# Forum Home Renovation Paving  Large format paver bed type

## renokim

Hi All,
I'm looking at a few quotes for having a bt of paving done at my place. We have decided our skill levels are just not up to DIYing paving. 
The pavers I'm looking at are 400mm x 600mm (Boral Aspenstone) and one guy wants to lay on a road base and then cement bed and another guy wants to lay it on a bed of compacted river sand (think I've got that right). 
Is one option better than the other - does it matter? 
Thanks in advance for your wisdom! :Biggrin: 
Cheers
Kim

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## jamc0984

All depends on the paver layers preference. River sand wont compact... so i assume he will be laying it on a layer of compacted road base with sand layer between the base and pavers. Which is probably the most common way of laying pavers. 
Ask a few more questions of the paver layer of the first method. A cement bed could possible cause a few issues with efflorescence in the paver later on and just moisture retention etc.  
But a lot of the tradesman I deal with daily will do a dry cement/river sand mix on top of compacted road base base. That is probably what he is referring to, in which case i would say they are both using the same method...

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## renokim

Thanks a million!
Kim :2thumbsup:

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## cherub65

First and best option would be concrete base with pavers laid on mortar.
Second roadbase with cement added, pavers laid on mortar base
Third roadbase , pavers laid on sand
Fourth pavers laid on compacted paver sand. 
Efflorescence was mainly due to pavers them self's not so much the bed they were laid on. Not to common these days due to better production process. 
Large format are best laid with a mortar joint IMO so sound base is very critical. so option one or two, preferably one
Laid on sand you will have a sand joint as movement will occur

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## jamc0984

On a day to day basis, i would get probably 5-10 complaints re efflorescence in concrete pavers. 
And yes your right, more often then not its the paver and not the base. However, a lot of the manufacturers I deal with will not warranty their products when laid incorrectly. Efflorescence is removable and wouldn't be a warranty issue anyway, but a bad laying technique will deffinantly effect this. 
For example, if a paver is laid on crusher dust, the mineral contents (i believe the salts) will cause secondary efflorescence without fail. On the same note. laying on a sand base hardened with cement could cause it for the same reason, or purely as water may not freely drain away from underneath and be drawn up by the heat through the paver bringing with salts etc.

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## DNL

> Hi All,
> I'm looking at a few quotes for having a bt of paving done at my place. We have decided our skill levels are just not up to DIYing paving. 
> The pavers I'm looking at are 400mm x 600mm (Boral Aspenstone) and one guy wants to lay on a road base and then cement bed and another guy wants to lay it on a bed of compacted river sand (think I've got that right). 
> Is one option better than the other - does it matter? 
> Thanks in advance for your wisdom!
> Cheers
> Kim

  Kim - just speak to both and ask about the pros and cons. Also clarify the cement bed issue. 
Once a roadbase subsurface is compacted properly, it is pretty hard. The straight river sand bed may because you already have a very good sub-surface to pave on without the need for roadbase. 
I think either would work, but you just need to make sure you understand the reason why the methods are being suggested. 
Re the efflorescence, isn't this stopped by sealing the pavers? 
cheers.

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## jamc0984

> Kim - just speak to both and ask about the pros and cons. Also clarify the cement bed issue. 
> Once a roadbase subsurface is compacted properly, it is pretty hard. The straight river sand bed may because you already have a very good sub-surface to pave on without the need for roadbase. 
> I think either would work, but you just need to make sure you understand the reason why the methods are being suggested. 
> Re the efflorescence, isn't this stopped by sealing the pavers? 
> cheers.

  Often it isnt stopped by sealing as you dont seal the underside of the paver. Moisture can transfer up from the underside to the surface bringing with the efflorescence.  Depending on the sealer, this can then lead to other problems, such as it being trapped under a topical sealer.

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