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Can You Lay Patio Stones On Top Of Concrete

Step : Spread Paver Sand Over Concrete

Installing Patio Pavers Over Existing Concrete

We had some trial & error in this step. We accidentally bought this paver base sand, which we assumed was what we should be using based on the description. We poured out a bunch of bags and stomped it down, attempting to create a solid base over our concrete.

We spread the finer paver sand on top of it, and started laying pavers. After getting through many rows, we tested them and realized they were wobbly. The paver base was too rocky, so we removed all of it and started from scratch.

This time, we skipped the paver base and used JUST sand. The finer sand was so much easier to work with and gave the pavers a soft but firm surface to sit on. We poured about 3/4 of leveling paver sand on top of the old concrete and spread it to level out any minor surface imperfections.

What About A Free Estimate

Do you want to upgrade your patio and lay pavers over concrete, but have no idea how much is gonna cost? What about a free estimate? If you live in Sarasota, Manatee, or any of our surrounding counties contact us, we will be glad to assist you!


S& S Pavers has over 10 years of experience serving the counties of Manatee and Sarasota.

Not Compacting The Base

Before laying bedding sand or pavers, your gravel base needs to be flat and firm, without any bellies or rises of more than 1/8. You accomplish this kind of precision by properly compacting your base and your pavers. If you fail to compact, youll experience sunken or raised pavers. In other words, a bumpy, uneven base will produce bumpy, uneven pavers.

The best practice is to compact your gravel base, in both directions, with a steel tamper or a plate compactor 2 at a time until youve achieved the right thickness. Youll want to use a steel tamper for small projects and a gas plate compactor for more extensive patios, driveways, and walkways.

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Which Material Can You Use Between Concrete And Pavers

Although there are other types of materials, the answer to this question comes down to two options: Sand or bituminous.


The process of installing pavers over sand and bituminous is quite similar to the typical installation. The difference is that its necessary to place draining holes in the lower areas, giving the water that seeps into joints a place to escape.

In general, the two materials have very similar benefits and work well. However, in places where there is heavy traffic, the use of sand alone is not recommended. Thats because the sand can shift. The bituminous set is commonly used for high impact traffic areas such as crosswalks, as it helps prevent rotational failures of the pavers.

Removing Sod And Soil

Easier Paver Patio Base That Will Save Your Back

Before you install pavers, you must mark the area to be paved and remove the sod or grass and any other plants, such as shrubs, from the area. Using a sod cutter or shovel blade, cut into the sod around the perimeter of the area you are paving. Dig it up in strips to a depth of 2 to 3 inches and compost it or plant it in another area. Use a shovel to remove enough soil to accommodate the depth of the base plus the thickness of the pavers. Level the ground with a plate compactor, leaving a slight grade to direct water away from any adjacent buildings and prevent pooling on top of the pavers.

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Common Paver Installation Mistakes

The famed American basketball coach, John Wooden, once said, If you dont have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over? The truth is, most people jump into paver installation without knowing what theyre getting intothen they make mistakes or take shortcuts that cost them a lot of time


The famed American basketball coach, John Wooden, once said, If you dont have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over? The truth is, most people jump into paver installation without knowing what theyre getting intothen they make mistakes or take shortcuts that cost them a lot of time and money down the road. We wrote this article to help save you the headaches most people encounter while youre installing hardscape.

At Western Interlock, we aim to help you take the hard out of hardscaping. Thats why weve put together a series of paver installation video tutorials on almost every aspect of DIY hardscapingfrom How to Build a Circle Patio to How to Build a Retaining Wall and so much more.

Before you kick off your first hardscape project, please take a look at our list below and make sure you avoid any of these all-too-common mistakes.

If You Do Decide To Lay Pavers On Concrete

Make sure that your concrete patio or driveway is entirely clean before you putting the pavers down. This will help prevent some future problems with your project. Actually installing the pavers will require some different methods and materials than a normal installation as depicted on other parts of the site. For example, youll probably have to use mortar for certain applications, as the standard sand bed/compacting method may not work. Make sure your contractor is trained in doing this procedure and has experience with it. If you are installing the project yourself, make sure you check with someone in the know who can help you with your particular situation and its installation.

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When Finished Laying The Stepping

Once you have finished laying the remaining stepping-stones, follow section 7. again to ensure all the slabs are laid firmly in place.

You can then remove the string line and pins and then gently replace any gravel around the slabs. Be careful not to move the slabs as they will take at least 24 hours to dry correctly.

