Do you have a concrete patio or driveway and want to upgrade them with pavers? That’s very common. Installing pavers from the beginning it’s definitely a lot of work and that’s why most people end up choosing to glue pavers over a concrete surface instead of doing all the process of installation. But, it is possible to glue pavers to concrete?

There are three main methods for installing pavers over a concrete slab, using a sand set, a glue set, or a mortar set. The glue set, specifically, is a cheaper and faster way to upgrade your patio or driveway, since some steps, like digging and the removal of the existing concrete slab, are not necessary.

Do you want to upgrade your patio, but have no idea how to glue pavers to concrete? Check this article to see everything you need to know about it and how to do it.

How to glue pavers to concrete 

The glue set method is normally used under certain circumstances, especially if the area you want to cover needs to hold on a lot of weight, such as driveways and pool surrounds. In this method, a bed of adhesive glue is used to make the pavers adhere securely to the concrete base.

To glue pavers to concrete, you’re gonna need the following tools and materials:

• Pavers
• Edge pavers
• Construction adhesive
• Measuring tape
• Caulking gun
• Rubber mallet
• Torpedo level
• Concrete cleaner
• 2-foot level
• Tile saw
• Concrete cleaner
• Security equipment

All set? Let’s start!

Step 1: Before you start, plan out the pattern and measure the space between the bottom of all the doors and the existing concrete patio or driveway. It is necessary to leave a space with 3 to 4 inches between the bottom of the door and the paved surface. If you think there is gonna be less than that, you can use thin pavers.

Step 2: Prepare the surface by cleaning it first. Scrub all the area with a concrete cleaner and a brush, then water the area to remove remains of detergent and let the surface fully dry.

Step 3: Prepare your construction adhesive by loading it into the caulking gun, then start with the edge pavers by putting 2 beads of adhesive with 3 to 16 inches each along the edge of the concrete and about 2 inches in from the sides of your edge blocks. 

Step 4: Position the first paver so its outer edge is aligned with the edge of the concrete slab. Don’t forget to check for the level, so place a torpedo level to make sure is all even.

Then, with a rubber mallet, carefully tamp the block. If your concrete surface already has a slope, the only thing you need to do is make sure that the pavers are parallel to the concrete base.

Step 5: Continue to place the edge pavers always making sure that each paver is aligned and leveled. To ensure that everything is leveled properly, you can place a 2-foot level across the pavers after you lay some. After finishing the edge pavers, wait 24 hours before starting to lay the rest of them.

Step 6: After 24 hours, install the pavers in the middle area following the previous steps and the pattern of choice. 

Step 7: Once the middle area is done, complete the project by cutting the pavers with a tile saw and filling all the spaces that a full paver couldn’t fit. After all is done, wait for another 24 hours before using the recently paved area.

Is it worth it to glue pavers instead of installing them?

That depends on a lot of factors. If your budget allows you to install pavers, by far, the best choice you can make is installing them in the traditional method.

Installing pavers in the traditional method is a guarantee of durability, and you don’t have to worry about water drainage. 

At first, a paver installation might seem expensive, but you will see that when compared with concrete and asphalt, they require much less repair and maintenance over time. If you are worried about the cost of installing pavers, how about a free estimate for your project? If you live in Florida, don’t hesitate to contact us!

You can have a professional contractor install driveway pavers in a couple of days and S&S Pavers has over 10 years of experience doing that in the counties of Manatee and Sarasota. From the design of your project to its execution, we can handle everything.