Paver patios, walkways & driveways built to stay flat

Most Tampa Bay patios and driveways use concrete pavers. The ASTM C936 standard calls for an average compressive strength of at least 8,000 psi and average absorption no higher than 5%, which is why a quality paver shrugs off our heat and rain. A 2⅜-inch (60 mm) paver handles patios and residential driveways; 3⅛-inch (80 mm) units are meant for heavier vehicles.

Clay brick gives the warm red tone you see on older porches and garden walks. Travertine is the pool-deck favorite: natural stone, comfortable underfoot and sealed to resist stains. Pattern matters as much as material. Herringbone is the usual pick for driveways because it interlocks under turning tires, though it takes more cuts; running bond and basket weave suit patios and paths.

The base does the structural work. Industry guides call for 4–6 inches of compacted aggregate under patios and walkways and 6–8 inches or more under driveways, compacted in 2–4-inch lifts to 98% standard Proctor density. On top goes about an inch of concrete sand as bedding, never stone dust or masonry sand, which hold water and shift. The finished surface slopes 1–2% away from the house so rain never runs toward your foundation.

Local soil adds a wrinkle. Many lots sit on Myakka-type sands where the water table can rise within 18 inches of the surface for part of the year, so we plan drainage before we dig and lay geotextile fabric where fine sand could migrate into the base. When a yard needs real regrading first, our site preparation crew handles it.

Pavers without a real edge creep outward a little every time a tire rolls across them. We restrain every field with a poured concrete border or bond beam, or with spiked PVC or aluminum edging where lawn or mulch will hide it. A contrasting soldier course, like the charcoal borders in our gallery, works as trim and structure at once.

Joints get polymeric sand, which hardens to resist washout, weeds and ants. It has to cure dry, and from June through September afternoon storms build on most days, so we watch the radar and schedule the sweep-in and activation for a dry window. On older pavers, weeds and ant hills in the joints usually mean the sand washed out; cleaning and re-sanding with polymeric sand fixes it.

A driveway is the paver job most likely to need paperwork. The City of Tampa requires a residential driveway permit; the plan shows property lines, the right-of-way and nearby trees, and specimen trees 24 inches or more in trunk diameter get a 15-foot protective distance. Unincorporated Hillsborough requires a Driveway Access permit to connect to a county road, and Clearwater has a dedicated Brick Paver Driveway right-of-way permit. In St. Petersburg, flatwork no more than 12 inches above grade is exempt from a building permit, though setbacks still apply.

Patio rules vary by address, so we check with your city or county and your HOA's architectural committee before quoting, and we tell you exactly what each one will want to see. Approval is always the agency's call. Every dig starts with a Sunshine 811 locate ticket.

Pavers ask for little: sweep, rinse and top up the joint sand if it washes low. Sealing is optional. It deepens color and helps resist oil, rust and leaf stains, and around a pool it's worth doing on travertine. Because pavers flex instead of cracking at random, a stained or sunken piece can be lifted out and replaced, something a poured slab can't offer.

They can also pay you back. In the 2023 Remodeling Impact report from the National Association of Realtors and the National Association of Landscape Professionals, Realtors estimated a new patio recovers about 95% of its cost at sale. Planning one? Our paver planning guide covers sizes, materials and permits step by step.