Paver Pathways: The Wall & Company Difference

Why can paver pathway proposals vary so much in price when everything else appears to be the same?

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Two contractors can propose the same length and width of pathway using the same—or very similar—pavers, yet the proposals can vary considerably.

So why can the proposals be so different?

Just like a paver patio, much of the difference is underneath the finished surface.

Excavation, gravel base depth, compaction, edge restraint, bedding material, joint sand and drainage all affect the amount of material and labor required. Once the pathway is complete, most of those differences disappear.

At Wall & Company, we believe the parts of your pathway you can’t see deserve the same attention as the pavers you can.
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Wall & Company vs. Common Shortcuts

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What You’ll Never See

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Once your pathway is complete, you’ll see the pavers and the finished path through your landscape.

You probably won’t see:

• The minimum 6 inches of compacted gravel underneath
• The individual compacted gravel lifts
• Most of the bedding layer
• The preparation along the perimeter
• The 10-inch edge spikes installed every 6 inches

Yet those hidden details help determine whether the pathway remains stable and attractive over time.

They’re also some of the easiest places to reduce the amount of material and labor required for an installation.
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We Start with a Minimum 6″ Gravel Base

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Wall & Company installs a minimum 6-inch compacted gravel base beneath our paver pathways.

The word minimum matters.

Site and soil conditions can require more. Six inches isn’t a target we reduce when conditions make additional preparation appropriate.

A deeper base means additional excavation, material removal, gravel and labor. Using less can make a proposal less expensive.

But once the pavers are installed, you can’t see how much base you’re walking on.

We’d rather build that foundation correctly before covering it.
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We Compact the Base in Multiple Lifts

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Base depth alone isn’t enough.

It also needs to be properly compacted.

Wall & Company uses multi-lift compaction, installing gravel in manageable layers and compacting each before installing the next.

Trying to compact a thick layer entirely from the surface doesn’t provide the same result.

Multi-lift compaction requires additional time and equipment passes, but it helps create the dense, stable foundation we’re looking for.
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Strong Edges Matter on a Pathway

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A pathway has a lot of perimeter relative to its total surface area.

That makes edge restraint especially important.

Wall & Company secures our paver edge restraint using 10-inch spikes every 6 inches.

The goal is to help prevent perimeter pavers from gradually moving outward and joints from widening.

Increasing the distance between spikes uses less material and requires less installation time.

We choose the closer spacing because the edge is part of the complete paver system—not simply a finishing detail.
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The Bedding Layer Has a Specific Job

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Above the compacted gravel base is the bedding layer that allows the pavers to be installed at consistent elevations.

That layer isn’t intended to compensate for an inadequately prepared base.

Wall & Company builds the structural base first and then properly prepares the bedding layer for the pavers.

Once the pathway is complete, the bedding layer disappears along with the rest of the foundation.

But it remains an important part of the complete paver system.
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The Sand Between the Pavers Matters

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Wall & Company uses quality polymeric joint sand between the pavers.

When properly installed and activated, polymeric sand helps stabilize the joints while resisting washout and reducing opportunities for weeds to establish.

It’s another relatively small detail that’s easy to overlook when comparing proposals.

But a premium paver installation should be finished with materials consistent with the quality of the foundation underneath it.
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Grade and Drainage Are Planned from the Beginning

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Pathways frequently connect areas with different elevations: a driveway to a front door, a patio to a yard, or one outdoor living area to another.

Those transitions need to be planned.

Wall & Company establishes grades during excavation and base preparation so the finished pathway moves water appropriately while creating comfortable transitions between elevations.

This becomes particularly important in Spokane, where rain, irrigation, snowmelt and freeze-thaw cycles all affect outdoor surfaces.

The goal is for the pathway to feel natural to use and natural to the property.
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The Details You Do See Matter, Too

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A properly constructed foundation still needs quality craftsmanship above it.

Wall & Company pays attention to:

• Smooth curves
• Consistent paver patterns
• Accurate cuts
• Clean borders
• Consistent joints
• Finished elevations
• Transitions to patios, driveways and steps
• Integration with surrounding landscaping

A pathway may be smaller than a patio or driveway, but that doesn’t mean it deserves a lower construction standard.
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Where the Wall & Company Difference Shows Up

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Two paver pathways can use the exact same paver and look almost identical immediately after installation.

The difference may be six inches underneath.

Excavation, base depth, multi-lift compaction, edge restraint and joint materials all affect how much material, labor and time go into the project.

Then they’re covered up.

Wall & Company’s approach is straightforward: a minimum 6-inch compacted gravel base, multi-lift compaction, 10-inch edge spikes every 6 inches, quality polymeric joint sand and attention to the details that will eventually be hidden.

The objective isn’t to build the cheapest or the most expensive paver pathway. Our objective is to build a paver pathway that will stand the test of time.

At Wall & Company, we aim to build you a paver pathway that you can enjoy for years to come.