← Problems we solve
My Pavers Are Sinking, Uneven, or Cracking
Almost every paver failure traces back to the same thing: the base. The pavers themselves rarely fail — what's underneath them does.
Why this happens in Arizona
- Base not compacted in proper lifts.
- Wrong aggregate (using mixed fill or sand instead of ABC-type road base).
- Caliche or expansive soil that wasn't addressed during installation.
- No edge restraint, so the field slowly migrates outward.
- Joints filled with plain sand instead of polymeric sand — washes out, weeds in.
- Drainage routing water under the pavers instead of away from them.
What homeowners usually try first
- Re-leveling individual sunken pavers with sand.
- Sweeping more sand into joints.
- Caulking cracks.
Why those quick fixes usually fail
- Sand under a single paver doesn't fix the compaction problem underneath the whole field.
- Plain sand washes out in the next monsoon.
- Caulk doesn't address the base movement that caused the failure.
How AE solves it correctly
- Honest assessment: walk the deck, identify the failure zones, root-cause the base.
- Lift, re-prep, and re-set in failure areas — or full deck reset where the base is gone.
- Re-grade for drainage away from the foundation.
- Install polymeric sand joints + proper edge restraint.
- Hand off through our Project Rescue process if a previous contractor caused the failure.
Budget considerations
- Repair scope drives cost — a single zone reset is far less than a full deck.
- Project Rescue includes documentation and a written scope before any work begins.
- Drainage corrections add cost but prevent recurrence.
FAQs
Can sinking pavers be reset, or do they need to be fully replaced?+
Usually they can be lifted and reset if the base can be corrected — but if the base is gone, a full reset is the right call.
Why do pavers crack in Arizona?+
Movement in expansive or improperly compacted soil — and pavers without edge restraint.
How long should a properly installed paver deck last?+
Decades. We back our workmanship with a written warranty.
Is this covered by my original contractor's warranty?+
Sometimes — we'll help you document the failure as part of Project Rescue.
Can I replace just a few pavers?+
Yes — pavers are individually replaceable, which is one of the reasons we prefer them over poured concrete.