I need to reset the pavers for this patio and I have the feeling that, by its look I have to redo the entire patio since the filler that is visible in this picture seems to have reached the end of its life cycle.

Here is a still intact area


And here is one of the many areas where the filler is gone:

 

It looks like concrete pavers (that are 5,000 to 10,000 psi compressive strength)that are normally set on a compacted base (4"-6" thick) and 1" thick uncompacted sand bed (you can tell by the champfered edges). Normally they are set tight (1/16"to 1/8"joint) and sand is lightly spread on the surface and vibrated with a plate compacted to even the surface and created an interlock for the pavement strength. - That is the way it is done for patios, streets, roads and airport taxiways.

No mortar is used in laying interlocking pavers and the filler is rarely seen after installation. - Is there any uneven or over-all settlement?

Dick

 

Hi ConcreteMasonry
Yes, I have been posted many messages on my issue, the patio collects water and that flows toward the house wall. I do need to rest them. I have looked at the pavers and the space between them seems to be sealed with something ...I am afraid to make a comparison here but it looks like a sealant that aged. I have to reset just a specific area and I would like to match the colour and the material that was used previously. I take it that you can not figure out what it is... what else can I do to make it look decent after I reset the pavers ?

 

There could have been a polymeric sand in the joints that is sometimes used on residential work (usually not on commercial civil or industrial). The sand for the joints is finer than normal sand (concrete sand) and can almost disappear with dirt or surface debris in in the top. Sometimes, it can stain pavers, but usually the polymeric stain wears off with weather and time.

You can rip it up and possibly reuse the pavers, but it hard to get a place to start - Usually a corner gives you a good start. Don't ever try to pull one out when it is surrounded because the interlock is so strong. To regrade, your would have the get the right slope that gives you a compact base and enough height for the new 1" screeded sand setting bed and the paver height (usually 80 mm pavers on residential work). The slope of the compacted base should be where you want the slope for drainage, so you can keep the uniform 1"sand setting bed. You do not adjust the slope by changing the setting bed thickness.

Dick

 

Thanks Dick!

I am also planning to put a french drain between the patio and the wall, are there any recommendations regarding the edge between the patio and the french drain and the french drain and the wall?