# Forum Home Renovation Paving  How do i retain the outer pavers on a walk way?

## wozzzzza

i have an area of paving behind a retaining wall on my back yard next to my driveway.
i want to pave below the retaining wall now and not sure how to retain the edge pavers as in the pictures below, the string line is the top of the pavers which is 7cm above the surface of the ground. 
i have to build up the surface so that the level of the pavers is the correct height once finished which is the height of the driveway but the length of the pavers from one to the other is 25 metres and i have no idea how im gonna retain the edge one.
the pavers are going to be 2 deep and act as a walk way, then theres gonna be lawn on the outer side of the pavers.
i thought concrete to retain the edges but im gonna need a truck of cement to build it up enough. if i used dirt, how would it compact to form a solids wall that wouldnt move?
how do i retain the outer paver to stop it coming apart from each other?
do you get what i mean?  it is really frustrating me know knowing what to do.

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## Vernonv

I've only ever seen concrete or some type of hard edging (timber, steel, etc) used to retain the other edge. 
But what do the experts think ...

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## namtrak

Just some concrete barging along the edge of the pavers should be okay.  You wont need that much, a couple of bags of GP cement and a trailer load of sand/gravel should see you out of trouble.  After you've laid your pavers just run the barging along the edge about 10mm below the height of the paver. 
If you worried about the subsurface, then just cut into the packing material along the edge of the pavers.  The concrete will set just fine along there.  Should be a 'sausage' about 150mm round - sort of.

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## wozzzzza

wouldnt the concrete just crack and start being pushed away from the pavers when you walk on them and start looking crap?

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## namtrak

Is the lawn/garden coming up to the height of the pavers?  If so then the concrete will be fine, and will be covered by whatever is going there (lawn/garden). 
If the pavers are going to sit proud of the lawn/garden then maybe look at a small retaining wall.  Is there a particular reason you are setting them two pavers high?

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## wozzzzza

> Is the lawn/garden coming up to the height of the pavers? If so then the concrete will be fine, and will be covered by whatever is going there (lawn/garden). 
> If the pavers are going to sit proud of the lawn/garden then maybe look at a small retaining wall. Is there a particular reason you are setting them two pavers high?

  cause the land is on a slope and is sort of cup shaped like a river runing through the middle, and the mrs wants the damn pavers to be the same height as the driveway, dont ask me why, so in the end i guess the grass level will be built up to that height once the bob cat comes in and levels more crap out.
but if it was my choice, i wouldnt even be thinking about this paved walkway down there until i get a bob cat in to level the yard ready for lawn and other paving.  but i have a know it all mrs who thinks she knows best and is always on my case to get stuff done in the wrong order.
e.g. she wanted to wait until i build my shed down the back before i ran the power cable down to it.  if i did this i would have to rip all the retainingwall and paving up again.  took me half hour to talk her around.
i dont think it will be easy to talk her around on this one.

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## Bleedin Thumb

My rule of thumb is if you can fit a brick under the edge....lay a course of bricks with mortar under the outside paver A concrete hob is only reliable if it has a decent mass so it wont crack which means anything over a brick height ie 85mm  means a lot of concrete.
If you go the hob method make sure the hob goes under the edge paver.

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## Planned LScape

If it's just 2 pavers wide I'd lay those pavers on mortar, with the edge brick underneath as BT mentioned. For that amount it won't take you a hell of a lot longer, and they will be stonger and eliminate the need for the retaining.

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## wozzzzza

yeah bricks are an idea, never thought of that, will plan it out, thanks.

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## kombiman

> but i have a know it all mrs who thinks she knows best

  happy wife = happy life 
unhappy wife = trouble and strife..... :Wink 1:

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