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Before considering any brick paver project it is important to have a plan which will require researching potential contractors, design ideas and the permitting process. The first and quite possibly the most important step in any brick paver project is hiring the RIGHT contractor. It is very important to hire a contractor that is properly licensed and insured. Hiring an improperly licensed contractor is not only illegal but can also end up being a very costly mistake. You can verify a contractor’s license at the following websites:
Palm
Beach County
https://www.pbcgov.org/ePZB.Admin.WebSPA/#/Container/Information_Status
Broward
County
https://dpepp.broward.org/BCS/Default.aspx?PossePresentation=SearchForContractorLicense
Martin
County
https://aca3.accela.com/MARTINCO/GeneralProperty/PropertyLookUp.aspx?isLicensee=Y&TabName=APO
It is also very important to research the reputation of a contractor you are considering hiring. Always check online reviews from sources such as Google, Better Business Bureau, Yelp, Houzz, Angie’s List, Home Advisor, and Facebook. Also, don’t hesitate to ask for references and examples of their recent work.
Make sure that your contractor adheres to the proper permitting and approval requirements. Some communities are regulated by homeowners associations referred to as HOA’s. It is often necessary to get HOA approval to install brick pavers. You may also be required to obtain a permit within your municipality depending on the type of project. It is possible for a homeowner to pull their own “owner/builder” permit, however the homeowner would still be legally required to use a properly licensed contractor to perform any of the work that would not be directly supervised by the homeowner.
Once you have done your due diligence by researching brick paver contractors and have decided to get a free estimate from us, we will schedule an on-site consultation with a sales representative/project manager. Your representative will analyze the site conditions, discuss the details of your design ideas and determine the overall outcome you wish to achieve from the project. Next, they will provide the necessary brochures to showcase the different shapes, colors, patterns and types of products available for your project. Finally, they will gather the necessary measurements and details to determine the procedures and requirements necessary to complete the project. Shortly after the initial consultation, a formal proposal will be provided to you outlining the details and scope of work to be performed. Ongoing support and consultation will also be provided to help answer any questions that may arise and to help you with the decision-making process.
Should you decide that you would like to move forward with the project, the projected start date could range anywhere from 3 to 8 weeks or more. Most paver manufacturers typically require 3 to 6 weeks to produce standard pavers, whereas some of the less common or specialty pavers can have lead times of up to 10 weeks or even more. Also, permits may require anywhere from 3 to 10 weeks to be approved and issued depending on the complexity of the job, and the municipality and departments involved with the application process. For repairs and smaller jobs that do not require permitting and require brick pavers that may be in stock, there will be a much shorter lead time. Sometimes as little as 1 or 2 weeks.
Triple M Brick Pavers is a licensed brick paver contractor in Palm Beach County, Martin County and Broward County. We have been in business since 1997 and are well respected and well known throughout South Florida. We are familiar with a plethora of HOA communities and understand the permitting requirements and processes.
HOW TO INSTALL BRICK PAVERS
STEP 1. LAYOUT AND EXCAVATION:
Always
make sure that Sunshine 811 is called at least 48 hours before the commencement
of excavation. This is a free service that will locate and mark any public
underground utilities such as electrical lines, communications lines, gas
lines, potable water, reclaimed water, and sewer and drain lines. It’s not just
a suggestion, IT’S THE LAW.
Once all the utilities have been
located it is time to proceed with the excavation process. First, the area
should be marked with paint. Use a square as necessary to ensure that the brick
pavers will be square to surrounding buildings and structures as necessary. Using
stakes and string lines determine the proper elevations and exact layout. In
most cases, there should be a minimum of 1% of pitch to allow for proper
drainage. This is equivalent to 1 inch per 8 feet. Ensure pitch is directed
away from house foundations. It may be necessary to use channel drains, catch
basins or French drains to aid with proper drainage. Once the string lines are
in place, the existing asphalt, concrete, grass, earth, or existing surface should
be removed to a depth that allows enough room for brick pavers and rock base.
