Paver Patio Installation in Charlotte, NC

A paver patio is mostly what you cannot see. The surface pattern gets chosen last. What decides whether the patio is still flat in ten years is the depth of the base underneath, how thoroughly that base was compacted, and where water goes once it reaches the edge. Charlotte’s red clay makes this matter more here than it would in sandy or loamy soil, because clay holds water and moves as it wets and dries through the season.
+1 (704)-388-6833
How the Base Is Built
Excavation comes first. Topsoil and anything organic are cut out completely — material that decomposes under a patio leaves a low spot a season or two later. For a patio carrying foot traffic, roughly six inches of crushed aggregate goes down over the subgrade.
That aggregate is compacted in layers with a vibratory plate, not in a single pass. One pass over the full depth compacts the top and leaves the bottom loose, and that is where most settling starts.
A bedding layer is screeded flat over the compacted base and the pavers are set into it. The border course is set in concrete on every patio. Without a fixed edge the field spreads outward over time and the joints open up — the border is structural, not a detail. Joints are filled with polymeric sand, swept in and set with water so it binds instead of washing out in the first storm.
Standard and Permeable Builds
Two systems, chosen by how much water the surface has to handle.
Which one fits comes out of the site walk, not the material catalogue.

  • Standard Build

    The standard build sets pavers over a compacted aggregate base with a bedding layer and polymeric sand joints. Surface water runs across the top and is carried away by the grade.

  • Permeable Build

    The permeable build uses open-graded stone through the full section, with joints filled with stone rather than sand, so water passes down through the surface into the base instead of running off it. This goes in where runoff has nowhere to go across the ground, or where a large paved area would otherwise push water somewhere it should not end up.

Materials and Suppliers

Most patios are built in manufactured paver, with natural stone and brick used where they suit the house. Suppliers include Techo-Bloc, Nicolock, Pavestone and Johnson Concrete Products, along with General Shale brick where a brick surface fits the property.
Pattern and format are chosen against the scale of the space — large-format units suit an open patio, smaller units and running bond suit narrow areas and curves.
Patios Over an Existing Concrete Slab
Every patio is laid with a fall away from the house rather than flat. The change across the surface is slight enough not to be noticeable underfoot and still enough to move water.
Where the yard already holds water, drainage is handled before paving — regrading, a french drain, or a catch basin. A patio built over ground that stays wet moves with the ground.

  • Drainage and Grade

    Anything permanent that sits in or against the patio is built before the field pavers go down, so the paving can be cut to meet it cleanly. Steps between levels, seat walls along an edge, and fire features are set on their own footings first.

  • Steps, Seat Walls and Fire Features

    Anything permanent that sits in or against the patio is built before the field pavers go down, so the paving can be cut to meet it cleanly. Steps between levels, seat walls along an edge, and fire features are set on their own footings first.
How a Project Runs
Consultation
We talk through what's happening with the wall before anything gets measured or scoped.

Site Visit
Aerial photos of the property
Estimate
before anything is scheduled

About Us

Hortus-Flora is led by Vladimir, who trained as a civil engineer at Bauman Moscow State Technical University, graduating in 2012, and spent several years working in construction, building hands-on experience before starting the original firm with his wife in 2015. That engineering background carries into every retaining wall and drainage plan — not just how something looks, but why it holds up over time. Hortus-Flora LLC continues that same work in Charlotte today, with a small team that also handles planting, floral touches, and coordination with a trusted plumbing partner for backflow-related work.
Recent Work
A few examples of recent installations.
What Clients Say

Where We Work

6416 Providence Farm Ln, Charlotte, NC 28277
Charlotte, NC (28277, 28226, 28270, 28227), Indian Trail (28079), Matthews (28105), Waxhaw (28173), Pineville (28134), Monroe (28110), Weddington (28104).

Frequently Asked Questions

— How long does a paver patio take to build?
— About a week for most patios. Access matters as much as size — where machinery cannot reach the area and material moves by wheelbarrow, the same square footage takes longer.
— Will the patio settle over time?
— Settling comes from the base, not the pavers. A base cut to the right depth over stripped subgrade and compacted in layers is what prevents it. Most settled patios were built on a base that was too shallow, or compacted in one pass.
— Do weeds grow between the pavers?
— Polymeric sand binds in the joint and closes the gap that seeds need. It is not permanent — joints get topped up over the years — but it is a different situation from loose sand joints.
— Does a paver patio need sealing?
— Sealing is a finish choice rather than a structural one. It changes how the surface looks and how it handles staining. A patio built on a proper base performs the same either way.
— How big should a patio be?
— It comes from what goes on it. A table with chairs pulled back needs more room than most people picture, and seating around a fire feature needs walking space behind the chairs. Sizing is worked out on the plan before excavation.
© Hortus-Flora, LLC
  • 6416 Providence Farm Ln, Charlotte, NC 28277
  • (704) 388-6833
Made on
Tilda