Paver installation
A hard surface that moves with the ground
Poured concrete in this soil eventually cracks, and once it does the only repair is breaking it out. Pavers behave differently. Because the surface is made of many small units on a flexible base, ground movement spreads through the joints instead of splitting the slab.
That is why we build patios, pool decks, courtyard floors and parking aprons in pavers. It also means a damaged unit can be lifted and replaced years later without touching the rest, which is not something a slab will ever offer.
Got an area to pave? Call Palms Living Oasis and we will measure it and price it properly.
How is a paver surface actually built?
In layers, and most of them are invisible. We excavate to depth, which is deeper than most people expect, then lay and compact a crushed stone base in lifts so it consolidates properly rather than settling later. A screeded bedding layer goes over that, the pavers are set to the pattern and the falls, the perimeter is locked in with edge restraint, and the joints are filled and compacted so the whole field acts as one surface. Skip the restraint and the edges creep outward, which is the most common failure we get called to fix as a paving contractor in Richardson.
What depth of base does a patio or drive need?
It depends on what is going on top of it. A patio carrying furniture and foot traffic needs less than a parking area carrying a truck, and heavy clay needs more than a well drained site. It is not a number you can quote before you have looked at the ground.
The industry body for this work, the Concrete Masonry and Hardscapes Association, publishes the specifications these surfaces are supposed to be built to. We dig test holes on site and build to what the ground actually needs.
Patios and pool decks built to stay level
Free on-site estimates across the Dallas metro from a family run crew working here since 2008.
Call (972) 464-7000Do pavers work around a pool?
They are one of the best options there. The surface stays cooler underfoot than a dark slab, the joints let splash out drain rather than sheet across the deck, and coping edges can be set dead level, which matters because everybody's eye follows the waterline. Around water we pay extra attention to the falls, so the deck drains away from the pool and away from the house rather than into the soft ground at the edge. Where the paved area meets a path or a route through the yard, that becomes a paved path or stepping stone run and gets set out the same careful way.
What patterns and materials do you use?
Choice of unit and pattern changes both the look and the strength of the finished surface. Running bond looks calm and suits a long terrace. Herringbone interlocks the most and is the pattern to use anywhere vehicles run. Larger format units read as a floor and suit a modern house; smaller units suit a traditional one. Color matters more than people expect too, because a dark surface in a Dallas summer gets uncomfortably hot. We bring samples and lay them out on site in daylight before anything is ordered.
Ask a turf installer
Straight answers about artificial turf in North Texas
Are pavers more expensive than concrete?
The material costs more up front and the base work is more involved. What you get back is a surface that does not crack across in clay soil and can be repaired in sections later.
Will weeds grow between the pavers?
Anything you see is usually growing in debris that has collected in the joints, not pushing up from below. Properly filled and compacted joints plus an occasional sweep keeps it clean.
Can pavers take a vehicle?
Yes, when they are specified for it. Vehicle areas need a deeper compacted base, a thicker unit and an interlocking pattern such as herringbone. We build driveways differently from patios.
How long does a paver patio take to install?
Most home patios are a matter of days, with the excavation and base taking as long as the laying. Bad access, wet ground or extra drainage work adds time and we say so up front.
Can you repair a paver area that has sunk?
Yes. We lift the affected section, correct the base underneath and reset the same units. Because the surface is modular, the repair usually disappears completely once the joints are refilled.
What maintenance do pavers need?
Sweep them, wash them occasionally and top the joint filler up if it washes low. There is no annual resurfacing, and any single damaged unit can be swapped out.