How to Add Pavers along the Sides of a Concrete Driveway

Brick Pavers
  • 5-15 hours
  • Intermediate
  • 300-1000
What You'll Need
Pavers
Gravel
Sand
Saw
Tape
Screed (to smooth concrete or other building materials)
Goggles for safety
Hand tamper (to compact layers of sand or pavers)
Stake (metal or wooden post that could be driven into the sand)
Flexible edging
Strings
What You'll Need
Pavers
Gravel
Sand
Saw
Tape
Screed (to smooth concrete or other building materials)
Goggles for safety
Hand tamper (to compact layers of sand or pavers)
Stake (metal or wooden post that could be driven into the sand)
Flexible edging
Strings

Adding pavers along the sides of a concrete driveway would not only make your driveway attractive, but would also save you considerable money if you take on the task yourself. This allows you a little extra space to maneuver while you unload the car without having to walk in the grass or cover your shoes in winter mud. Attractiveness, convenience, and cost savings come in exchange for a bit of hard work, planning, and some sand on your hands.

Step 1 - Plan

The first thing is to decide is which sort of pavers are needed. Usually brick and concrete pavers are in demand. Furthermore, the pavers come in all shapes and sizes. You need to choose the design and the price tag that accompanies it. If your driveway is square or rectangle, roughly estimate how many pavers you require and then come up with a tentative budget. Moreover, you could use some rough sketches of how exactly you would want to add pavers along the sides of your driveway.

Step 2 - Mark the Boundaries of the Project

rope on a spike

Choose easily available strings to mark the boundaries. These are more important when you are making an entire driveway with pavers but would also be convenient to mark the sides of your driveway to have the pavers exactly where you want them to be.

Step 3 - Dig up the Sides of Driveway

You need to think how deep your base would be. Base your decision on factors such as whether people would only walk on your sideways, if the soil is wet, the depth of your chosen stones, etc. Generally six inches of base will do but in the case of wet soil you will require 12 inches of base. Add up the depth of your base, the sand layering (usually 1.5 inches) and the width of the pavers (roughly around 2.5 to 3.5 inches) to calculate how deep you need to excavate the area.

Step 4 - Fill up the Excavated Area

The base is usually comprised of crushed stone. Add two inches of crushed stones at a time and then compress it using a hand tamper. After ensuring that the base is well compressed, repeat this process until you have the base of the desired depth. Recheck for any uneven spots.

Step 5 - Use the Flexible Edging

These keep the shape of your project intact. Place the plastic or steel restraints around where you intend to place the pavers and lock them with spikes.

Step 6 - Sand Layering

man installing pavers

Use sand to fill up around 1 to 1.5 inches of your base. With the help of a screed pipe, level the sand surface.

Step 7 - Pavers

Pavers are to be placed in a straight line without unsettling the sand. Ensure that the pavers are leveled properly. You could use a saw to cut and fit the pavers to the edges.

Step 8 - Hand Tamper

Once the pavers are in place use hand tampers to make sure they are well compressed into the sand.

Step 9 - Fill the Gaps

Use the sand to fill in any gaps between the pavers. The sand should be dry and the gaps should be completely filled.