The Story
This was a straightforward driveway job on paper, but the homeowner had been told by two other contractors that his driveway was "fine" and just needed patching. I disagreed. The concrete was cracked in over a dozen places, the tree roots had lifted two sections by almost two inches, and the whole thing sloped toward his garage instead of toward the street. I showed him photos of what happens when water runs under a garage slab for a few more years and he said let us do it right.
Eddie, GLME Construction
Project Scope
Complete driveway and front walkway replacement with interlocking pavers and custom border design.
The Challenge
Two large ficus trees at the street had root systems that extended under the existing driveway. We needed to remove the concrete without damaging the roots, then install a paver system that could handle minor root movement over time without cracking. The grade also needed to be corrected to drain toward the street.
Our Solution
We saw-cut and carefully removed the old concrete in sections to protect the tree roots. I had our guys install a thicker aggregate base, six inches instead of the standard four, to bridge over the root zone and distribute the load. The pavers went down in a herringbone pattern with a double charcoal border. Because pavers are individual units, any future root lift can be fixed by pulling up a section and re-leveling without tearing out the whole driveway. We also corrected the grade so water now flows to the street like it should.
Materials Used
- Interlocking concrete pavers in sandstone blend
- Charcoal border pavers
- 6-inch compacted aggregate base
- Polymeric sand joints
- Geotextile fabric over root zones
Our driveway looks incredible and the drainage problem is completely solved. Eddie explained exactly why the thicker base was necessary and I appreciated that honesty. Three neighbors have asked for his number since we finished.
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