Finish by securing the area to make sure they are not stepped upon until the have had chance to dry correctly. If for any reason they do have to be walked on before they are set, make sure your weight is placed in the middle of the paving slab and not the edge of the slab.

I would always recommend waiting at least 24 48 hours before you begin to walk on the surface of the slabs. You now know how to lay stepping-stones on gravel.

How to make the mortar mix to lay our stepping-stones on

We are going to lay our paving slabs on a bed of mortar consisting of sand, cement & water. You could use a cement mixer or mix the ingredients on the floor. Because we only used 4 bags of sand, we mixed our mortar in a wheel barrow.


You could use grit sand if you want but we find that building sand is more able to stick to the paving slab to create a good adhesion better than grit sand does. Once stuck it helps keep the slab firmly in place once dry and set.

Should you remove the gravel or not before laying the slabs?

Which Types Of Pavers Can Be Installed Over Concrete

How To Pour New Concrete Over Old Concrete | Stamped Concrete Patio

This is entirely left up to your discretion! Any type of stone or manufactured paver that could normally be installed as a patio can be laid on top of existing concrete. Be sure to check out all of your options to ensure that you select the right type of pavers for your project goals.

You might choose from flagstone, bluestone, brick, manufactured concrete or interlocking pavers and more. Youll also have the ability to select from irregular or dimension cut pavers. With all of these different choices in material and design, you will have the opportunity to make space a true representation of your style.

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Can Pavers Be Installed Over Concrete

If you have a concrete patio and youre looking for renovation ideas, you probably came across this one. At some point, you probably wondered if you can install pavers over concrete.


Switching from concrete to pavers is common practice, especially if you want to improve the looks of your patio. Dont take us wrong concrete has positive aspects, particularly from an economic point of view. But once youve paid the bills, its reasonable to consider new ideas to enhance the aesthetics of your patio.

And in order to do that, whats best than pavers? From the extended durability to the added beauty they provide, pavers are a wonderful choice. Plus, you can see them as an investment since homes with paver patios tend to have a higher market value.

However, many people end up discouraged by the idea that they will have to remove their concrete slabs to install pavers in their place. But what if thats not necessary?

Can You Lay Pavers On Top Of Concrete

According to several paver manufacturers, paving blocks can be installed on top of concrete without mortar if you first lay down a 1/2 to 1 bed of coarse sand. The process is nearly identical to laying a paver patio over ground. Before you begin, make sure your concrete is properly sloped and doesnt puddle.

An old concrete patio with a mismatched paver extension gets a completely different look with a stylish cobblestone overlay. Using mats of pavers makes the installation fast and easy.

Beside this, How do you set cobblestones in concrete?


Place the first cobblestone into the mortar, butting it up tightly against the end of the trench and the walkway, garden bed or driveway. Tap it down with a rubber mallet to set it into the mortar, check it for level with a spirit level, then add or remove mortar as needed so the top of the stone is level.

Likewise, How do you install pavers over existing concrete?

Lay the field pavers over concrete as you would on any paver patio. Scrape away the excess sand and cut off the excess landscape fabric with a utility knife. Glue down the last border patio blocks. Let the glue dry for a few hours before you tamp the field pavers and sweep sand across the patio to fill the joints.

Also, Can I lay paving stones on top of concrete?

Can you lay cobblestone over concrete?

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What You Need To Lay Stepping

Tools you need to lay stepping-stones

  • Trowel
  • Strong string or builders line
  • Line pins or small timber stakes
  • Paint brush for applying PVA
  • Cement mixer

Materials you need, assuming you already have gravel

  • Builders sand or grit sand
  • Portland cement or post mix
  • Stepping stones of your choice
  • PVA glue
  • Water with small amount of washing up liquid or plasticisers

We hope by reading or watching this video guide it gives you a good understanding of how stepping-stones are fixed firmly in place within gravel chippings.

There are many shapes and sizes of paving slabs you could lay on gravel as a stepping stone. Concrete or stone, circular, square or oblong all make good stepping-stones and the method of laying them in gravel remains the same whatever type you want to use.

Overlay Pavers: Creating A Resilient Bedding Surface

Ask The Builder: Paving a patio is job most do

Thanks to the incredible patent-pending formula of Techniseal® DriBond advanced mudset, concrete removal is completely unnecessary, as long as the slab is structurally sound. A driveway, patio, walkway or pool deck can be completely transformed in less than 48 hours, and for significantly less cost than concrete removal and replacement.

