# Pavers over concrete patio?



## billinak

Hmmm, that's an interesting one. I did an I-block patio last summer: 6 inches of compacted gravel, one inch of sand, then the pavers. I could see the concrete slab doing the same job as the gravel, but you would still need the sand to keep the pavers in place. One concern with this is that you would get water accumulating under the pavers on the slab which would erode the sand layer out from under the pavers. Add a few cold nights and you've got a lot of ice trapped under your pavers, heaving, etc. 

I've always been a fan of demolition then starting from scratch, but if you have a nice slab, why not keep it. There are a lot of new concrete products out now that can be colored and stamped to look like pavers. You could do another pour over the existing slab then color it and stamp it, however this would likely require a contractor to do the job. For a small area, the cost might be same as buying sand and pavers yourself.

Having never done what you propose, I can't say if I think it would work or not. If I planned on staying in the house for awhile, I'd probably demo the slab. My top concerns with putting pavers over the slab would be water, but if you live in Arizona, maybe it would be OK.


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## ScubaRaven

I saw an advertisement yesterday at Home Depot that showed pavers directly over cement... not sure if they were specifically designed for that but they do exist.


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## Tscarborough

I can't help you if you are zone 7 or lower, but here there is no issue at all. First put the border in using a mortar or epoxy bed, then put a small amuont of sand in to bring the rest of the pavers level.


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## Jimbo

I don't know what you mean by zone 7, I am in NJ, so there are definately times when it is below freezing for days on end. Does that present a huge problem regarding water drainage?
I would have thought that since the concrete is not porous, that the water would simply find its way through the pavers and onto the slab, where the slope of the slab would direct it away from the house. Since the slab is very flat, I was thinking that I wouldn't even need to use sand. Is that taking too much of a risk?


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## billinak

It sounds like what you want to do; lay the pavers over the slab, then sweep sand into the spaces, should only take a day. You'll probably have to add sand every year, but the worst case scenario is that next year or the year after, you have to pull the whole thing up if it doesn't work. If it does work, then you have a nice patio without all the work of preparing the base, which is what takes the most time.


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## Ackscott

*What did you decide?*

Hi Jimbo, What did you decide to do? I'm in the same situation, I live in Truckee, California, often the coldest spot in the country. I haven't been able to get a difinitive answer from any of the stone supply shops in the area. I want to use sand set pavers overe my 20 X 30 slab and dread the thought of having to remove the slab!

Thanks for any insights you might have.


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## adminks

I am curious too. I live in NJ and I'm trying to research a similar project. However my area is a raised patio and pool deck. How can you verify the concrete is in good standing?


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## Rich

I'm working on a paver patio now. Part of it is going to be over an existing concrete slab/porch that is covered and part is going to be on crushed gravel bed. Check out the video at the following. http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/diy_kits/article/0,2019,DIY_13787_4717618,00.html

:thumbsup:


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## easyrider

*pavers over concrete*

I live in so. west FL, and installing thin pavers over Concrete "lanai" areas and pool decks is quite common. I was looking for DIY advice to do the same, especially how to handle the cap stone aopund the pool. I know some adhesive is involved but what kind? Is a additional sand bed also necessary? What matertial is good for "sand locking" the field?
How thin can the pavers be? (I know they can be thick!) Anyone from this area with advice would be appreciated.


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## LACajun

*question about concrete?*

Hi, wonder if anyone out there can answer this. We built a house 2 years ago and it has wrap around porches. Evidently the concrete finishers did not level the concrete or prepare the grade it needs to make water run off. When it rains the wind blows the water up and it settles in all the low places on the porches. i thought of painting or staining the concrete for a better appearance, but I have been researching putting pavers, either brick or concrete, directly on top of the concrete porches. but it has to be graded to wash off the excess water. Does anyone know if you can mortar down the pavers or should they be put in sand? we are considering just paying someone to lay down brick pavers with mortar, similar to our brick steps, which are quite wide....

