How to remove old concrete stepping stones that have sunk?

[loudee]

 

Builders laid this path 6 years ago but the stepping stones have sunk over time and is uneven. Our area has reactive clay soil. How do I remove these to level the path out? It looks like it might be concreted in?

Thank you for any help.

[MitchellMc]

Hi @loudee,

It doesn’t appear that the stepping stones have been concreted in, but rather they’re set quite deeply into compacted road base. You should be able to lever them out using a sturdy pry bar, working around the edges to loosen each one without cracking them.

Once removed, you can level out the base using additional road base if needed. It’s best to compact the area thoroughly before relaying the pavers—hiring a plate compactor for the day will help ensure a firm, even surface that’s less likely to shift again. Make sure to maintain a slight fall for water drainage as you go. 

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

[loudee]

Thanks Mitchell. I'll get a pry bar and have a go.

Do you have any specific recommendations for laying the new pavers on reactive clay? I'm assuming the builders did similar to your suggestion and compacted the road base, yet it all became a mess a few years later due to the movement of the ground.

[MitchellMc]

Hi @loudee,

Reactive clay soil is notorious for causing problems with paving due to its tendency to expand and contract with moisture changes. Even if the original builders compacted a road base, the shifting ground beneath can still lead to sinking and uneven surfaces over time. To improve the longevity of your new path, it’s best to dig deeper than before—around 150 to 200mm below your desired finished level. This gives you room to create a more stable foundation.

It’s also worth considering laying down a geotextile fabric at the bottom of the excavation. This helps separate the reactive clay from your road base and prevents the clay from contaminating the compacted material over time.

Once the fabric is down, lay 100 to 150mm of crushed rock or blue metal in layers, compacting thoroughly with a plate compactor as you go. 

Compacting in thinner lifts—say, 50mm at a time—gives much better results than trying to do it all at once. On top of the compacted base, you can lay a thin bed of sand or crusher dust to help level the pavers. While no method is foolproof with reactive clay, this should help you get a more stable and long-lasting result. 

Mitchell

[loudee]

Legend. Thanks Mitchell.