Paver Repair & Re-Sanding in Marysville

Pavers rise and fall because of what sits under them. CMHA, the trade group that now publishes the old ICPI paver guides, traces most raised sections to frost heave, which needs freezing weather, a frost-susceptible soil and a supply of water at once. Ice lenses form as water wicks up to the freezing front, and the harm comes from uneven lift. A thaw works from the top down and traps meltwater above still-frozen ground, so the soil softens and a refreeze adds to the lift. Ground lifted by frost can settle back as it thaws, so we judge a heaved section once the thaw is over.

Sunken spots have other causes: a base or soil that settled, often from too little compaction when it went in, a base that stays saturated, bedding sand spread too thick, or bedding that washed out. At the border, a loose edge restraint lets pavers creep outward. Joints that have only lost sand need a re-sand, and polymeric sand never goes in as a top-up; its makers want the joints cleared at least an inch and a half deep first. When the pavers also need cleaning and a sealer, that belongs to paver restoration.

CMHA suggests fixing anything more than an eighth of an inch proud before winter, since shovels and plow blades catch those edges. At a condominium such as Wildwood Condominium or Greenview Condominium on Michigan Ave, or one of the associations along River Rd near the St. Clair River, the walks may be the association's to repair, and the board is the one to send photos.