thanks for any input


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## KScrafter

*neat solution to covering concrete*

Found this as I, too, am looking to cover a concrete patio. I have not used it....has anyone else?
http://www.handydeck.com/


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## olen1009

*Yes, it is done here all the time*

At our condo association in southern NJ, our concrete contractor does this all the time. I can assure you that he knows what he is doing and will not, for example, put skim coats over slabs to level them as he knows that they alway delaminate at some point. He will all not put in concrete without rebar or mesh because he knows it will crack otherwise. So, I trust this guy. Here is what he does:

Instead of sand under the pavers, he puts down a thin layer of pure Portland Cement (powder) and levels it with a notched trowel. Then the pavers are laid down and lightly tapped down to make sure they are settled. Then morter is applied with a trowel around the perimeter of the pavers and over the edge of the existing slab to seal all of the perimeter joints (horizontal and vertical) are sealed. When that has hardened, a morter compound is swept into all of the other paver joints. It is put in dry just like you would put in sand. 

Finally, the entire pation is hosed down, being careful not to wash the compound out of the joints. The water will wet and harden that morter as well as seep down, wet and harden the cement and glue the pavers to the slab (leaving no room for future water to get in there, freeze and pop off the pavers.

This has been done for at least 5 years here and we have had absolutely no problems with freeze poping of the pavers or any shifting of them at all.

Give it a try. I am sorry that I cannot give you the full name of the compound that is swept into the joints instead of sand, but it is specifically made for this and the name starts with "Stabil-o-...". Also, the pavers that are used here are simple rectangles and squares (perhaps 2.5 to 3 inches thick) and the have built-in ridges on the sides that act as spacers. It only took a couple of hours to do my 8 x 14 patio and it looks very much better than the existing stained slab did.


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## concretemasonry

olen -

The paver installation you are describing is totally against the installation methods I have seen recommended by the paving authorities.

I assume you are referring the the very few installations applied over concrete as opposed to the common heavier duty installations that are done over compacted soil bases. In the case of an installation on a soil base, nor cement is ever permitted.

The backyard methods may work for some patios, but not for any heavier use such as driveways or streets. Even in the case of patios, the preferred method is to set the pavers in granular material and provide for lateral drainage of that layer since water will untimately pass between the pavers, no matter what type of material is place in the joints.


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## HiFi

The preffered way is to is to remove the concrete and tehen put in the pavament.Else the work will be shabby and not long lasting anyway its again a matter of personal preferences


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## worker

*Thin pavers over concrete*

Right outside my front door is a 'entryway' or 'landing' which is a 12' x 5.5' concerete slab. The edges of the 'landing' are slate slabs ~1' wide. 5 steps lead down from the landing to ground level. As you walk up, you first step onto the top slate edge and then on to the concrete slab. The builder did a bad job job compacting under the slab. As a result, the slab has sunk ~1.75 in but the slate edges have not sunk. The ~1.75in gap between slate and concrete slab has become a tripping hazard.  The house is in NJ with winter snow and freezing. 

I've been told that the 'correct' way would be to remove the old slab, put more gravel, compact, and pour another slab. This is very expensive and it might sink again. I do not want to go that route. I am thinking about putting pavers over the existing concrete slab - so I can do it myself. If it sinks in few years, I can raise the pavers by putting more sand/granite dust underneath and resetting them. I have several questions. 

1) Is it OK to put pavers in front entryway? I've rarely see pavers in the front entryway - most homes have concrete slab. Is there a reason for this? 

2) Since the gap between slate front edge and slab is ~1.75in, I need thin pavers ~1-1/2 in or less -do they make these? Anything thicker will stick out from the slate edge and will be a tripping hazard. 

3) If I can not find thin pavers, I'll have to use 2 in thick concrete squares but these will stick out ~1/4 to 1/2 in. Is there a way to smooth this projection at the edges by beweling with caulk/compound/cement to reduce the tripping hazard. 