It is also important to remove any underlying surface roots and vegetation from
the sub-base as this will deteriorate over time and cause settling. In cases
where large trees exist close by, it may be necessary to install a root barrier
to prevent roots from disturbing the base in the future. If you think you may
need to route future utilities such as irrigation or electric through the area
being paved, consider burying a 2” PVC “sleeve” that can be used to route these
utilities in the future. It is also a good idea to test run the irrigation
system at this time and inspect for damaged pipes or sprinkler heads that may
be within the installation area. After the area is excavated and prepared the sub-base
should be compacted with a vibratory plate compactor.
STEP 2. INSTALLING THE BASE:
Typically, in South Florida, recycled concrete is used for brick paver base. 2” to 3” of crushed concrete is usually enough for patios, walkways, pool decks and other pedestrian areas, where 4” to 6” will be required for standard residential driveways and vehicular areas. In commercial projects, such as roadways, 8” to 12” of base may be necessary. Most small compactors only compact a depth of 3” to 4”, so it is important to install and compact your base in lifts of 3” to 4”. For vehicular applications it is highly recommended that a heavy-duty reversible plate compactor or a vibratory roller be used to achieve proper compaction. If the base material is dry, be sure to apply water to help with the compaction process. After the initial compacted rock base is installed, up to 1” of screening sand should be installed. It is very common to scratch the surface of the compacted concrete sand and use this as the screening sand. Level the screening bed to a smooth finish and do not compact. The non-compacted screening bed will aid in the final leveling of the brick pavers when they are compacted in the final steps.
STEP 3.
INSTALLING THE BRICK PAVERS:
It may
be necessary to use a square to establish a starting point of the brick pavers
to be installed. You can use string lines above the brick paver surface or use
a chalk line to snap lines every so often on the base as a reference in order
to keep the lines of the pattern straight and square. Do not install brick pavers
by dragging them across the base to meet the previously placed brick pavers.
This will push sand in between the joints of the brick pavers and create large
gaps between the brick pavers. Instead, brick pavers should be installed using
the “click-and-drop” method. This technique is achieved by holding the brick paver
approximately 1” above the base and contacting it with the sides of the previously
placed brick pavers (click). Then, lower the brick paver down to the base
(drop). When installing brick pavers that are more than one color (color
blends), it is important to install the brick pavers from several pallets at a
time. This will ensure an even color blend throughout the installation area and
minimize the blotching of one color in any section.
STEP 4.
CUTTING THE EDGES & INSTALLING THE BORDER
Brick
pavers should be laid beyond the point where you intend to cut them. For
straight edges, use a chalk line to mark where the brick pavers will be cut.
For curved edges, use a very flexible, small diameter PVC pipe to create the
desired curve and mark the brick pavers with a pencil. The brick pavers can now
be cut in place using a concrete saw. After the edges have been cut, remove the
cut pieces from the outside edge. It is now time to install the soldier course border.
Cut the border as necessary to ensure a proper fit. Borders along curved edges
will require “pie cuts” to eliminate gaps and ensure that border bricks fit
tightly against one another.
STEP 5.
SECURING THE BRICK PAVER BORDER WITH EDGE RESTRAINTS
The
most important step of installing any brick paver installation is securing the
edges. The border is where most brick paver installations fail. If the border
fails, the brick pavers will lose their interlock and begin to spread, shift
and sink. When using 1” remodel brick pavers over existing concrete, the border
is simply thin-set to the underlying concrete. When installing full sized brick
pavers over a rock base there are several methods to secure brick paver edges.
For standard residential projects there are three common methods; plastic or metal
edge restraints, concrete restraints troweled in place on the side of the
border and concrete footer restraints placed underneath the border. Be sure to
test the irrigation system before installing edges restraints and inspect for
pipes that may have been broken or cut during the installation process.
