Stop Sinking Pavers: Expert Tips for a Lasting Walkway

Pavers are great patios, and we make pavers with different types of materials for a strong base and stability. But pavers sometimes tend to sink over time due to a lot of reasons. It could be for the bad condition of the stone installation, the uneven placing of stones, the depth, and other water drainage issues, etc. All these easily sink the pavers when there is a bad case of rain. In this article, we will be discussing why pavers sink, how to keep pavers from sinking, how to prepare the base properly and how to make proper drainage for the water, and much more. So, keep reading to find out.

Why do Pavers Sink?

We have observed our pavers sinking over time in random places on our driveways and patios. They could be seen as low or sunken spots on random places on our paver. Knowing what is sinking our paver is crucial for us to make the right decisions on how to fix them.

One very common reason we get to see is shaky and unstable ground for the base. Mostly the impact is very high in places where there is an extreme weather change over time. For example, the thawing from winter freezing, the monsoons, etc., where the base of the paver is challenged.

Another would be that our paver is getting exposed to water causing extreme soil erosion. When this happens, our paver slowly starts to sink at random parts. The water gets easily collected in pools as well. Even worse, the paver stones will start shifting. Having gutters right where you have the paver could mess it up too.

We see our pavers shifting and sinking when we have a very bad installation process. Bringing in inexperienced builders and contractors, using really cheap and low-quality base material, and not creating the right base thickness to take on weight could all add up to poor installation.

Not having proper water drainage around the paver could create pools and puddles of water around the paver, loosening the base and unrevealing the ground beneath. And some contractors try to save on materials by skipping the right base stability, leaving space between the interlocks. This allows the weed to grow, breaking the compact and solid base of the pavers. So, it is always better to use epoxy sand to seal the gaps.

How to Keep Pavers from Sinking?

Repairing sunken pavers is quite a task. It is always important to have proper planning and preparation before starting your paver structure. So, usually, pavers need to have a very solid foundation. Here is how you should be laying your paver to prevent sinking.

The first step is to properly identify the type of soil and its condition when you’re dealing with pavers; if the soil is something that would easily erode and is not tight enough, make sure to compact and tighten the soil. The ground should also be perfectly leveled so your stoning wouldn’t be uneven.
Also, dig a deeper foundation that is at least 6 to 10” deep. Also, the paver should be even and uniform and have a proper gravel base before installing the stone by compacting the gravel step by step, making a very strong and stable base.

The choice of paver stones is also important for the installation. We have gravel, cement, asphalt, and brick pavers. When choosing the paver, you should have the one that suits the weather and temperature changes as well as the moisture level in your soil. Otherwise, with time your pavers will start shifting and sinking.
Improper installation of the stones is also one big reason for the pavers to sink or shift. When there are huge gaps between the paver stones, weeds will start growing in between them, shaking the paver foundation and sinking the pavers.
Always give time, energy, effort, and importance to the pre-installation preparation as well as the quality of materials and well-experienced contractors so you can actually build a long-lasting foundation for your pavers.

Can you Properly Prepare the Base?

Our pavers base is the most crucial part of our paver structure; the base is literally made of three levels; the subgrade, which is the part we see at the deepest with compacted soil; the subbase, which is seen as the middle layer next to subgrade, and the one at the top which is the base top. And we have to be very considerate about the type of material we use to build the paver because it allows proper drainage of a water-effective, durable, and long-lasting paver.

Sand is one such material used, but it should be used along with other stones for durability; otherwise, your paver will be uneven and shift over time. The best type recommended is concrete sand, crushed stones for at least ¾ inches of the stones, or crushed sand. We even have recycled concrete aggregate and compacted soil used for the paver base.

Here are a few steps we could follow to install a proper paver base;

Start with ground inspection at least 2 or 3 days before excavating the base for your paver. We recommend that you use vibrating plate compactors to stop the paver from shifting or becoming uneven over time. Also, remove any grass, large rocks, roots, and other dirt and debris from your soil.
Depending on the nature and type of soil you have, decide the depth of your subgrade excavation. We recommend you make a depth of 7 inches for your subgrade if the soil on your ground is granular, and you’re supposed to build a depth of 9 inches subgrade if the soil is clay. And remember to make a slow gradient slope for water to drain as well.
To make the best base for your paver, use grade stone aggregate that is dense and concrete sand accordingly. ASTM C33, CSA A231, ASTM 179, and ASTM C-144 are good choices of sand. And for every 100 square feet of area, we should have 2 tons of materials of 4-inch thickness, 3 tons of 6-inch thickness, 4 tons of materials of 8-inch thickness, and 6 tons of 12-inch thickness.

For a better and stronger base, we should be using one thin layer of the compact each time by wetting the crushed stones slightly. Remember to also make a sub-base with at least 4 inches of crushed stones if the soil you have is granular, and use a 6-inch sub-base if you have clay soil.
Finally, you should lay your final top base with less than 1.5 inches of thickness in a concrete sand base material. It should be as even as you could make it to be.

Can you Properly Prepare the Base?

Can Geotextile Fabric Help Prevent Sinking?

Yes, absolutely a geotextile fabric is so good that it is able to separate layers of the material and keep them from sinking or mixing into each layer. It is also so effective as a filter that it could literally stop the drains from clogging.

They are so strong enough to hold different layers in place by reinforcing the structures. And also guard and protect the soil from erosion and maintain soil stability. We have both woven geotextile and non-woven geotextile fabrics for this purpose.

Can you Ensure Proper Drainage?

To make sure you’re having proper drainage of water to prevent soil erosion and sinking of pavers, we could be using a permeable grade base with a proper slope gradient. You could build different types of drain systems as well. For example, we have a French drain, channel drain, and floor drain to prevent the water from ruining the paver base. Don’t forget to make a dry well for your paver’s groundwater drainage.

How Important Is Regular Maintenance of the Pavers to Prevent them from Sinking?

Regular maintenance could actually prevent damages caused by the water that is getting collected because of the proper drainage and maintenance, adjusting the uneven stones on a regular basis, or those that are broken, fixing the exposed layer of our sub-grade and top base layers could also help prevent the paver from sinking in a random place. Also, make sure there are no gaps forming between the interlocks, allowing a lot of weed to grow in between. This would actually loosen the paver stones, making them uneven and unstable. So always keep an eye on the pavers for damages and fix them for an even lasting paver.