4) Since I may have to raise and reset the pavers in the future, what is the best way to set them on concrete? 

5) Should I put some expansion joint/compound where the pavers meet the slate edges to allow for expansion/contraction? 

Thank you very much for your help. 
This thread is great - I found answers to some of my questions.


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## AZJD

You can do pavers on concrete - you just have to treat the job as if you are laying tile. You'll need adhesive below the pavers, and grout between them.

Remember, with brick-on-sand, water drainage is vertical; on concrete it has to be lateral. That's why you need to grout with mortar between the pavers. The water has to drain across the tops of the pavers; not percolate between them.


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## worker

*pavers on concrete*

Thanks AZJD you for your advise. 

I do not want to make a permanent joint between pavers and concrete. The concrete slab might continue settling over the years so I want to be able to raise the pavers in the future by putting more sand /quarry dust between concrete and the pavers. If I use the adhesive and grout, I will not be able to do this?! :confused1:

I could not find thin pavers (need less than 1.75 in thick) so I am considering laying 1" thick thermal bluestone (2 ft x 2 ft) over concrete using quarry dust under bluestone and in the joints. Any thoughts - recommendations?

Thanks


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## jobeamca

*try pavers from Lowes*

Worker, Lowes' pavers are 1.75 thick:

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=123162-299-123162&lpage=none


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## worker

Thanks, I'll check it out. I found other 1-1/2 in 'patio blocks' but they are are very brittle. So I am thinking of going with 'thermal bluestone' ~1 in thick over concrete. I need to figure out what to use underneath and between joints - sand or quarry dust.


jobeamca said:


> Worker, Lowes' pavers are 1.75 thick:
> 
> http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=123162-299-123162&lpage=none


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## concretemasonry

The 1 1/2" "patio blocks" are just that. They are not meant to be pavers - just look at the low price. Many people get fooled by the lack of information supplied by the big bad boxes.


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## bigtex

ACME brick has 1/2" pavers but I don't know if they are sold in NJ. Rough texture-requires a sealer.

I put mine down on concrete slab using 50/50 mix of high early concrete and mason's mortar- works fine. Make sure you 'tap down' the paver with a rubber hammer. Grout using mortar mix with colorant as needed.


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## LACajun

*pavers over concrete*

We're considering putting brick pavers over concrete. Looks to me like it can be done from reading these posts. But, I have another question for anyone who might know, how hard is it to take up existing tile and grout? we have an outdoor tile down on the patio now and it doesn't seem to be holding up well around the edges. We're thinking of pulling it all up, and starting over with brick pavers. But we don't know how difficult and time consuming, not to mention the expense, that it would be take up the existing tile. Thanks for any help anyone has on this.


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## LACajun

*painting concrete*

I have another question, hope someone has some answers or helpful ideas. We have a wrap around porch on our house, I'd like to paint the concrete on 3 of the porches. But this is the problem: they hold standing water. when it rains, the wind blows the rain up onto the porches and there's several places where the water stands and it's days sometimes before it all dries up, unless we sweegie it off. So if I painted, these areas where water stands will cause the paint to eventually just peel up. So my question is, is there a product out there that we can use to "level" the surface of the concrete some, or maybe it would "grade" it, so the water would drain off on the ground and paint would then stick to the surface better. Sorry for the long post, but it took a bit to explain what we're up against. We want to go the least expensive route to accomplish this. 
thanks for any help anyone has.


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## LACajun

*painting concrete porch*

hi, since my last post on painting my concrete porch, I have been doing some online research. Has anyone ever used a marine paint on concrete? water might not affect the paint in this case. In my research, I found out about swimming pool paint, the type paint you can put on the concrete walls of a pool, so would it make sense this type of paint would adhere to a concrete porch and not chip off in places where the water tends to stand during rains. And again, thanks for any help....


