How set on the pavers are you? If it is just that the concrete is boring, have you considered using some kind of stain on it? I did that last summer to my back patio/previous owner's dogrun. There is no way I could deal with a jackhammer.

If you added concrete, is there someone in your area who does stamped/colored concrete? I'm seeing that on a lot of driveways, and it looks good. I don't know how the layers wear, though.

I don't know if this is helpful or not, but 23 years ago we moved into our home that had cement walks and had brick put over them. Then were laid in sand. It has worked out beautifully. We live in Massachusetts so I think we have the winter weather issue as well. We've never had a loose brick of any kind.

They install pavers over concrete with a 1" sand bed here(LI,NY)all the time on driveways. Pour the concrete first and then lay the pavers. Driveways look fine years later. You get to see alot of work close up when you walk the dog all the time.
Ron

How about just laying some sand down on top of concrete and setting the pavers on top of that and be done with it. Would that work for a patio? I'm in a condo with a 10x15 front concrete patio. I can't go tearing out the concrete, but I'm bored with the plain concrete look. Weather in this part of NorCal is fairly mild all year long. This was just an idea that came to mind for a summertime project.

Thanks!!!

I have 3 year old house with a boring concreate sidewalk & driveway. I was thinking of spliting paving blocks down to 1 1/2" thick, so it would not rase the driveway up to high, and eather gluing them over over the concreate ? Will this work ??? Should I lay sand instead ? I am open for ideals.

Thanks

You can lay pavers over a GOOD concrete patio. I am doing this. I researched this extensively and found out that you can either lay the pavers right on the concret or lay a thin layer of sand first. The edge pavers must be thin set mortared so that the rest will be locked in...But DONT mortar the whole thing. I live in Minnestoa where it got to -30 f this year. I am not worried about water getting beneath the pavers because everything that I read from actual Paver companies say that the water actually washing right off the top just like a concrete patio. This is done when the sand is properly swept between pavers! Don't worry about the weather and do this project! However, don't forget to make sure you have enough room for your door!

Hi:

I plan on laying brick over an existing covered concrete patio. I was going to 'raise' the patio by laying 2 courses of solder bricks and holding them down with thinset and then filling the area with sand 1 brick layer high and then setting the rest of the brick within. My question is should I leave a 1/2 inch gap between the bricks in the lower course of the solder bricks at the edge of the patio where the grade is lowest to allow for drainage? Would the 1/8 inch space between the bricks already be enough to allow drainage for water that got underneath the bricks?

Thanks!

I had flagstone installed over a decent (but 30 year old) concrete patio and the results have been good so far. I live near Washington, DC. It was some sort of concrete mix over the old concrete and flagstone on top of that.
As for pavers---I'm not sure, but I get the feeling that sometimes sand is used because it's less costly and easier, not better. Over time, sand will start to settle and the surface can become irregular in some cases. Concrete is a solid foundation that shouldn't settle---unless the entire slab settles in one direction---but that's different.

Please help. I live in AZ. I have had 7 quotes. Six of the seven say to lay the pavers over concrete in sand. One guy insists on wet setting. Im so confused. Please help. Its too expensive of a mistake. The thin set guy is very convincing,yet I don't know.