How to tile over concrete pavers and stabilise pebbles?

[ty2]

Hello there,

I’m planning to redo my stepping pavers and pathway because:

1️⃣The current pavers (400x200mm) are too small for my liking, and I’d prefer larger tiles (600x300mm).

2️⃣The pathway wasn’t laid with landscape fabric, so now the pebbles are sinking into the sand and getting messy.

Here’s the challenge:

The existing pavers are sitting on large concrete blocks (big mortar bases). There are 10 of them, and I really don’t want to remove them all—it feels like a massive job! 😅

Also, each paver is 4–5 cm higher than the one before because my house sits higher than the street. Around the porch, it’s about 40–50 cm above the first paver (closest to the street).

Here are my questions:

1️⃣For the pavers:

Can I place 600x300mm tiles on top of the existing concrete pavers? If so, are there any tips or things I should be careful about? I don’t want the last paver (closest to the front door) to end up higher than the porch—will 4 cm be enough for a 2 cm tile plus mortar?

2️⃣For the pebbles:

How can I stop the pebbles from sinking into the sand?

Do I need to redo the entire pathway by removing all the pebbles, adding new sand and landscape fabric, and then putting the pebbles back? Or is there an easier way to fix this without tearing everything apart?

Thank you in advance for your advice and tips—I really appreciate your help!

 

[JacobZ]

Hi @ty2,

Nice work with the pavers, they look great. 

You could use either of the products you've linked to for this project.

The SpecRite 2m Merbau Tapered Garden Border Roll comes in a roll, so there would be no need to have it cut.

You can have the 69 x 7mm 5.7m Edging Merbau FJ KD cut down for transport purposes, making this another good option for you.

There is also this 150 x 25mm 4.8M Rough Sawn Pine which is very similar to your existing garden edge. This can also be cut down for transport purposes.

Let me know what you think and if you have further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Jacob