Recent Feedback
I have a plain concrete patio that i would like to cover; with something like tile, pavers, or maybe Trex. The patio is 16x29. I was told tile is a bad idea due to temperature changes. Not sure how true that is or not. Northern calif, below the snowline at 2100 feet. It does get below freezing, but never for long. So i thought about using pavers on top of the concrete, thinking the space between then them being filled with crushed granite, would allow for expansion and contraction due to hot summers and cold winters. Is this a viable solution? If so, what do i need to know about doing laying the stones on top of the slab?If we went with Trex, same question as above, what do i do to lay it on the slab and keep it there?
Already Tried: Nothing yet, these are all ideas in the pre planning stage
Welcome, I will do my best to help you with your problem
I would put down a 1" to 2" layer of stone dust. Compact it then lay your pavers on top of that. You sweep some stone dust into the small gaps between the pavers. If you want to use Trex then you would have to put down 2" x 4" pressure treated sleepers 16" on center (like joists) then screw your Trex to the sleepers. The only thing I would advise against is tile.
Our chat has ended, but you can still continue to ask me questions here until you are satisfied with your answer. Come back to this page to view our conversation and any other new information. What happens now? If you haven’t already done so, please rate your answer above. Or, you can reply to me using the box below.
You can use Tapcons (screws made for concrete) to secure the sleepers so they don't move. The problem isn't hot or cold it's water freezing and expanding. If your patio is not pitched so water can drain off then I would go with the Trex. If water can't drain off and you use pavers then the pavers could heave where the water would collect in the stone dust base.
Thanks, how do i keep stone dust from washing away beneath the pavers? The patio does drain well, no puddling. Can i put the pavers directly on top of the concrete, without the dust?
You could put the paver on the concrete but this could be a problem if the pation isn't even. The stone dust will give you a fudge factor to even out any imperfections in the patio. Setting the paver in a sand or stone dust base is the prescribed method. Either way you'll need to "corral' the pavers either with fill around the perimeter or a treated wood frame.