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## RICHIE K

Jimbo what part of jersey you from


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## jobeamca

Hey LA Cajun, it seems like the pool paint shouldn't be bothered by the water. But a better solution might be to level the low spots so it doesn't hold water. There are some types of self-leveling compounds, I've seen them somewhere but I'm not sure where. You'd definitely want to make sure the concrete is first clean and dry, and maybe even use a bonding agent to make sure it doesn't delaminate later- I suppose the insrutctions tell you what precautions to take. Then instead of a paint, I'd use a concrete stain (solid color). I've had very good results using Walmart's stain on my driveway- it's been about 4 years now and its still holding up well.


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## LACajun

*paint on concrete*

thanks for the help and suggestions. I read about some leveling compounds, I think some are actually concrete mixtures. The only problem we might have here, is that there are LOTS of places where water stands. We have a wrap around porch, and the front porch faces east and the side porch that faces south is constantly getting rain blown up by the wind and because it's not been graded on a slight slope when the concrete was poured, water stands and won't roll off, it stays there till we either sweep it off or it evaporates. So I'm wondering what type of job it'd be to level it all out with a leveling agent, I'd rather go that route than brick pavers, which will cost several thousands. but we are not avid diy yourselfers, so we'd have to pay to have it done.


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## jedshed

Jimbo said:


> I am thinking of installing pavers for a 20' by 25' area. Right now the entire area is covered in concrete which is in very good condition. Do I need to remove all that concrete, or can I somply lay the pavers over it? Anyone have experience doing this?
> 
> Thanks, Jimbo


go ahead and just put them down on the concrete i did this myseff with no problems at all


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## tkristi

*wow*

I got some good info here off this Thread...

This is what I am doing...Looks like I might have a good start just got to find out what would be best to use under them to keep them in place...please comment with anything that you guys think I can use..







"][/URL]


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## so-elitecrete

*there are materials,,,*

specifically made for leveling conc applied to the top of existing conc & we use them almost daily,,, your conc contr's develop'd a method that works for him,,, in my area of nj, hackettstown, it wouldn't work.

skim coating conc is an accepted method of repairing, permanently, conc & does have higher comp, flexural, & tension strengths,,, but if it works for you, fine,,, its just not an accepted method in pro circles,,, then again, its only your house.

we've placed MILES of conc w/o rebar &/or mesh,,, the most important thing in preventing cracks is the joint pattern & timing when the control jnt's cut,,, realize this is zen conc & your guy's good,,, but conc IS a specialty & that's why its important to use someone w/experience, knowledge, & desire.


the reason yours looks good is that its flexible on a flexible base,,, much different'n regular conc work.


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## so-elitecrete

*my apologies,,,*

hadn't realiz'd this was the woman who want'd to place conc pavers on a sidewalk or wouldn't have wast'd my time,,, y'all're much more knowledgeable than we who do this work professionally,,, its not about taking food from our plates - its doing something right if done at all.

shan't make this mistake again.


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## concretemasonry

tkristi -

If you want to use those type of pavers, start by tearing out the old concrete and replacing it with 4-6" of compacted base. Add 1" of a sand (concrete sand) setting bed. Place the pavers and the edge restraint. Then spread fine sand on top and vibrate with a plate vibrator.


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## timber

I just left a message to tkristi who was doing basically the same thing on a walk letting her know how to do it. Take a look, it's a good method I've been doing for years.


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## wormser

Jimbo,
Just give it a try. As long as you don't secure the pavers there isn't much risk. Worst case you'll lose an hour or two of labor. Pavers are practically indestructable so they won't break.


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## GreenContractor

if the concrete is in good shape, meaning has been there for atleast a few years and has no settling or cracks you could wet set some bluestone or marble. Concrete pavers? that would be trouble down the road. Is the patio below the grade? If you want the pavers to last a lifetime and not just a few years rip out the concrete and install correctly. Unilock and Paveloc make quality products, the HD concrete paver will fade within a few years. You will see the difference in quality when the HD paver lasts a few years and pavloc paver lasts a lifetime.


