Paving Tips and Tricks

A 3-part series on paver tips

A long time ago (before Adelaide Paving started) when we purchased a new property we were anxious to pave the driveway and walkways ourselves as the budget was very limited. We did a lot of research and talked with professionals, but the information we found was conflicting and confusing. I think there's a lot of misinformation out there and some general bewilderment about how to pave, so I figured I would write about paving tips. This is the first in a three-part series on paving your own walkway or driveway.

Part one will cover paving basics, part two will discuss paving techniques and materials to use (or not) for your project. Part three is the result of our first paving project where we share some useful information about how to pave around steps properly so they won't crack over time.

Paving Tips & Tricks: What you need before you start paving

You need to be aware of the conditions where you are paving, traffic over your new paving will change depending on the weather and other factors. You also must have a good idea about how much it is going to cost (including time not paid for), what materials you'll need (if any) and whether or not there are rules and regulations you'll need to follow for paving your driveway or walkway.

Paving around the House and Home: A Step-by-Step Guide

When we started paving our driveways (we now have two) it was because someone recommended paving instead of concrete as it provides a more even surface, is low maintenance and doesn't crack over time. We were paving around the house and home because we didn't have a lot of money to spare so it was either do-it-yourself or pay someone else to pave for us.

We had no idea how much paving cost, what materials would be needed including labour costs (if any), whether or not there are rules about paving and paving techniques - we simply couldn't afford to pay someone else.

Paving Around Steps: Tips for Successful DIY Paver Projects

When paving around the house and home, paving steps is different than paving flat ground; you need to make sure your pavers are level (or at least reasonably so) because if they're not it can cause a tripping hazard and ruin the paving job. I'll go into more detail on paving around steps in part three of this series but here are some useful tips for paving them successfully:

Make sure your paver base is level, even if that means you have to dig up all of the pavers and start again from scratch - it's better than paving steps that are uneven and can cause a tripping hazard.

Pave the straight pavers first before you start around corners or curves (this will make paving easier) - it's much harder to fit curved pavers in once your paving is laid out, so do them last whenever possible.

Use concrete sand instead of gravel for paving around the house and home - it makes paving easier, doesn't clog up your paving joints as much (if at all) and is better for paving steps.

You can find part two of this series on our website: Adelaide Paving & Landscaping...

Blog post continues.... (part two of this series will be published here in the near future)