Corrugated Drain Tile Under Walkways is a "No No"

Greetings from The Brick Paver Dr. - On a regular basis, we run into homes with brick paver walkways in which the "builder special" has occurred. What does this mean? This means that either the builder of the house or the brick paving company put a budget drain tile under the walkway. This weak design will collapse, shift, or plug up, and then affect the walkway itself, and possibly cause water management problems. Bad water management means potential other expensive problems. What should you use instead? You should be using PVC pipe - and not schedule 30 - make sure you use schedule 40. It's a little more expensive, but it could save you a painful future repair. It's much more rigid. As always, if you have any questions let me know by contacting us at 1-866-80-PAVER, www.thebrickpaverdoctor.com.

Many are Anxious for The Spring of 2014 to Truly Begin

Many potential customers are setting up appointments to review brick paver patio troubleshooting, maintenance, and repairs, even though there is still snow on their patios. The bottom line is, everyone has had enough of this winter and is anxious to use his/her patio. It can't be long now! Thanks. The Brick Paver Dr. - www.thebrickpaverdoctor.com or 1-866-80-PAVER.

Brick Pavers After the Long 2014 Winter & Thaw

Hello Everyone,

We are very close to the Spring thaw we didn't think would ever arrive in 2014. Be careful to inspect your pavers for safety issues and causes of future improper water flow. They could be trip hazards and/or pavers sloping towards your home's foundation or other structures.

If you have any questions feel free to contact the The Brick Paver Doctor  www.thebrickpaverdoctor.com. We are happy to discuss your options. Thank you.  The Brick Paver Doctor  (866) 80-PAVER.

Cautious Spring Brick Paving

Greetings from The Brick Paver Dr.

This has been a cold and snowy winter. Therefore, the frost has been driven deep, possibly as much as 48".  What that means is before you do any brick paving repairs or troubleshooting/maintenance you want to make sure the frost is out of the ground. Otherwise, you could have future movement of your support base. This will then cause brick paver movement. Do not let your brick paver contractor rush you into an early Spring project, starting no earlier than May 1st. In the past 2 years you could start earlier, mid April, but not this year. Best of luck! As always, if you have any questions feel free to contact The Brick Paver Dr. at 1-866-80-PAVER or at our website www.thebrickpaverdoctor.com. Thank you, The Brick Paver Dr.

Why Do Retaining Walls Fail?

Why do retaining walls or raised patio walls fail / move / lean? 1. The installed base doesn't have enough depth, wrong type, and / or was not installed correctly. 2. The base material width does not sufficiently extend past the wall width. 3. The water behind the wall is not managed correctly and expands and causes wall displacement under cold conditions. 4. The correct type of wall material was not used and / or was not installed correctly, no adhesive, no pins, insufficient interlocking, no geo. Let us know if you have any questions or comments. Thank you, 1-866-80-PAVER or 248-854-1657 www.thebrickpaverdoctor.com The Brick Paver Dr.

Patios Cooking in the Winter

Hello from The Brick Paver Dr. - In looking at all the snow and cold outside it just confirms why we let patios sit through the winter. We have several patio projects in which we troubleshoot the base, compact all material appropriately and then just let them sit all winter. If you are not in a hurry to finish your project or have a "construction yard" this will minimize any settling which might impact the quality of your brick pavers or hardscape. We obviously prioritize completion of these projects in the Spring, like fine wine. Be sure to visit www.thebrickpaverdoctor.com or call us at 1-866-80-PAVER with your hardscape questions. Thank you - The Brick Paver Dr.

The 2nd Most Common Brick Paver Installation Error

The number one mistake by brick paver installers is they put the supporting base down incorrectly and it ends up not being "tight" throughout the base material depth - it's not compacted correctly. This is a huge topic for another day or visit our website at www.thebrickpaverdoctor.com. The number two mistake is that when contractors install the base, it is not installed wide enough to give full support of the outer edge of pavers and the restraint, whichever method is used. What this means is that your base has to be installed 6 inches wider per side than the actual paver surface. When not done correctly, over time the outer edge of the pavers, whether a patio or walkway, will washout and start to droop. This is one of the most common repairs on brick pavers. If you have any questions please contact The Brick Paver Dr. at www.thebrickpaverdoctor.com or call us toll free at 1-866-80-PAVER. Thank you, The Brick Paver Dr.

Brick Paver Information www.thebrickpaverdoctor.com or call 1-866-80-PAVER

Please contact us regardless of where you are in the country. We love to solve brick paver problems and give guidance to Do It Yourselfers. We can be reached through our website - www.thebrickpaverdoctor.com or directly toll free to 1-866-80-PAVER. We are located in the Metro Detroit, MI area, one of the worst environments for brick paver hardscape. It's a great place to get a wealth of experience. Thank you, The Brick Paver Doctor at www.thebrickpaverdoctor.com.

The Brick Paver Doctor - Specialists in Brick Paver Repair, Troubleshooting & Maintenance

The Mid West is a terrible environment for interlocking brick pavers, retaining walls and steps, but with the proper installation, you can have years of life and enjoyment out of your brick paver hardscape structures.

We look forward to discussing troubleshooting, repair and restoration, and maintenance projects with everyone - whatever your need may be, even water management issues. Please visit our website at www.thebrickpaverdoctor.com or call 1-(866)-80-PAVER.

We have a wealth of experience in brick paver repair and restoration. We pride ourselves in diagnosing the root cause of your problem and then offering a solution as well as a "guaranteed-as-new" repair. We are proud to serve the entire Metro Detroit area.

I look forward to discussing your project with you. Thank you. 1-866-80-PAVER, www.thebrickpaverdoctor.com.

Brick Paver Repairs, Metro Detroit

We also provide snow plowing services, therefore, we are always sensitive to our customers' brick paver hardscapes. Make sure your snow removal service doesn't "wham bam you", meaning harming your brick paver hardscape with their snow removal equipment. Most service providers are in a hurry and tend to hire inexperienced drivers that don't think about where they are pushing the snow or with what their snow plow is coming into contact. It is best to put out markers in the fall and identify to the service you hire any sensitive areas in your yard. Good Luck! The Brick Paver Doctor www.thebrickpaverdoctor.com.

Brick Paver Repairs in Michigan

Please visit our website www.thebrickpaverdoctor.com to contact us. Put it on your list of things to do to contact us - if you know you have a brick paver or hard scape projection on your list. Once the snow melts everyone will be investigating the specifics of their project, it's just human nature. We look forward to hearing from you. The Brick Paver Dr.