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## PAVER MASTER

Jimbo said:


> I am thinking of installing pavers for a 20' by 25' area. Right now the entire area is covered in concrete which is in very good condition. Do I need to remove all that concrete, or can I somply lay the pavers over it? Anyone have experience doing this?
> 
> Thanks, Jimbo


First you dont need to take the concrete, just if a door will not open, level with half inch of send and glue the edge after you cut for the border is faster this way.
You can use thin paver.

any more question let me know.


Paver Master


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## sonjamorton

*pavers over concrete*

The way to do this is to drill holes in the concrete ever few feet, then lay landscaping cloth over the concrete, next put paving sand over the cloth then lay your pavers. This infor came from Kurtz Bros Inc, ask for Josh and tell him what you want to do and he will tell you what I just said. 216-581-5533. I'm doing the same job myself.:thumbsup:


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## concretemasonry

There are many ways to put in a paver patio over concrete if you interested in going through all the work. Most of the techniques were developed in Europe where the use of pavers is far more advanced and developed than in the U.S. A patio is just a minor use, so some deveiations can be allowed since it is not like a street or driveway.

The important thing is to get the water out of the setting bed. Drilling enough holes that will not be clogged by dirty bedding sand is one method is is lateral drains. In some areas, the concrete is cored and vertical sand drains are used, but in these cases, the base muct be permeable and capable of draining the water away. You don't want the pavers to "float" on a saturated bed.

With a patio, you can get away with things that would not work where you have real loads.


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## tveal

*Paver Lady*

Thin pavers (1") are specifically for remodeling any area (foot traffic only) that has a concrete surface. There is no need to pull out the concrete.
Set the pavers on sand and thinset the border in.


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## DangerMouse

how about a long-lasting paving stone look on that concrete without all the work?

http://www.daichcoatings.com/Design Ideas Images/pages/Project12_jpg.htm

gotta love this stuff

DM


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## technopak

*pavers*

Jimbo just did it...just lay the pavers over the concrete.. and cement the border strips works fine. and looks great standard pavers. Its common.. cement gives a great flat base.... tehnopak


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## drdon51

I done my patio last year,I used pl 4000 glue on the outside pavers,it looks great and its a lot easier.


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## blueberry14

While laying pavers over concrete is not the preferred method, it can be done. Check EP Henry Paver's FAQ's section for more specifications <http://www.ephenry.com/HomeOwner/FAQs.asp#19>


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## JOSHUAGULLEY

I'm planning to do the same thing except I will be extending my patio from 12x12 to 16x16. The paver that i will use is 1 7/8 inches in height. I will put morter on each paver and fill in with setting sand once I'm finished. Dont forget to slope your patio for water drainage. Your concrete patio should already be sloped. 
My problem comes from me adding 4ft on each side. Should i pour a concrete slab for the addition or build it up with sand and gravel?


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## joeys509

The problem I see is drainage. I just installed brick pavers 20'x25' and it came out flawless however I did it over gravel and sand. I watched an video on a site called thediyhomepro and learned how to do it, on the video they stated that the gravel was a compactable base that provided good drainage. If you do it over cement you will probably need to drill drainage holes in it first so that your pavers aren't covered by water when it rains. I guess you could always add sand and taper the pavers off to one side at a small slope for drainage.


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## JOSHUAGULLEY

*Thanks*

My patio is already sloped for drainage. But I must maintain the same slope angle. But I was thinking. If i use sand to lock the pavers in place then water will drain beneath the pavers. Or if i use mortar, the water should drain over the pavers. Thats if mortar is water proof. I'm not sure. What do you think.


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## ControlTech

I have a similar question. I put in a concrete walkway from my front walk over to my driveway to get across the lawn when it rains really heavy. the walkway is (13' long x 36" wide) to act as a base for some slate 'tiles' that are 1' thick. I was going to put in an alternating pattern of 12"x12"/12"x18" pieces with mortar to bond them to the concrete. Even though these aren't pavers, does the same type of rules apply?

