How to Install Tactile Pavers
Select a brand, type, and size of paver suitable for your application., Layout the location the pavers will be set in., Set the concrete forms, grade and compact the fill material, and place the concrete for the pavers to set in., Wreck the forms...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Select a brand
Tactile pavers come in sizes and shapes similar to patio type pavers, in varying shapes and sizes.
For a public facility in the United States, your selection will need to meet ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) requirements, and a specification should be provided by the civil engineer or architect who is responsible for the project design. -
Step 2: and size of paver suitable for your application.
Since the pavers are embedded or surrounded by a concrete curb, you will want to make a recessed block-out in your sidewalk for them to set in.
Here are the points you will want to consider when doing this.
Size the blocked out area so an equal number of pavers will fit, without requiring border cuts.
Typical pavers are cast with an eight thousand PSI concrete mix, and cutting them can be time consuming and difficult.
Measuring the actual size of the pavers and dividing the overall size of the paver bed, then adjusting the dimensions will make it possible to fill the space within reasonable tolerances without cutting any border pavers.
Measure the thickness of your pavers, then make the recess concrete block out about one to one and one half inches deeper than this thickness, to allow for a setting bed of compacted sand.
Make sure the border curb that surrounds the paver bed meets the construction requirements of your job, if applicable.
Usually, the pavers will be immediately adjacent to a street, so you may expect vehicles to occasionally drift onto the curb.
For this reason, the border curb should be structurally constructed to support these errant vehicles.
Typically, forming the concrete 12 inches (30.5 cm) wide and 6 to 8 inches (15.2 to
20.3 cm) deep, and adding reinforcing bars will support this traffic load. , Be careful to have all form surfaces on a flat (not necessarily level, as the sidewalk approach to a street is often sloped) plane.
This will enable you to keep the pavers flush with the concrete surface when they are laid in.
Place and finish the concrete. , Take care not to damage the edges of the concrete, so the joint between concrete and pavers is clean and neat. , You may use crushed limestone or fine gravel, or set the pavers in a bed of masonry cement mortar, but the pavers in the example pictures are laid in clean sand.
This is the manufacturer's suggested setting technique for these particular pavers. , Here, an actual paver is used to establish the depth of the setting sand.
You may also make a gauge block or measure down from the surface of the walkway with a ruler or tape measure to get the desired results. , Damp sand is especially suited for this purpose, since it compacts to a good, solid density easily. , This should lay down any humps (high spots), and some more sand can be placed in the low spots and repacked. , Stack them with the dimpled side up, close enough to be within easy reach of the place they are to be laid.
This will usually mean stacking them in groups of ten or fifteen, around the perimeter of the blocked out, recessed area. , Here, a two by two cross hatched pattern is used.
This is the simplest pattern, resulting in few, if any cuts.
Hound's Tooth is another pattern, as is a simple diagonal and staggered design, but these will require half cuts around the border to complete. , Make sure the joints remain tight, and square, since the interaction between the individual pavers keeps them from working or shifting around after they are set. , Because it is necessary to allow some space for fitting the pavers, you should end up with about a 1⁄4 to 3⁄8 inch (0.6 to
1.0 cm) outside joint around the pavers.
A flat bar or narrow screwdriver will usually work for this step, but for very large fields of pavers, a large pry bar or wrecking bar may be required.
Keep all joints as closely balanced and aligned as possible. , You may find you have to pull a few pavers that are setting too high, so that a small amount of your base material can be scooped out to re-level them.
Pavers that are too low, or appears to have sunk down, will need some additional setting material underneath them, as well. , Use a broom to sweep the sand back and forth, tapping the pavers to help settle sand deeply into the joints. , -
Step 3: Layout the location the pavers will be set in.
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Step 4: Set the concrete forms
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Step 5: grade and compact the fill material
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Step 6: and place the concrete for the pavers to set in.
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Step 7: Wreck the forms you used to place the concrete for your paver bed.
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Step 8: Fill the paver bed to a suitable depth for laying the pavers.
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Step 9: Level the setting bed
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Step 10: in this case
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Step 11: the sand
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Step 12: with a straight board cut short enough to fit in the setting bed.
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Step 13: Pack the sand (or other non-cementious material with your leveling board by tapping it flatly with the widest side of the board.
