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Repair in Ottawa
Your driveway is sinking. The joints are full of weeds. One corner by the garage looks like a skatepark ramp. Most companies will quote you a full teardown. We repair what's fixable — and if it isn't, we'll tell you honestly.
Not every interlock problem needs a full teardown.
We assess your driveway or patio in person and give you an honest recommendation. If a repair is feasible, we do it. If the base has failed and a rebuild is the only long-term solution, we tell you that too — and we explain exactly why. You never pay for work you don't need.
Sinking or Uneven Pavers
The most common issue we see. Caused by inadequate base compaction or the absence of geotextile fabric. We remove the affected area, re-compact the base in lifts, add geotextile if missing, and relay the pavers to a level finish. The repair is invisible when done right.
Weed-Infested Joints
Joints open up when polymeric sand breaks down — usually from age, improper installation, or power-washing at full pressure. We extract the old sand, pressure-wash the surface clean, and resweep with fresh polymeric sand that locks the pavers together and resists weed growth.
Edge Separation & Spalling
Edges that drop off or shift outward happen when the edge restraint fails. We dig out the perimeter, install or replace the concrete edge restraint, and re-lay any shifted pavers. For cobblestone or tumbled products, spalling is caused by de-icing salt — we can replace individual units.
When repair isn't enough — and you need a rebuild.
We never recommend a full teardown unless the base has genuinely failed. Here's how to tell the difference before we even arrive.
If your driveway is sinking in one or two isolated spots, the base in those areas can almost always be re-compacted and the pavers re-laid — the rest of the driveway stays intact. If the entire surface is undulating, half the joints are open, and water pools in multiple spots, the base has likely failed across the whole area. A full rebuild with proper depth, compaction, and geotextile is the only permanent solution.
Repair vs. Rebuild — Quick Guide
Barrhaven Driveway Restoration
A 7-year-old interlock driveway with two sunken wheel-track depressions and edge separation along the garage apron. Previous landscaper had used only 4 inches of granular A with no geotextile. We removed the affected sections, dug to 12 inches, compacted in 3 lifts, installed geotextile, relayed the pavers, and added a concrete edge restraint. One year later, the repair is invisible and the driveway hasn't moved.
Common questions about interlock repair.
Can you fix sinking pavers without a full rebuild?+
Sometimes — but honestly, usually not. If one or two isolated spots have settled and the rest of the surface is level, we can remove those areas, re-compact the base, and re-lay the pavers. That's a repair. But if the sinking is widespread — multiple spots, undulating surface, water pooling — the base has failed across the area. A surface re-leveling in that case is a temporary fix that buys you a year or two at most before the same pavers sink again. We'll tell you honestly which situation you're in during the free assessment.
Can you match my existing pavers for a repair?+
Yes, as long as the paver line is still in production. Unilock and Permacon both maintain their core product lines for years. We bring a sample kit to match colour, texture, and size. If your exact paver has been discontinued, we find the closest match available — but this is rare with Unilock products.
Will the repaired area look different from the rest?+
New polymeric sand in the repaired area will be slightly brighter for the first 2–3 months, then weather to match the rest. The pavers themselves won't look different — we clean the entire surface after the repair so it blends. Within a season, the repair is invisible.
Is it better to repair or replace?+
For isolated sinking in 1–2 areas, a targeted repair extends the driveway's life by 10+ years and avoids a full rebuild. For widespread base failure across the surface, a rebuild is the better long-term decision — piecemeal repairs add up and you'll eventually need the rebuild anyway. We assess your situation during the free estimate and give you an honest recommendation, not a sales pitch.
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Let's assess what your driveway actually needs.
Free on-site assessment with honest repair-vs-rebuild recommendation. No pressure — just the truth about what your driveway needs.