Six short years ago in Encintas, Carlsbad, Rancho Santa Fe, and La Jolla, if I even mentioned brick pavers when planning a landscape I may have well suggested moon dust. Now, it appears our competition have become self proclaimed brick paving experts. Let me share with you a secret that few will admit to. Installing brick pavers is not rocket science, but it is something that requires certain steps that one must not deviate from if the work is to look as good as new 10 years after the installation.
Naturescape Landscape Company began in the midwest, where at least a foot more of rain falls each year, and freeze and thaws effect when we could work, and when we could not work.
The weather affected how our work was designed, just as it should out here. Just because we have temperate climates does not mean brick paving installers can skip important steps on pavers should be installed.
I personally have been installing pavers for over 20 years, soon after the Unilock Corporation brought them into the public eye. I am going to walk you through how Naturescape Landscape Company builds it's paver jobs.
Most places we install have an existing surface, and that is most likely concrete. The first part of the work will be removing the concrete using hydraulic hammers. Since we own all of our equipment, we never need to wait for some sub contractor to do our demolition for us. Along with concrete driveways, in the center of the pour, is usually rebar set on some type of grid pattern that was used as reinforcement. Since we recycle every load of broken concrete, we have to separate the steel from the rock, which can get time consuming. Class 2 road base is made from the concrete when it is placed into a huge machine and ground up. That steel we had set aside is taken to the recycle yard as soon as time permits us to do so.
Next thing we do is check the grades with a laser level to make sure the sub grade is where it needs to be when installing the base. Typically, we like to see no less than 6" of base on every job we do, and in commercial applications we recommend 12"-18" of base.
This is the part where those who skimp leave out, as there is only so much latitude in price, and the only way cheaters can get away without getting caught is to skimp on base and excavation.
Excavation on a typical residential driveway will be 10-11" below where the top of the concrete was. There are yet a few more issues that must be looked at, the first being soil types. San Diego North County can have as many as 4 different types of soil, Sandy Silt, Expansible Clay, Decomposed Granite, and Sand. The two you need to take particular care with are the first two, as both do not drain well, nor will they offer any structure to support weight, particularly when they are wet. The Class 2 Base applied at the 6" thickness and compacted to 90% proctor scale, will strengthen the pavers on top by adding support, and cohesion when all the granule of gravel bind together. In extreme cases, we use a landscape fabric under where the gravel is installed, which helps bind it in place, and, we can also add a multi directional Strata-Grid, installed right down the middle at 3".
Further, there are codes that prohibit any hardscape to be installed higher than 2" below the stucco vents on the side of the house. Many older homes have concrete poured over these vents, which, help drain the stucco when water soaks in. If they do not drain properly, mold can form, and your entire family can get sick.
After the gravel is smoothed to the subgrade we need it to be (every job is different) a 1" layer of Torpedo Sand, or C-mix is used to level the pavers. The pavers are installed in the pattern and color fo your choice, and any edge not adjacent to a house or structure is wet set in a 6" beam of concrete to lock them. Sand is swept into the joints, and vibrated in.
The project is now ready to enjoy for the next 40 years.
If anyone offers paver installation and does not use these steps, in the thicknesses I mentioned, stop the job and have them correct it before going any farther or eventually, your hard earned money will have gone to waste.
If any questions, please call Naturescape Landscape Company
858-794-8444
www.naturescapelandscape.com
www.paversnow.com
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