Compaction and Joint Sand Application
At 0:07 in
The river patio 🏞️ #hardscaping
What happens here
Once all the pavers are laid in their final positions, the entire surface of the walkway and patio is compacted using a plate compactor. This crucial step settles the pavers firmly into the bedding sand, ensuring a uniform and level surface across the entire hardscape. After the initial compaction, polymeric sand is carefully swept into all the joints between the pavers. This specialized sand, when activated with water, hardens to lock the pavers in place, preventing weed growth, insect infestation, and erosion of the joint material, thereby significantly enhancing the durability and stability of the paver system. The video concludes by showcasing the finished, clean surface with clearly defined paver lines, indicating that this final compaction and joint filling step has been successfully completed.
Goal: Secure the pavers, level the surface, and fill joints for stability and longevity.
Tools and materials
- Broom — Sweeping polymeric sand into the paver joints
- Leaf Blower — Removing excess polymeric sand from the paver surface before watering
- Plate Compactor — Final compaction of the laid pavers to settle them into the sand bed and achieve a level surface
- Water Hose — Activating the polymeric sand by gently wetting the joints
- Polymeric Sand — Filling and hardening paver joints to lock pavers, prevent weeds, and deter insects