Is it essential to leave gaps between pavers? Should I leave a gap between concrete pavers? Pavers can be made of different materials. You can use bricks, stones, or concrete. Also, you can get any desired shape that might be formal or irregular shapes. Some popular shapes are rectangles, squares, fieldstone, or flagstone. You can use pavers to boost the curb appeal of your exterior. Pavers can be best to ensure the longevity of some outdoor installations. Whatever the cause, material, or shape maybe, all the pavers need some gap. You will have to leave gaps between pavers regardless of material and design.

Should I Leave a Gap Between Concrete Pavers?

Pavers need a compacted gravel base for the installation. These are topped with a sand layer. There should be a gap between pavers. However, the gap size will vary depending on the material. Here are the details.

What is the Perfect Gap Size?

As stated earlier, the gap will depend on the material you are using. For example, if you are using concrete for your patio pavers, you might not need more gaps and edges can be touching. But brick pavers will need more gap. Brick pavers with wide gaps serve the decorative purpose. They look excellent and come as a decorative pattern. In brief, you can say that concrete pavers can be laid closer than any other material. Also, you can consider the gap depending on the purpose. There might be walkways gaps and accent gaps. With any sized gap, pavers can get loosened over time. Therefore, it is important to know how to fix loose pavers to ensure that they are secure.

Walkway Gaps

When walkways are made of stones and bricks, you can consider wider gaps and use the stepping stone fashion. That ensures wide and broad space between each stone of your pavers. You can fill the gap with sod or decorative gravel. All that you’ll need to do is figure out what gravel size to use for the base. You can try fieldstone or flagstone to get an attractive and eye-catching look. But make sure that gaps are filled with beautiful and colorful pea gravel. Maintain a perfect space of 1/2-inches when you are not using stepping stone fashion.

Accents Gaps

For brick pavers, you can use dry cement or stone dust to get a decorative and beautiful wall-like look. You will love the white seams and red brick color contrast combination. This pattern is best for an enhanced curb appeal. You can try something similar for your concrete pavers with varying colors such as cement or contrasting gravel color fillers. In stone pavers, you can use pea gravel for filling. It will create the same effect.

Use Sand as the Sealant

Sand can be the best to seal the gaps between your pavers. It can be very effective especially to set closers when you use fillers to solidify your pavers. But you will not get a decorative accent. Consider using polymeric sand to get a stronger bond. This sand can make a joint strong between your pavers. Also, be sure to calculate and know exactly how much sand you’ll need before installation.

Final Words

Should I leave a gap between concrete pavers? Yes, you will have to leave a gap between concrete pavers. But you do not need to leave more gaps. Wide gaps required for stone or brick pavers. You can use a contrast filling for gaps to get a decorative accent. Pavers also get loosened over time, so it’s important to know how to fix loose pavers in case they get too loose.

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