Sinking Pavers, Washed-Out Joints, and Weeds: A Quick Diagnostic

By late August a lot of Las Vegas paver surfaces look worse than they did in April. Storms moved sand around, something settled near the downspout, weeds appeared along an edge. The instinct is to call someone and ask what it costs. The better move is ten minutes figuring out what is wrong, because these symptoms have very different causes and price tags, and some are an afternoon of your own work.

A section has sunk

Something under the pavers moved; the pavers are fine, the base is not. The most common cause here is inadequate compaction at installation, base dumped in one lift instead of compacted a few inches at a time, which looks perfect on handover day and settles over two or three years. Water washing base material out is next, from a downspout, a broken irrigation line, or a low spot. If the sunken section is a straight strip rather than a rough circle, look for a utility trench that was never properly compacted. The fix is to lift the pavers, repair and re-compact the base, and reset the same units, but if water caused it, fixing the base without fixing the water means doing it again.

Joint sand, weeds, and white film

• Washed-out joint sand. It is not cosmetic; it transfers load between pavers. Sweep in dry polymeric sand, vibrate it, sweep the excess off thoroughly, then activate with water per the manufacturer. Genuinely DIY on a patio-sized area.
• Weeds between pavers. They almost never come up from below; they grow in wind-blown dust that collects in the joints. Clear the growth, re-sand with polymeric, and sweep a few times a season. Avoid salt-based weed killers, which accelerate efflorescence.
• White chalky film. Efflorescence, mineral salts left by evaporating moisture. Normal on new units and it fades within a year or two. Use a paver-safe cleaner, never muriatic or generic strong acid, which etches the face permanently.

Edges spreading

If the outer row is migrating and the pattern has walked, that is edge restraint failure, common on driveways where turning vehicles apply lateral force. Address it early, because spreading accelerates as the interlock weakens.

"Four of the five most common paver problems trace back to the same root: water going somewhere it should not."

So before you price a repair, spend ten minutes finding the water. If it turns out to be a re-sand you can do yourself, we will tell you that too. See our paver services or text us a photo and we will tell you whether it is a base problem or a water problem. If it is water, our drainage and grade guide shows how to fix it.

Frequently asked questions