Fall Leaf Cleanup Under Hardscaping: Why It Matters and How to Prevent Damage
Fallen leaves trap moisture against pavers and stone, causing staining, decay, and winter ice dams. Learn why seasonal cleanup prevents expensive damage.
Fallen leaves trap moisture against pavers and stone, causing staining, decay, and winter ice dams. Learn why seasonal cleanup prevents expensive damage.
A few weeks ago, I got a call from a homeowner in the next town over. She told me her patio pavers near the edge were rocking when she stepped on them. A few had actually shifted out of alignment, leaving visible gaps. She assumed the pavers themselves were defective. I drove out, crouched down, … Read more
Last spring, I made a classic DIY mistake. I rushed the polymeric sand installation on my 380-square-foot backyard patio, and within six weeks, the sand had turned into a crumbling, weed-inviting disaster. If you’ve ever had to remove polymeric sand from pavers, you know exactly how frustrating that situation gets. The stuff hardens like weak … Read more
Last spring, I tore up about 180 square feet of sunken patio pavers behind my garage. The base had shifted badly over two winters. Every time I walked across it, something wobbled. I knew I needed to repack the gravel and sand before relaying anything. That’s when the hand tamper vs plate compactor pavers debate … Read more
Last spring, I decided to tackle a 420-square-foot patio extension in my backyard. I had the base compacted, the sand screeded, and about 300 concrete pavers stacked and ready to go. Then reality hit me hard during wet saw paver cutting: my old angle grinder with a diamond blade was turning every single cut into … Read more
Three years ago, I finished what I thought was a perfect 220-square-foot paver patio off my back deck. Solid base, proper slope, tight joints — I was proud of it. By the following spring, the edges had crept nearly two inches into the lawn. Without a reliable paver edge restraint system, all that work slowly … Read more