P.S. The concrete walk was made of hand-mixed 80 lb bags of concrete mix from Home Depot, with roughly 5-6 bags per square at around 4-5" deep. There has been some spalling of the tops of a couple of squares over the past two years, but i attributed that to the fact that the concrete was never meant to be the finished layer, so I didn't do the regular edging/brushing that would be done to a 'exposed/finished' walkway. BTW, there have been no cracks and the walkway has seen two winters with standing ice and snow.


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## mdblb05

I have not done pavers anywhere except in va. I worked for 3 years running a paver crew, and now do ceramic tile. I did a job once where the homeowner was an engineer and poured a 10" thick concrete slab in his parking area which had a steep driveway surrounded by two retaining walls that we put in. It basically made a river to the parking area. We screeded 3/4" 'stone screenings' across the concrete and placed the pavers on it, and tamped as usual. Instead of sweeping the screenings in the joints as usual we used a product new to us at the time. This sand was a polymuric joint sand that once wet would harden but remain flexible. The slab also was presloped to a large drain since the area was surrounded by walls and the house. There was also a large grate drain at the bottom of the driveway where it connected to the parking area. This job went well, and has had zero issues. The freezing will not be an issue, and the water run off is greatly taken care of by the use of proper slopes and the hardened joint sand.


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## funnthesun

*Laying pavers on existing concrete slab*

Works GREAT!!! It never occurred to me to "ask" if you could, should or even "how to" lay pavers on an existing concrete patio, sidewalk, slab, etc. I just did it. I started in the back corner against the house with my first paver and laid them from there. I lay them DIRECTLY on the concrete. I DO however; mortar a very thin layer around the bordering pavers surrounding the entire perimeter TO the concrete slab to prevent movement (after straight & tight) and then I will use mortar in the middle. BUT....not mortar the middle to the concrete, just mortar between ALL the paver joints to prevent water from seeping in, thus allowing the water to "run off" as it did when it was a concrete slab w/it's natural run off grade. (I haven't mortared the middle in the attached photo...that's tomorrows project.....then when it's dry I'll use a sealant) I mortar the joints AFTER my brick cuts & after I've made sure all my pavers are tight and as close as they could possibly be & everything is as straight as I can get it. (Tip to ponder: To mortar between the joints, pour DRY mortar (the kind w/"just add water") over the joints & use a strong broom to sweep & fill in/up in all the joints and SWEEP OFF the actual brick part. Then; get your hose & lightly water to activate mortar & set. I CAUTION YOU: TEST FIRST. I did this in my backyard & my sons family uses this method, however; make sure the mortar is OFF the brick itself or it'll ruin your brick. Maybe try a test row & see if this method will work for you. I ONLY knew how to do this by watching my sons family. But BOY OH BOY.....is this a HUGE time, back & knee saver!!! Whew wee!!! I've tried to attach before & after photos, hopefully it worked! This is my front yard. I did my backyard COVERED patio 15 yrs ago & its still as perfect as the day I finished it! SUPER EASY w/existing concrete.


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## mdblb05

Looks pretty good. I have actually just started getting stuff together to lay over my sidewalk again. I just did a big walk for my dad the original way (with crushnrun base). Got me thinking about doing mine again. There are very few concrete pads I have seen that I would lay pavers DIRECTLY over. They are always too bumpy, uneven, or flat out on different planes between relief joints). I have decided the best way for me is to thinset the pavers with a 1/2 u notch trowel and to use polymuric (sp?) joint sand in the joints like I would normally. Glad it worked out for you. Hope you got all that mortar dust off the surface of your pavers. A leaf blower works great.


