Clean out failed joints, refill with polymeric sand, and seal if you want colour and stain protection.
Polymeric sand washes out or cracks over time, and weeds and ants move in. We clean the surface and joints, refill with fresh polymeric sand, compact, and activate it with a light mist of water.
Polymeric sand needs a dry surface and dry weather for about a day after it goes down, so this work is scheduled around the forecast. Done in wet weather it can haze the pavers or fail to set.
Sealing is optional. It deepens colour and makes oil and salt stains easier to clean. It needs to be redone every few years, and it will not fix a surface that is sinking.
Lift the sunken or heaved section, fix the base, relay the same pavers and compact them level.
Full excavation, a compacted granular base built for Ottawa frost, and pavers rated for vehicle traffic.
Clean out failed joints, refill with polymeric sand, and seal if you want colour and stain protection.
Rebuild leaning block walls and loose interlock steps with a proper footing and drainage behind them.