Driveways and walkways that handle real Long Island winters.

A paver driveway carries 4,000–6,000 lbs of vehicle weight rolling across the same lines every day, then sits through winters where the ground heaves an inch or more. Cutting corners on the base shows up as ruts under the tires and tipped pavers at the apron within two seasons.

We dig driveways down 12–14 inches, lay woven geotextile, then place and compact 3/4" minus crushed stone in 2" lifts to 10–12" of finished base. Driveway-grade pavers (minimum 2 3/8" thick) are bedded on 1" of screeded concrete sand, laid in a herringbone or basket pattern for load distribution, restrained with spiked aluminum edging, and locked with polymeric sand.

A front walkway is short — usually 25–50 feet — but it sets the tone of the whole house. We size walkways at a minimum 4 feet wide for comfortable two-abreast walking, taper to a wider landing at the front step, and pitch at 1/4" per foot away from the house to keep water moving.

Bluestone in irregular or thermal-cut pattern is popular through Rockville Centre and Garden City for older homes; tumbled concrete pavers fit newer colonials and capes; granite or Belgian block makes a clean border for either.

A Belgian block apron — the granite cobble border between a driveway and the street — is the difference between a finished driveway and one that looks unfinished. We set blocks on a concrete footing, joint with mortar, and tie them into the curb cleanly. Same technique applies to driveway and walkway borders inside the property.

We also lift, re-base and re-set failed paver work installed by others, which usually costs significantly less than a full tear-out and rebuild as long as the pavers themselves are still sound.