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## Landscraper1

Jimbo said:


> I am thinking of installing pavers for a 20' by 25' area. Right now the entire area is covered in concrete which is in very good condition. Do I need to remove all that concrete, or can I somply lay the pavers over it? Anyone have experience doing this?
> 
> Thanks, Jimbo


 
As long as you are confident the conc. slab is structurally sound and pitched away from the house. All you have to do is drill holes in the existing slab every couple of feet with a concrete drill bit, to allow water to drain, and clean. I would use a construction adhesive for the soldier course and allow to dry. (Directly to the existing slab) Next step is to use an underlayment such as weed mat fabric to prevent the bedding sand from dissipating. Place thin layer of bedding sand on fabric to match hgt of soldiers, sweep in sand lock. Next use a small plate compacter to even and settle things. sweep in again and wet it down. Note: the sand lock is not regular sand it's a polymeric mixture sold in bags. It hardens and dosn't allow for as much water penetration.

Good luck


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## herenotthar

*Too Many Choices for My Little Brain-Pavers*

We live in AZ, in the desert, and have a large patio. Break into two pieces and tip each slab toward the middle where there is a 1 in 25 ft long drain leading out and you have it. The patio now has a deterioratiing cement coating. Thinking of going the paver route. I intend to hire someone to do it but want to be prepared...if I go the sand under the paver route, I'm concerned the sand underneath will migrate to the center drain..even tho we only get 6 inches of rain per year. On the other hand, I like the sand idea because it should be easier to get the dust off the pavers since the water from my hose will force the dirt downwards every few inches or as wide as the pavers are. On the other other hand, if I use thinset, with mortar between the bricks, I run the risk of those hairline cracks on the original slab migrating up to the pavers, plus it still will be harder to hose down the pavers since the dirt/dust won't drain between the pavers. Thoughts, please?


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## JOATAMON

*Pavers over established concrete patio*



KScrafter said:


> Found this as I, too, am looking to cover a concrete patio. I have not used it....has anyone else?
> http://www.handydeck.com/


I did this in Texas Panhandle. A 12X12 slab that had cracks. Blasted out cracks with air and water. Filled with sand and leveled to the surrounding area. Now this was my idea and not one else. I used concrete grey 12X12 inch blocks and asked for the strongest tube of adhesive at Lowes on concrete to concrete. Don't remember the name of the tube. The outside edge I used the tubes around each block and an x in the middle. The fine layer of sand kept it level. I then laid my pavers in a design of my liken and bingo, the patio looked brand new. I did get noise when you walked on them, so I added more sand and it seem to stop the problem. I found the water run off from the patio when I started and made sure that I had openings to let water out of the patio. Then sold the house and moved.:thumbup:


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## a3dsail

If your concrete slab is in good condition, I found an article that uses thick pavers or retaining wall caps for the border which are glued with a polyurethane construction adhesive to the slab perimeter and regular brick pavers or other types of stone for the "field" pavers which rest on a bed of sand which covers landscape fabric laid directly on the slab to bring the field pavers up to the level of the border pavers. Check it out at www.familyhandyman.com/DIY-Projects/Outdoor-Projects/Patio/Patio-Pavers/how-to-cover-a-concrete-patio-with-pavers OR email me for a file containing the step-by-step.


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## herenotthar

Thanks a lot for your suggestion. I had 5 contractors give me 5 different way to do it...but redoing the whole patio from stractch meant we wouldn't need the ugly deco drain running down the center of the patio..so that won out.


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## Marvel

Have to agree with Concretemasonry here. This is similar to paving over an underground structure or a roof deck. Always provide a horizontal drainage plain (with relief drains or voids at the perimeter).


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## Susan Schlenger

I agree with many of those here who anticipate water problems by laying the pavers over a concrete slab using sand. If there are water issues, which most likely there will be especially since you are in NJ I am in NJ also), it will be a nightmare. It should cost you around $800 to remove the slab and then you will have a correct installation (stone base, etc.). You can see a diagram here. Paver Installation


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