# Large gap between foundation and pavers. Fill with what?



## rkfast (Oct 30, 2018)

Just had a nice new driveway and patio put in with Cambridge Pavers. One problem I have is that there is a 1-3 inch gap between my foundation and the paver border. Mason filled it in first with some cement/sand mix and topped it with Gator poly sand. 

It seemed like a good enough solution, but over the weekend we got a nice rainstorm and the poly sand went soft and started getting pounded out of the gap and worse, some water started intruding under a door which dou to new driveway height is right on grade. 


What would be a good permanent solution to fill this gap in? Drive is pitched away from house and water is only getting into this space from residual rain dripping off siding and eaves. No gutter drainage issues. Id love to lay in some cement/sand mortar but thinking it would crack over time. Maybe some mortar and poly sand made for larger gaps? Fill it with dirt and pea gravel and it would act almost like a french drain?


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

Not sure about the sand but every thing should have been installed 6" below the door


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

So now we need a plan to fix it, is there a slope now for the water to go somewhere?


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## rkfast (Oct 30, 2018)

> Not sure about the sand but every thing should have been installed 6" below the door . So now we need a plan to fix it, is there a slope now for the water to go somewhere?


Well, that was never gonna happen because the door was only 2"-3" above grade before the pavers and new driveway went in. Old house and Im kinda stuck with what I got, unless I pull the door out and do a bunch of framing work, which I guess I could do. But I would rather not. 

Driveway is pitched good, down AND away from the house.


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

rkfast said:


> Well, that was never gonna happen because the door was only 2"-3" above grade before the pavers and new driveway went in. Old house and Im kinda stuck with what I got, unless I pull the door out and do a bunch of framing work, which I guess I could do. But I would rather not.
> 
> Driveway is pitched good, down AND away from the house.


You said you had lots of water when it rains, do you have a gutters?


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## rkfast (Oct 30, 2018)

Nealtw said:


> You said you had lots of water when it rains, do you have a gutters?



Yes, no gutter problems at all. Water is just runoff from the side of the house. Think of a wind-driven rain that hits the side and then comes down to the ground off the siding.


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## HenryMac (Sep 12, 2018)

rkfast said:


> Well, that was never gonna happen because the door was only 2"-3" above grade before the pavers and new driveway went in.


Sure it could have happened. The contractor should have dug down and removed the existing materials, then compacted the base such that the new pavers / driveway maintained that 2"-3".

They took the easy way out, now you are left with a lifetime of water issues.

What is your location? Get snow there?


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

rkfast said:


> Yes, no gutter problems at all. Water is just runoff from the side of the house. Think of a wind-driven rain that hits the side and then comes down to the ground off the siding.


My quick fix would be to dig the sand out and add the block to the house but put them in 1/2" lower on both side tapered up to 1/4" low at the door. That would leave a little trench and a direction for the water to go.


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## rkfast (Oct 30, 2018)

HenryMac said:


> Sure it could have happened. The contractor should have dug down and removed the existing materials, then compacted the base such that the new pavers / driveway maintained that 2"-3".
> 
> They took the easy way out, now you are left with a lifetime of water issues.
> 
> What is your location? Get snow there?



Doing what you suggest would have resulted in the patio and driveway being below grade on the property and below sidewalk and street level. They went as low as they could have without having to do that. Like I said, the door was very low to begin with. 



I dont think Ill have a "lifetime of water issues" because there is no wood material lower than the door sill and the driveway has a decent, if not minimal pitch down and away from the house. 



Listen, I know its not ideal, but it is what is is.


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## rkfast (Oct 30, 2018)

Nealtw said:


> My quick fix would be to dig the sand out and add the block to the house but put them in 1/2" lower on both side tapered up to 1/4" low at the door. That would leave a little trench and a direction for the water to go.



Thats was the supply yard suggested, too. That, or fine crushed stone.


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

rkfast said:


> Thats was the supply yard suggested, too. That, or fine crushed stone.


But then you have water draining down at the foundation, moving it along would be better. I think.


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## rkfast (Oct 30, 2018)

Nealtw said:


> But then you have water draining down at the foundation, moving it along would be better. I think.



Sure, but the water going into that little area is just runoff from water hitting the side of the house. No different than if I had a dirt garden and water bounces off the house and hits the dirt ground next to it. Is my thinking correct?


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

rkfast said:


> Sure, but the water going into that little area is just runoff from water hitting the side of the house. No different than if I had a dirt garden and water bounces off the house and hits the dirt ground next to it. Is my thinking correct?


 Yes if you are on a slab floor , no basement of crawlspace.:wink2:


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