Frequently Asked Questions

Unilock provides a Transferable Lifetime Guarantee on the structural integrity of our paving stones, slabs and retaining wall units to the original purchaser of the product for residential use.

Products and colors vary by region. When browsing our products online ensure your region is properly saved at the top of your screen so that you are viewing what is available to you locally.

The base material we recommend is a locally approved road base gravel (6″ thick for a patio and/or walkway, 10-12″ thick for a driveway). On top of this compacted gravel a 1″ bedding course of coarse sand is placed prior to laying the pavers.

If your concrete is in excellent condition (no cracking or deterioration), then yes you can install pavers over concrete. The existing concrete pad must slope away (min 1” of fall for 8 feet of run) from any structures to ensure drainage. Also, you must create a drainage layer (1″ of bedding sand) below the pavers.

Yes, we recommend that walls greater than 3′ (1m) or with a heavy load be engineered by a qualfied civil engineer (some municipalities require even lower heights, such as 2′ (600 mm), to be designed by an engineer). Fencing and railing may also be required. Always check with local building codes.

A “Paver Saver” mat (a protective pad bolted to the bottom of the tamper) between the stone and the tamper will protect the surface of your pavers.

Unilock Authorized Contractors are required, by Unilock, to offer a minimum 2 year installation guarantee. Having said that, many Authorized Contractors offer guarantees of 5 or more years. We would highly recommend choosing a Unilock Authorized Installer. Their extensive product and installation knowledge will help you get the best design imaginable and a quality installation.

The final part of the installation process is to sweep in sand between the joints. Depending on what type of paver you have installed you could also use a Polymeric Jointing Sand which hardens when wet and prevents weed growth, however this is not recommended for our heavily textured stones (such as Il Campo).

The order in which you apply sand and sealer definitely matters. You must apply the sand first, sweeping carefully into the joints, ensuring none is left on the surface. Once the sealer is applied, it will trap anything that is left on the surface of the pavers. Make sure the joint sand is dry before sealing.

We recommend using a regular jointing sand in combination with a joint sand stabilizing sealer (a one step sealer and joint sand stabilizer). Please note; we recommend waiting a minimum of 3 months after installation before applying a sealer, to allow for the natural efflorescence to dissipate. Before sealing you must clean the surface and wait until it is 100% dry.

Pavers should not separate from each other, if they do it is an indication of an improper base and/or no edge restraints around the perimeter.

Drilling into the seat wall is no problem. However, we recommend that you do not use over a #8 size concrete screw.

When applying de-icing salts to your driveway we recommend the following: Caution should be used when applying any de-icing chemicals and always avoid excessive use. Calcium based products or rock salt (sodium Chloride) are both safe as de-icing chemicals. We recommend that you avoid using magnesium based products as they are very aggressive de-icing salts that cause damage to the surface.

When shovelling use a plastic shovel or when plowing use plastic blade protectors. Metal blades on plows can scratch the surface and ruin the appearance.

Sealing is a personal preference as it is generally used to enhance or deepen the color of the pavers and to protect the surface from staining materials. If you do choose to seal, you must ensure the pavers are completely clean and free of any efflorescence (a whitish haze caused by naturally occurring salts used in both the base materials and/or aggregates used to manufacture the stone, that goes away with time). We recommend that you wait approximately 2-3 months prior to sealing to ensure no efflorescence shows up.

If you do decide to seal we typically recommend reapplying the sealer every 3-5 years as it does wear with time.

Weeds do not come from underneath the pavers, they come from seeds that blow in from adjecent properties and fall into the joints and germinate. The best way to prevent weed growth is to put Polymeric Sand into the joints between pavers. Never put plastic underneath the pavers, this will keep the joints wet and only make weeds grow faster.

Moss generally develops in the shaded areas that are slow to dry up after rain. If you want to remove it, it is recommended that you simply pressure wash the surface after applying a solution of 20% dish soap and 80% water to the surface. It is important to remember to not use the pressure washer on high power or too close to the surface when rinsing, or you risk damaging the surface. Always keep the nozzle at a 30° angle, 12’’ away from the surface and use the fanned nozzle setting.

There are a few general guidelines when power washing your pavers. Do not use the pressure washer on high power when rinsing, or you risk damaging the surface. Always keep the nozzle at a 30° angle 12″ away from the surface and use the fanned nozzle setting. If some jointing sand washes out, you may need to sweep in some new sand.

All Unilock Dealers carry general cleaning solutions and specialized ones designed for oil and grease, efflorescence, etc. Many customers simply use regular dish soap & water. The main thing is not to use a wire brush (the pieces of wire can become dislodged and promote rust) and to be gentle with the sand.

No, tumbled products do not offer the same stain resistance. Many of our Unilock EnduraColor or Elegance products are manufactured using a proprietary process that forms a higher density paver with surfaces that are extremely hard to permanently stain.

No, your concrete surfaces should be dry prior to gluing.

Our measurements are nominal because there can be small variances in dimensions when forming concrete pavers. Our recommendation is to measure several sample pavers and work from those measurements. One way to confirm measurements is to measure an area of the product laid out at a local Unilock Dealer or Unilock Idea Center. The dimensions do include spacing tabs but we would not use them as a definitive measurement. Areas can also vary due to installation. The size of an area is also dependent on how tightly the pavers are laid.

Our wall products can been used to build fire pits but our stones are not fire rated. If you choose to build a fire pit with our stones you would need to line it with fire brick to withstand the high heat.

Check with your Unilock Dealer for preferred sealing products and sands on Unilock products. Brands vary by Unilock region.

Unilock pavers can be used in any climate. In fact, that is why the northern cities in Canada have so many paved streets and sidewalks.

We suggest you visit one of our Idea Centers and speak to our knowledgeable and helpful sales staff before starting your project.

We recommend reading the How to Choose a Contractor page. It addresses some questions you should ask and what to look for when you’re hiring a contractor.

Preliminary color selection starts with visiting unilock.com. Once you narrow down your options we suggest you get physical samples from our Unilock Idea Center or from your contractor. This is best, so you can see the pavers outdoor in natural light.