Plastic
or metal brick paver edge restraints are flexible L-shaped strips that are nailed
in place using spikes inserted into the base material. With this method it is
important to extend the brick paver base at least 6” beyond the border edge for
stability. Pros: This type of brick paver edge restraint is cheap and easy
to install, especially with curved edges as they are flexible. Also, they are installed
directly against the edge of the brick paver and the bottom of the restraint is
level with the bottom of the brick paver which allows the proper depth to
install sod, mulch or stone right up to the edge of the brick pavers. Cons: Much
of the ground in South Florida is soft sand which would require the base to
extend far beyond the edge of the brick pavers and much deeper in order to
secure the nails or spikes used to hold the restraint in place. Also, it is
possible for the nails or spikes to loosen or even deteriorate over time. In
general, this method is not commonly used in South Florida.
Troweled
in place concrete brick paver edge restraints are the most commonly used edge
restraint in the South Florida area. After the brick paver border is installed
a small trench is cut on the outside edge of the border, usually approximately
3” to 4” wide by 3” to 4” deep. Then, concrete is placed in the trench and
troweled to a smooth finish. Pros: This is the quickest and cheapest
method of installing brick paver edge restraints. Cons: The top of the
concrete is installed close to the top of the surface of the brick paver border,
which does not allow enough depth to install sod, mulch or stone. It also makes
it very difficult for landscapers to properly use edging equipment to manicure
the grass along brick paver edges. Typically, it ends up being exposed and is
very unsightly. The concrete is typically made using Portland cement mixed with
recycled concrete sand. If the proper mix of cement, sand and water is not
achieved it is susceptible to cracking and failure. Also, it is usually not
very thick or deep which also makes it susceptible to cracking and failure. Typically,
we do not recommend this type of brick paver edge restraint and usually only
warranty this type of installation for a 1-year period. For a 10-year warranty,
read the next section about concrete footer restraints under the border.
Concrete
footer restraints are installed underneath the outer border of the brick
pavers. In this process a trench is dug underneath the border a minimum of 3”
to 4” deep and the width of the border, which is typically at least 6”-9” wide.
The trench is then filled with concrete and leveled. Then, a thin layer of
thin-set mortar is applied to the bottom of the brick paver border to provide a strong bond to the
concrete footer. The border pavers are installed and leveled one at a time using
a mallet. If this type of edge restraint is used in a vehicular application, it
is very important to ensure that the concrete footer spans the entire width of
the border. If a brick paver with vehicular traffic is installed partially over
concrete and partially over sand, it will be susceptible to cracking. This is because
brick pavers installed over sand are designed to flex and brick pavers
installed over concrete are not. Pros: This is by far the strongest type
of brick paver edge restraint as it is much larger. It effectively bonds the
entire edge together as one consistent entity. In theory, for any of the border
to move, the entire border would have to move or break. Because the concrete
restraint is entirely underground it leaves plenty of room to install sod,
mulch or stone right up to the edge of the brick pavers. This method is also
very beneficial in installations where there isn’t enough room to extend the
base beyond the edge of the brick pavers, such as, against fences or small
planters. We highly recommend this type of edge restraint and typically offer a
10-year warranty with this type of installation. Cons: This method is more
costly because it requires more concrete along with an added layer of thin set.
It is also much more labor intensive and time consuming.
STEP 6.
INSTALLING THE JOINT SAND AND FINAL COMPACTION
The final step is to install sand between the brick paver joints. Begin by spreading a dry, thin layer of fine sand, such as mason sand over the entire surface of the brick pavers. Next, use a vibratory plate compactor over the entire installation area. This will lock the pavers into place by compacting them into the bed of screening sand below and vibrate the joint sand down to the bottom of the brick paver joints. Then, sweep the sand that remains on the surface back and forth until it fills the remainder of the joints. Add more sand as necessary. Finally, use a water hose and broom to clean the brick paver surface and surrounding areas. It is not uncommon for the joint sand to settle or migrate a bit over the days and weeks following installation and will never be as aesthetically pleasing and permanent as grout. The joint sand is there to keep the bricks from moving and will do its job if it is a minimum of 2/3 of the way to the top of the brick paver surface. For a more permanent joint sand solution consider using a polymeric sand which contains polymers that will harden when water is applied. Polymeric sand will also help stabilize joint sand, minimize weed growth and deter ants and other insects.