DriBond installs like sand filling the cracks and seams of a sound concrete slab to provide a bedding surface for the installation of thin overlay pavers Activated with water, DriBond sets like concrete to create a durable bond. The result is a stunning outdoor living space with lasting beauty.

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The Benefits Of Concrete Pavers

Paving stones have become an increasingly popular material for driveways, patios, pool decks and walkways in the California Bay area. That’s because paving stones can add to your homes curb appeal as well as its value.

Paving stones come in literally hundreds of colors, styles, textures, and patterns that give you the opportunity to create a one of a kind look for your pool deck patio or driveway. Pavers have an elegant look when correctly installed can last a lifetime and are much easier to repair than traditional poured concrete or asphalt.

With proper installation, concrete pavers can be installed over existing poured concrete slabs if they’re in relatively good condition. This is known as an overlay, and it can be a great, affordable option for many homeowners.

+ Tips To Remember When You’re Installing Flagstone

Conquer all kinds of DIY patio and stair projects with these tricks of the trade for laying natural flagstone.

Four flagstone patios, repaired flagstone stairs, and one repaired flagstone sidewalk later to say we’ve learned a lot about installing natural stone is an understatement. There’s a lot to consider, from choosing the right product to knowing how to properly install for longevity and higher home value. Below, I share a list of things weve learned along the way. Whether youre adding an outdoor flagstone patio, repairing damaged stones, or resurfacing a concrete slab , this advice will help you plan and execute the job with confidence.

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Remove The Gravel Where The Slabs Are To Be Laid And Compact The Area Down

The first two stepping stones we lay are at either end of the area we are going to pave. We lay the two stepping-stones on the outside first so we can fix a string line between the two points. This then allows us to level the remaining slabs in-between the slabs on the gravel.

We need to remove the gravel from the area we are going to lay our slabs. Save the gravel to replace around the paving slabs once they have been laid. You can remove all the gravel if you wish. It is sometimes beneficial if you do. But for this job we took the easier option of just removing the gravel where the stepping stones were going to be laid.

When the gravel as been removed we then need to compact the area to stop the area from sinking. You could use a metal tamper as we have done here or you could firm down with your feet, a hammer and piece of flat wood or any other method you see fit. You need to be confident the ground below the slab has a solid and firm foundation.

Adjust Stair Treads And Risers

How To Install A Flagstone Patio (Step-by-Step)

We bought limestone stair treads from a local stone yard to cap the front of the walkway and all of the stairs. Its a little lighter than the concrete is, but over time it should even out. Next year, well finish our stairs and add limestone risers, but for now, paint will get us through the winter!

Were really, reaaaaaally happy with how it came out! We saved hundreds, if not thousands, by using these $1 pavers and working with what we had.

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Can You Put Patio Blocks On Top Of Grass Without Digging

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Using patio pavers, you can build a simple and attractive walkway or seating area without the need for mixing, pouring and leveling concrete. Although it’s possible to lay pavers directly on the ground without digging, over time they’ll sink and become uneven, which may lead to cracked pavers and full-on invasion by weeds and grasses. There’s really no way around some digging if you want your pavers to last, but you can still make relatively quick work of your project and minimize potential problems by excavating the area to a sufficient depth and installing a durable base before laying your pavers.

Lay The Remaining Slabs Level With The String Line

When you are confident the string is tight Lay the remaining stepping-stones level with the string line. Follow the laying method for each slab as shown above.

You can use a spirit level or straight-edged timber to make sure the slabs are all level with each other. It does not really matter if the slabs are laid completely level. This is because it is unlikely that the ground will be completely level. Often the stepping stones will be laid on a slightly sloping surface.

This is why we lay the two end slabs first then fix a string line between them.This way the slabs end up level between the two end slabs.

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Why Do People Install Pavers Over Concrete

If you already have a concrete patio, you may be wondering why you would want to expend the time and effort on covering it up in the first place. The primary reason why homeowners choose to upgrade their concrete patios is to improve its overall appearance.

Installing pavers over concrete enables you to get creative with the look and style of your patio. Youll have the freedom to play around with different layouts and patterns in order to create an outdoor living space that gels with your unique personality. As an added benefit, this type of upgrade can add to the value of your home by enhancing the curb appeal.

Depending on the style, layout and coloring of the pavers, just about any look can be achieved from classic to charming to modern and everything in-between. Not only will upgrading the look of your patio speak to your own personal preferences, but it will also work to improve your property value.


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