How to stop driveway pavers from moving?

Question

Is there an edge or perimeter restraint to prevent or stop pavers from shifting or spreading moving as the driveway will experience heavy loads from vehicles? What would be the best edge restraint to hold the pavers in place? Can the edge restraint, if any, be a DIY installation? Please advise. Thank you.

R4addZ · Answer

Hi @FXMV

If you want a more robust edging, place a reo bar in the concrete as that will assist in spreading the load and resist cracking of the concrete

FXMV · Answer

Thank you so much for the advice and details Jacob. Appreciated. I'll take onboard your advice and work out the concrete haunch.

JacobZ · Answer

Hi @FXMV,

Driveway pavers definitely need a proper edge restraint. Without restraint, the pavers can creep outward over time, and the joints will open up.

For a driveway, I would not rely on things like plastic edging or landscape spikes. Those are usually fine for paths or patios that will experience foot traffic, but vehicles put much higher sideways load on the pavers. A stronger option is a concrete haunch along the exposed edges.

A concrete haunch is basically a curb or shoulder of concrete placed against the outside edge of the paving. It locks the perimeter pavers in place and stops them spreading sideways.

To install a haunch, start by tidying up the exposed outside edge of the paving by removing soil, turf, mulch, or loose material beside the driveway and checking that everything is in alignment. Tap the pavers back into alignment if necessary. Then, dig a small trench beside the edge down past the bedding sand and into the compacted base, so the concrete is bearing on firm material rather than loose soil. If there is no compacted base in that location, add some and tamp it down with a tamper.

Mix some standard concrete fairly stiff, not runny, and pack it tightly against the side of the edge pavers and down onto the compacted base with a brick trowel. Shape it like a triangular wedge, higher against the paver and sloping away from the driveway. The haunch should come up around halfway to two-thirds of the paver height, but it should not finish above the top of the pavers. Leave enough room over the haunch for soil, gravel, turf, or mulch so it can be hidden.

Make sure you keep vehicles off the edge for a few days while the concrete cures. Once cured, the concrete haunch will hold your paved pathway in place for years to come.

Let me know what you think and if you have further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Jacob