How to Prep Concrete Slabs for Pavers

To install pavers onto a concrete slab, you must properly prepare the slab. First, you'll need a clean slab, as any dirt or oil will interfere with the adhesion necessary to hold the pavers in place. You also need a slab that's in good repair and level to avoid an uneven paver surface. Though it's time consuming, proper preparation is necessary for the success of a paver surface. With it, your pavers can last decades, and without it, you'll find yourself spending more time maintaining the surface than you spent laying the pavers in the first place.

Power washer
pH-neutral cleanser
Concrete degreaser
Scrub brush
Wire brush
Chisel
Hammer
Joint repair compound
Putty knife
Leveling bar
Chalk
Concrete floor grinder
Push broom
Self-leveling compound
Electric drill
Paddle bit attachment

Instructions

- 1
  Wash the slab with a power washer and a pH-neutral cleanser to remove any dirt or debris. Switch to a concrete degreaser and a scrub brush for any areas of the slab stained by grease or oil. Rinse the cleanser residue from the slab after washing and then allow the slab to dry overnight.
- 2
  Locate any cracks in the slab's surface. Clear out the cracks with a wire brush, then use a cold chisel and hammer to smooth the sides of the cracks, angling them so that they're slightly wider at the base of the cracks than at the tops. Clear away any concrete chips, then fill the cracks completely with joint repair compound. Level the compound at the tops of the cracks by scraping over the surface with a putty knife.
- 3
  Check the level of the slab with a leveling bar. Place the bar onto the slab's surface then drag the bar across while checking the bar's base for evidence of high or low spots in the concrete. Mark high spots with one color chalk and low spots with a second chalk color.
- 4
  Use a concrete grinder to grind high spots of the slab down until they're level with the surrounding concrete. Sweep the slab clear of dust with a push broom, and then fill in the low spots with a self-leveling compound. Mix the compound with an electric drill and paddle bit, following the manufacturer's mixing instructions, then pour the compound into the low spots. Spread with a squeegee and allow the compound to dry overnight.
- 5
  Run the concrete grinder over the slab a final time to scratch up the surface. The scratched surface creates a texture that the pavers can adhere to securely when you set them into place. Sweep the surface with a push broom to clear away the dust again.

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