How to Install Geopavers

How to Install Geopavers - wikiHow/**/

the how to manual that you can edit

Sign Up or Log In or Log In via | Help HomeArticlesCommunityMy Profile Edit Home / Categories / Home and Garden / Home Improvements and Repairs / ConcreteHow to Install Geopavers originated by:BR, Davjohn, Flickety, Eric (see all)

Article Edit Discuss View HistoryTweet Finished geopaver driveway that serves as a fire department access at a dormitory.

Geopavers are a practical and durable paving option for driveways and parking areas. They allow stormwater to drain through them rather than running off and contributing to problems in areas with poor drainage. While installing them is simple, it is a labor intensive project. Here is a guide to making the project successful.

edit Steps1Plan your project requirements. If you don't have a set of plans created by a civil engineer, you'll need to design your own project. Consider the following points before you invest your time and money in the project:Soil conditions. Geopavers need a stable subgrade material with at least moderate drainage to be effective and structurally sound.Topography of the location. Geopavers are best suited for fairly level, flat surfaces. Special conditions may require the use of a geotextile fabric to insure the stability of the finished project.Permitting. Local government agencies may have specific permitting and engineering requirements for surface pavements, including geopaver installation.Accessibility. Heavy materials must be installed at the location you choose, so make sure you have a means of handling them safely and effectively.2Select the geopavers you'll use for your project. They come in various sizes and configurations, so contacting potential suppliers will give you ideas of what is available and what is suitable for your project. Always check the manufacturer's installation instructions, if available; this article details a specific product, and other products may have requirements that differ substantially.3Determine the size of the area you'll be paving. Geopavers come in a number of configurations, including the 16 inch by 24 inch (40cm by 60.9cm) pavers shown in the illustrations. Multiplying the width times the length of your project area, then dividing the result by the size of the pavers will yield the approximate number of pavers the project will require. In the example in the photographs, an irregularly shaped area about 75 feet by (average width of) 30 feet (22.8 meters by 9.1 meters) meant about 1800 pavers were required. Also consider the following materials you will need:Subgrade fill. This is the additional soil (or a quantity of soil that needs to be removed, if an excess amount is present) to give you a subgrade that is prepared for installing base.Base material. This is a stable material that gives the finished project the desired structural properties. For heavy duty use, like the fire department access ramp in the illustrations, crushed concrete base material was installed over compacted fill to a depth of 8 inches (20.cm), then packed to a 95 percent density using a plate compactor.Setting sand. Clean concrete sand is placed on the base material at a thickness of about 1 inch (2.cm), to allow the individual pavers to be leveled when they installed.Fill material. Usually, clean sand is used to fill the joints and cells of the pavers, but the engineering requirements for the project in the photos meant filling them with #57 limestone aggregate.4Order the materials from the appropriate suppliers in your area. Do this after you've calculated the quantities, requested prices, and established the exact materials you'll use to meet your specific needs.5Clear the area for the installation. Remove plants, large rocks, and other items which will interfere with installing the pavers. Relocate any underground utilities that may be affected, such as phone and cable television lines and lawn sprinkler pipes and heads.6Grade the subgrade area to a depth of about 12 inches (30.4cm) below the finished elevation of the pavement. This can vary according to the amount of base material you need and the thickness of the geopavers you choose.7Compact the subgrade material and then add the base material, grading it to the elevation your project requires. Compact the base material with a plate compactor (or even a vibratory roller, for large projects), then recheck the grade.8 Grading the sand setting bed with a landscape rake.Install the setting bed of graded, clean concrete sand. This material should be approximately 1 inch (2.5cm) thick, and must be leveled and compacted so that the pavers will set flatly on it. Using an asphalt rake (or landscape rake) makes leveling the sand easier. If you don't have an experienced eye for leveling the material, use a straightedge and screed the sand flat.9 Starting a row of pavers at the edge of a sidewalk.Set a paver on the edge of the area where your layout begins, and ease it into place. Square it up, using a stringline if no appurtenance is located to that location for you to abut to.10 Preparing to set the next paver in the row.Tap the paver with a heavy rubber mallet to set it in the sand, then place the next paver on its edge adjacent to the first. Lay it down the same way, making sure it is aligned with and flush to the first paver. Make sure the joint between the two pavers is kept tight, and continue laying pavers along the edge until you come to the end of the pavement area.11 Continuing to lay the pavers, making sure the joints of the edges stay tight.Begin the next row of pavers. Proceed in the same way followed in the previous step, keeping the side joints tight, and the top of the pavers level.12 Cutting a paver with a drycut diamond blade on a demolition sawCut any pavers that do not fit correctly, so the individual lines of pavers remain true. Geopavers may vary in shape and size significantly depending on the manufacturer, and these differences may result in accumulative gain in individual rows of pavers if not addressed as they're installed.Wear a respirator to protect you from being contaminated by the paver dust.13 Notice the edge is jagged along this radius, placing a concrete toe curb here would look much better.Cut any pavers along the edges if they don't accurately fit the footprint of your paving project, or if radius edges or other out-of square shapes are used.14Inspect the levelness and trueness of the pavers when you've finished laying them. Tap down any pavers that aren't flush to the adjacent pavers with your rubber mallet. If possible, avoid raising low pavers, as the addition of setting sand to accomplish this will not be as stable as it should be.15 Their pavers are filled with limestone aggregate, not the initial author's preference.Fill the pavers with the material you choose for this purpose. Generally, clean masonry sand or concrete sand is a good choice if no overriding conditions mandate the use of other materials.16Clean up. Sweep the sand or other fill material into the paver joints and cells with a push broom, allowing plenty of excess so all voids will be filled completely. You may use water to wash the material into the joints, especially if fine sand is used.

