Use Pavers Over Concrete to Cover Your Concrete Patio

Sometimes there comes the need to cover your concrete patio and the best way I found is to use pavers over concrete. These pavers seem to do the best job of it. If you like to deal with DIY stuff around the home, then this task might be just for you. It is not rocket science but it needs some attention to details and patience as well as a fatter wallet for upfront costs.

One reason why you’d want to use pavers over concrete is because you will really transform any concrete patio into a unique and beautiful sight that all your guests and friends will admire to no end. Your entire patio will really look the part once the job is done.

First of all you need to clean your concrete slab with some detergent mixed with water. Simply use the liquid on the slab surface and really scrub it in. Then use a hose to rinse it well.

Next you need to etch the top surface of your slab of concrete and you can use a commercial concrete cleaner for it. All you need is read the guidelines that are on the back of the pack to know exactly what you’re doing during cleaning.

Once the etching job is done, you need to prepare your mortar in something big. Use a wide container for it, such as a 5 gallon bucket. One reason for this is that it’s not something expensive and you can easily dump it away once the job is done. Use the directions on the package to make a good mixture of your mortar.

Once it is all mixed well, take a thicker layer of the mixture and lay it on the surface of the concrete slab. The layer should not be thicker than 1 inch though. When you have the mortar layer down nicely on the surface, it’s time to add your pavers over concrete. Just space them around half an inch apart from each other. Don’t forget to keep checking every few feet that what you laid down is even and level. You don’t want a patio that is not pleasing to the eyes. Believe me the eyes can spot any mismatching brick right away.

When the bricks are all laid on the concrete, leave the whole thing be for around 2 days, to give enough time for the mortar to actually set and become solid and durable for your patio.

As a last step you need to fill the tiny cracks that are between the pavers. You can use polymeric sand for this. Go slowly over the surface with a broom and make sure that the sand enters each little space between the pavers. The final result should not have any empty spaces as it will cause the actual pavers to move later on and cause you drainage.