Laying pavers??

Question

I have read that you should just lay pavers on a bed of sharp sand and then brush sand mixed with dry cement between the cracks once they are all laid, finishing off by spraying with water?

My friend who is a brick layer advises to mix dry cement wioth the sand underneath the pavers?

Anyone have any advice and/or experience with this?

Answer 1

Your friend told you right. Just be sure the base is packed hard and level. By dusting the base with cement, I used dry mortar, it helps secure the pavers. Top dress the pavers just like you state in your question.

Answer 2

Certainly your friends advice is valid; though you could use crushed limerock as well.

Perhaps more important is the Base you prep and lay any material over. Even dry cement or limerock is subject to variations on soil that isn't hard packed. Example: I'm in Florida. I do a lot of this kind of work, especially remediation of pavers, for customers who find their walkways shifting.

I can pull up the pavers, and no matter any sub surface I can find holes and tunnels created by Critters, and or decayed Root stock. That situation is also added to by amounts of rain fall; irrigation; etc. that happens ON the pavers.

I have one more thought. After you've filled the Butted spaces with sand; why not just use a broom? Spraying with water will not strictly SET the cement/sand mix; but can wash out the sand added to the seams/joints. In time the sub mix will SET (to some degree). If you have a sense that the water will aid in SETTING the sub base; why not water THEN fill the seams. Just one mans opinions.

Steven Wolf
AKA "The Deck Doc"

Answer 3

by way of fact the asserting is going, you're able to do it that way.. or the incredible way. i've got laid some stepping stones without appropriate making waiting the floor and that they rock, yet ultimately quiet down. you're meant to place down 6 inches of overwhelmed rock and then tamp it down with a vibration gadget. partly, it incredibly is for drainage and to sidestep frost heave. you don't get lots rain or perhaps much less freezing temperatures. however, it supplies an extremely sturdy base so the stones do not shift whilst they're in place. On actual of that is going 2 inches of sand. This too could be tamped with the vibration gadget. around the fringe you're able to set up a border to maintain the stones on the sting from shifting out of place. If I have been spending loads of money on paving stones, i might spend incredibly extra to make helpful the activity grew to become into performed perfect. while you're in simple terms doing a small area or a course, you would be waiting to flee with it.

Answer 4

Here is a good website tutorial with pictures:

http://www.belgard.biz/howtoinstall.htm