edit Tips A backhoe or front-end loader makes hauling the material much easier.Consider renting equipment for clearing or grading large areas, as this can be a back breaking task.Secure the help of friends and family members for this project if possible.

edit WarningsPavers are very heavy, and can be easily broken if handled carelessly.Pavers, such as the ones in the above pictures, frequently have gaps large enough to snare crutches, causing the injured and handicapped to fall. Don't use these types anywhere you think people might want or need to walk.

edit Things You'll NeedConstruction materials including base material, fill sand, and pavers.Tools, including shovels, rakes, a rubber mallet, and a concrete saw if cutting is necessary.Safety equipment, including gloves, safety glasses, and boots.Tools and equipment for grading, clearing, and compacting the work area.

edit Related wikiHowsHow to Install Pedestal PaversHow to Install Tactile PaversHow to Remove Fat Splashed on PaversHow to Install Permeable PaversHow to Install PaversArticles for You to WriteHere is a list of suggested articles that have not yet been written. You can help by researching and writing one of these articles. To get started writing one of these articles, click on the red link of a title below.

How to Make a Live Bug CatcherHow to Hire a Gardener or GroundskeeperHow to Decorate a Home Office in Minimalist StyleHow to Decorate Like Kate SpadeHow to Decorate With Cake Stands Article Info Featured Article

Last edited:
October 25, 2010 by Anonymous

Categories:
Featured Articles | Concrete

Recent edits by: Eric, Flickety, Davjohn (see all)

Article Tools Share this Article: Tweet
Discuss PrintEmailWatch Edit Send fan mail to authors + Embed this: Republish this entire article on your blog or website.

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 33,394 times.

Was this article accurate?

YesNo

Write An Article Random Article Related wikiHowsInstall Pedestal PaversInstall Tactile PaversRemove Fat Splashed on PaversInstall Permeable Pavers Featured ArticlesUse Your Old Jack O LanternCook for CatsAsk for a Pay RaiseDeal With Psychic Vampires Recent Changes Want to join in?

Meet a Community Member

Meet Wingrider, who joined wikiHow in 2008. You'll often find him helping to make wikiHow's newest articles the best they can be.

Join The Community

- collapse Things to Do Write an Article Edit this Article Request a New Article Answer a RequestLogin for more! + expand Places to Visit Recent Changes ForumsCommunity Portal Follow Us On...
the how to manual that you can edit

Home About wikiHow Help Terms of Use RSS Site map
Explore Categories Arts and Entertainment Cars and Other Vehicles Computers and Electronics Education and Communications Family Life Finance and Business Food and Entertaining Health Hobbies and Crafts Holidays and Traditions Home and Garden Other Personal Care and Style Pets and Animals Philosophy and Religion Relationships Sports and Fitness Travel wikiHow Work World Youth wikiHow is a carbon neutral website

All text shared under a Creative Commons License.

Powered by Mediawiki.

COMSCORE.beacon({ c1:2, c2:8003466, c3:"", c4:"", c5:"", c6:"", c15:"" }); li#pt-openidlogin { background: url(/extensions/OpenID/skin/icons/openid-inputicon.png) top left no-repeat; padding-left: 20px; text-transform: none;}