restraint properly by making sure the top lip was at least 1" below the top edge of the paving stone border.

The cleaning of this paver patio required an aggressive approach to power washing.  We spent over 2 hours at a high PSI blowing out ALL the paver joints freeing them of dirt, moss, and weeds.  There is a need to be careful not to wash out the bedding course under the paving stones. This may result in paving stones sinking. After the paver joints where free of debris, we widen our spray nozzle and cleaned the individual paving stones to remove dirt, stains, and mold.

When the paving stones and paver joints were dry, we returned to sweep in polymeric sand in all the paver joints.  Keeping up each Spring season with polymeric sand will almost eliminate future accumulation of dirt in the paver joints which allows weeds to fester.  Moss on the other hand can still grow on top of paver joints and paving stones. Moss can be easily controlled by keeping a spray bottle mix of clorox bleach & water.  Also, moss can be sprayed off fairly easy with a traditional hose & spray nozzle on jet stream.

Brick Doctor Bill was able to help this brick paver patio regain its function and luster.  We spent the time to educate the homeowner on the easy & timely brick paver maintenance steps to keep their paver patio at it's best.  Another satisfied client in Ann Arbor!

Natural Process with Brick Pavers : Efflorescence

Brick Paver Efflorescence

In the Spring, I will receive calls from customers with brick paver patios, walkways, driveways, or porches that are experiencing a whitish residue on their paving stones. The name for this occurrence is Efflorescence.

Efflorescence is the simple process of moisture evaporating or being drawn out and drying from a cement or clay product, such as, a high density concrete paver, and leaving a salt residue or deposit on the surface.  For the real technical buff, here is the Wikipedia definition for Efflorescence.

This is a natural process of most cement based products and for brick pavers. This process may be slower for a paving stone due to its high density (psi). The most obvious occurrence that most of us see on a daily basis, is when a new concrete drive or walk is poured. For the next week or two, you will notice that while the concrete cures, it is very whitish in appearance. Then eventually the concrete will appear it's natural gray hue over time. This is the biggest reason why brick paver manufacturer's recommend not sealing your newly installed paver patio,walk,or driveway until a minimum 60-90 days. I advise to wait 6-12months to make sure any & all efflorescence from the paver has diminished. Especially if you plan on sealing your paver patio or walk.

This first step in removing Efflorescence is to just let it wash away naturally! Yes, rain & time will help wash away any mild case of efflorescence. If your efflorescence does not wash away naturally, the next step to try is to brush off the paving stones while dry. Use a stiff bristled brush but not steel bristles or anything that will scare or scratch the brick pavers. This will hopefully help break up or reduce the amount of residue to let the efflorescence wash away naturally.

If your Efflorescence is severe or persistent, it will be time to use a more aggressive approach. Most brick paver manufacturers offer efflorescence cleaners for their respective paving stones and retaining walls.  paver cleaners generally have a high strength oxidant to clean your brick paver patio, walkway, or driveway without having to use any acid based chemical like muriatic acid.Follow the instructions very carefully.  It is a very scary thought when the public starts using phosphoric acid based products. Leave that for paver cleaning professional.