Paver FAQ: the questions that don't belong to one service page
Eight answers here, thirteen pointers to the full answers.
Paver questions answered here
Why do my new pavers have a white haze?
Efflorescence: soluble salts carried to the surface by water in the first weeks. It's harmless and mostly washes out; sealing over it traps it. The efflorescence guide has the timeline.
What pattern should a pool deck use?
Running bond or a modular pattern for stone and large pavers; herringbone isn't needed without vehicle loads. Driveways are herringbone.
Do pavers need edge restraint on a lanai under a cage?
Yes, but a spiked plastic restraint on the base is fine there because nothing can lift it; concrete curbs go where the cage anchors land and on any edge the water can reach.
Can old pavers be reused in a new layout?
Usually. Concrete and stone pavers are lifted, rinsed and stacked; the base is rebuilt; the same units go back in the new pattern with new polymeric sand. Expect 5 to 10 percent breakage.
Why did the pavers along my seawall lift?
Surge or high tide got under a plastic restraint set in bedding sand and floated it, then the field followed. The fix is a concrete curb on the base.
How much slope do pavers need?
1/8 inch per foot away from the house, same as concrete, and toward a drain under a cage.
Are clay brick pavers a good idea here?
For walks and patios in traditional neighborhoods west of the Trail, yes. Fewer vehicular sizes and colors; they handle salt well and don't fade.
Can pavers go directly on sand?
On sand alone, no. On 1 inch of bedding sand over a compacted crushed base, yes. Pavers on raw sand is why so many Gulf Gate patios roll like waves.
Canonical answers on other pages
- What base do pavers need on a high water table?
- Base depth for driveway pavers
- How long does a paver driveway last in Florida?
- Are permeable pavers strong enough for a driveway?
- What is polymeric sand and when is it replaced?
- Why do weeds and ants keep coming back?
- What is efflorescence?
- How often are pavers sealed near the Gulf?
- Why did my sealer peel or turn white?
- What makes pavers sink?
- What to do with pavers after storm surge
- When can pavers go over a lanai slab?
- Rust stains from well water
The specification these answers assume
| Item | Value on this site |
|---|---|
| Base, patios and pool decks | 4 inches compacted crushed limerock |
| Base, driveways | 6 inches, 8 inches on wet lots |
| Lifts | 3 inches maximum, each compacted to refusal |
| Geotextile | Where the subgrade pumps under the compactor |
| Bedding | 1 inch screeded concrete sand, not compacted before laying |
| Paver thickness | 2-3/8 inch pedestrian, 3-1/8 inch vehicular; 1-1/4 inch natural stone; 2 cm porcelain |
| Pattern | Herringbone for vehicular; running bond and basketweave for pedestrian only |
| Edge restraint | Spikes into the base on protected edges; poured concrete curb where a tire or surge can reach |
| Joint sand | Polymeric, full depth, compacted, activated, 24 to 48 dry hours |
| Sealing | Breathable penetrating sealer after 30 days; 18 to 24 month coastal cycle |
The single line that separates a 25-year driveway from a 5-year one is the lift depth, which is why it appears on the paver pillar and on every driveway page. The line that causes most callbacks is bedding depth: sand used to level a low base is what most so-called sinking pavers actually are.
Last reviewed September 10, 2026 by the Sarasota Concrete editorial team (author name pending owner input).