Tips For Using Antique Pavers

If there is one great thing about upcycling, it is the endless horizons that it opens up for your imagination. You get to think out of the box, and you get to customize to your heart’s content. Antique pavers are particularly great for reusing- they’re like Legos in their endless versatility. There are, however, some good tips for using antique pavers to make the most out of them. Read our bricklaying tips below to help get you started.

– Set Your Pattern And Plan Ahead of Time

You can decide on a random pattern if it fits the overall look of your path or patio, but even then, you should have a plan for where you will put your pavers. This will get you the tight fit that is crucial for floors, and it will let your accurately estimate how many pavers you need. There are tracing patterns that you can get off the internet. You can also draw up your own pattern by hand. Just remember to plan in some edging in any path or patio plan to keep the pavers from shifting around. The edging will consist of metal or concrete lining that rests against the edge of your paving.

– Pay Attention To The Base, And The Rest Will Go Smoothly.

It is also important to set your foundations correctly. Make sure that there is a slope to any paved area and that there is a drain in the low spots so that it drains correctly. Dig your foundation deeper than the root line, which is at least 6 inches deep. This will make sure that your flooring won’t get ripped up by roots and that your base is solidly in place. You also might want to invest in a leveler to make absolutely certain that the sand subfloor is completely flat before laying down any pavers. The great thing here is that if you set the foundation correctly (which is relatively simple to do,) your handiwork can last centuries with minimal upkeep.

– Best Joint Filler To Use For Your Projects

Cement-based sand comes highly recommended for joint filler when installing antique pavers. Mortared joint filler works fine, though, for most applications.

– Clean Carefully

Antique pavers may need a cleaning once or twice a year to keep their luster. When they need a little buffing up, remember to clean them with water from a power washer. They don’t need anything stronger than good old H2O. A nail brush will get off anything more stubborn. If you have cobblestones and you want to remove snow from them, use a rubber or poly edged shovel. That will slide over the cobblestones for maximum effectiveness. You might have to pull some weeds from between pavers, too.
You generally don’t need to add any sealant to keep antique pavers waterproof or lustrous, so that should be all the maintenance you need to perform most of the time to keep the antique pavers beautiful.

– Consider The Type Of Antique Paver

There are many types of pavers, and each one has its own special points. There are cobblestones, bricks, street pavers, common pavers and Belgian blocks. Bricks and common are very popular for their varieties of texture and color. They give you about a million design options for projects such as paths and pool surrounds. Belgian Blocks are gray and long, giving you some excellent building materials for such projects as retaining walls and bird baths. Which type of antique paver you choose depends on the look you are going for and what design features you want.
Antique pavers are pretty easy to work with, inviting your average home-improvement fan to create all sorts of things. If you plan your project carefully and heed these simple bricklaying tips, they will be some of the most rewarding materials you ever worked with. If you are thinking of starting a project with antique pavers, contact us. We have the best type of paver for you.
Purchased on: Thursday, June 8th, 2017