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Step 14: Re-level the sand after packing it
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Step 15: by pulling the board over the surface lightly.
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Step 16: Stock pavers around the area you are working in.
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Step 17: Lay the pavers in the pattern you choose
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Step 18: or as specified by the designer/architect.
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Step 19: Tap the pavers down with the edge of a short 2X4 board or a soft rubber mallet to seat them firmly in the setting bed.
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Step 20: Realign the pavers after the whole area is paved
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Step 21: so that the joint around the perimeter is equal.
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Step 22: Check the flatness of the pavers after the joints are aligned and all the pavers are laid in.
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Step 23: Scatter loose
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Step 24: dry sand to fill the joints
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Step 25: or the cracks between the pavers.
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Step 26: Clean the pavers after you have finished filling the joints
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Step 27: leaving a little of the surplus sand for refilling any areas that may settle.
Detailed Guide
Tactile pavers come in sizes and shapes similar to patio type pavers, in varying shapes and sizes.
For a public facility in the United States, your selection will need to meet ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) requirements, and a specification should be provided by the civil engineer or architect who is responsible for the project design.
Since the pavers are embedded or surrounded by a concrete curb, you will want to make a recessed block-out in your sidewalk for them to set in.
Here are the points you will want to consider when doing this.
Size the blocked out area so an equal number of pavers will fit, without requiring border cuts.
Typical pavers are cast with an eight thousand PSI concrete mix, and cutting them can be time consuming and difficult.
Measuring the actual size of the pavers and dividing the overall size of the paver bed, then adjusting the dimensions will make it possible to fill the space within reasonable tolerances without cutting any border pavers.
Measure the thickness of your pavers, then make the recess concrete block out about one to one and one half inches deeper than this thickness, to allow for a setting bed of compacted sand.
Make sure the border curb that surrounds the paver bed meets the construction requirements of your job, if applicable.
Usually, the pavers will be immediately adjacent to a street, so you may expect vehicles to occasionally drift onto the curb.
For this reason, the border curb should be structurally constructed to support these errant vehicles.
Typically, forming the concrete 12 inches (30.5 cm) wide and 6 to 8 inches (15.2 to
20.3 cm) deep, and adding reinforcing bars will support this traffic load. , Be careful to have all form surfaces on a flat (not necessarily level, as the sidewalk approach to a street is often sloped) plane.
This will enable you to keep the pavers flush with the concrete surface when they are laid in.
Place and finish the concrete. , Take care not to damage the edges of the concrete, so the joint between concrete and pavers is clean and neat. , You may use crushed limestone or fine gravel, or set the pavers in a bed of masonry cement mortar, but the pavers in the example pictures are laid in clean sand.
This is the manufacturer's suggested setting technique for these particular pavers. , Here, an actual paver is used to establish the depth of the setting sand.
You may also make a gauge block or measure down from the surface of the walkway with a ruler or tape measure to get the desired results. , Damp sand is especially suited for this purpose, since it compacts to a good, solid density easily. , This should lay down any humps (high spots), and some more sand can be placed in the low spots and repacked. , Stack them with the dimpled side up, close enough to be within easy reach of the place they are to be laid.
This will usually mean stacking them in groups of ten or fifteen, around the perimeter of the blocked out, recessed area. , Here, a two by two cross hatched pattern is used.
This is the simplest pattern, resulting in few, if any cuts.
Hound's Tooth is another pattern, as is a simple diagonal and staggered design, but these will require half cuts around the border to complete. , Make sure the joints remain tight, and square, since the interaction between the individual pavers keeps them from working or shifting around after they are set. , Because it is necessary to allow some space for fitting the pavers, you should end up with about a 1⁄4 to 3⁄8 inch (0.6 to
1.0 cm) outside joint around the pavers.
A flat bar or narrow screwdriver will usually work for this step, but for very large fields of pavers, a large pry bar or wrecking bar may be required.
Keep all joints as closely balanced and aligned as possible. , You may find you have to pull a few pavers that are setting too high, so that a small amount of your base material can be scooped out to re-level them.
Pavers that are too low, or appears to have sunk down, will need some additional setting material underneath them, as well. , Use a broom to sweep the sand back and forth, tapping the pavers to help settle sand deeply into the joints. ,
About the Author
Joyce Adams
Brings years of experience writing about hobbies and related subjects.
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