Concrete Paver Contractor in Portland, Oregon
Concrete pavers offer a durable, flexible way to create walkways, patios, paths, and outdoor living areas with more texture and visual detail than traditional poured concrete.
The Wall is a concrete contractor in Portland with decades of experience building hardscape features throughout the Portland metro area. We install concrete pavers for everything from straightforward residential walkways to larger patios, courtyards, garden paths, and custom outdoor spaces.
Why Consider Concrete Pavers?
Concrete pavers provide a different look and construction approach than a traditional poured concrete slab.
Rather than creating one continuous surface, a paver project is assembled from individual manufactured units. This allows for a wide range of patterns, colors, shapes, borders, and layouts while creating a hardscape surface that can adapt to many different types of properties.
More Design Flexibility Than Traditional Concrete
Concrete pavers are available in a wide variety of styles.
Depending on the project, pavers can be used to create:
- Walkways
- Patios
- Garden paths
- Courtyards
- Outdoor seating areas
- Transitions between outdoor spaces
- Borders and accent areas
- Paths through landscaped yards
Different combinations of shape, size, color, texture, and laying pattern can dramatically change the finished appearance.
A simple layout can feel clean and understated, while more detailed patterns and borders can turn the hardscape into a major design feature.
A Great Fit for Walkways and Outdoor Living Areas
Pavers work particularly well in areas where the hardscape is meant to feel integrated into the landscape.
Instead of reading visually as one large slab, the individual pieces create texture and scale that can complement gardens, planting areas, retaining walls, patios, and surrounding masonry.
They can also be laid in straight, curved, or more organic layouts depending on the property.
Individual Units Can Be Addressed More Easily
One practical advantage of a paver system is that the surface is built from individual pieces.
If a localized area settles or needs to be accessed in the future, affected pavers can sometimes be removed and reset without replacing the entire surface.
That is different from poured concrete, where significant localized movement may result in cracking across a larger slab.
Proper installation is still critical. A poorly prepared paver base can lead to widespread settlement, uneven surfaces, or movement over time.
Designed for Portland's Outdoor Environment
Portland’s rainfall and seasonal moisture make base preparation and drainage especially important for any exterior hardscape.
Water needs somewhere to go.
A properly installed paver surface is built over a prepared base and graded so water does not repeatedly collect in low areas or migrate beneath the surface in ways that cause instability.
The quality of what sits below the pavers often determines how well the finished surface performs years later.
Our Process for Installing Concrete Pavers
A successful paver project starts long before the first individual paver is placed.
We plan the layout, evaluate the existing grade, prepare the underlying base, establish drainage, and then install the pavers as a complete system.
1
Evaluate the Space
We begin by understanding how the finished paver area will be used.
Our team considers factors such as:
The size and shape of the project area
Existing grades and slopes
Drainage patterns
Walkways and entrances
Patios and outdoor living areas
Existing concrete or hardscape
Trees and landscaping
Property access
Adjacent structures
How people will move through the space
The desired appearance
This helps determine both the layout and the appropriate construction approach.
2
Select the Paver Style and Pattern
Next, we consider the visual design.
Concrete pavers come in many shapes, sizes, colors, and textures, and the same material can look dramatically different depending on the pattern in which it is installed.
Depending on the property, the design may incorporate:
Running patterns
Geometric layouts
Contrasting borders
Multiple paver sizes
Curved edges
Straight architectural lines
Different colors or textures
Transitions into other materials
The goal is to select a design that fits the home and landscape rather than making the pavers feel disconnected from their surroundings.
3
Excavate and Prepare the Base
The long-term performance of a paver surface depends heavily on the preparation below it.
We excavate the project area to the appropriate depth and prepare the underlying base so it can provide consistent support.
Proper grading and compaction are important because uneven or poorly prepared soil can lead to settlement and movement later.
We also account for drainage so water moves away from the hardscape rather than repeatedly collecting beneath or around it.
4
Install and Set the Pavers
Once the base is properly prepared, we begin installing the individual pavers according to the selected layout.
Careful attention is given to:
Alignment
Pattern consistency
Curves
Borders
Transitions
Elevation
Surface drainage
Cut pieces around edges and obstacles
The pavers are then set into the completed system so the surface works as a cohesive whole rather than a collection of loose individual pieces.
5
Finish the Edges and Review the Surface
Once the main paver field is complete, we finish borders, transitions, and surrounding areas.
Edges are particularly important because they help keep the installed pavers contained and maintain the intended layout.
We then review the overall surface, drainage, grades, and connections to adjacent walkways, patios, landscaping, or other hardscape features.
Where We Install Concrete Pavers in the Portland Metro Area
The Wall installs concrete pavers throughout Portland and several surrounding communities where we currently have dedicated concrete contractor location pages.
Portland Metro & Surrounding Areas
Milwaukie
Sherwood
Hillsboro
Sandy
West Linn
Salem
Tualatin
Wilsonville
Troutdale
McMinnville
Vancouver
If you are unsure whether your property is within our service area, contact our team to discuss your concrete paver project.
Concrete Paver Installation & Repair FAQs
What are concrete pavers?
Concrete pavers are individual manufactured units designed to be installed together to create a finished hardscape surface.
They are available in many different shapes, sizes, colors, and textures and can be used for walkways, patios, paths, courtyards, and other outdoor areas.
Unlike poured concrete, a paver surface consists of many individual pieces rather than one continuous slab.
Are concrete pavers better than poured concrete?
Neither option is automatically better.
Poured concrete can provide a clean, continuous surface and may be ideal when simplicity and efficiency are the primary goals.
Concrete pavers offer more flexibility in pattern, texture, color, and layout. They also allow individual sections to potentially be removed and reset if localized issues develop.
The best option depends on the property, budget, desired appearance, and how the space will be used.
How much does a concrete paver project cost in Portland?
Cost depends on the total project area, paver selection, pattern complexity, site access, excavation, base preparation, grading, drainage, borders, demolition of existing hardscape, and other site-specific conditions.
A simple paver walkway will generally have very different costs than a large patio with multiple colors, borders, curves, and complex cuts.
An on-site estimate is the best way to determine pricing for a specific project.
Can you install concrete pavers over an existing concrete slab?
Sometimes, but it depends on the condition, height, drainage, and layout of the existing concrete.
Installing directly over an old slab may create issues with finished elevations, door thresholds, adjacent surfaces, drainage, or long-term stability.
In some situations, removing the existing concrete and rebuilding the base provides the better result.
We evaluate the existing surface before recommending an approach.
Why are my existing pavers sinking?
Pavers can settle when the material below them shifts or is no longer providing consistent support.
Possible causes include:
- Inadequate base preparation
- Poor compaction
- Soil settlement
- Water movement
- Erosion
- Improper drainage
- Edge failure
- Heavy localized loads
The visible pavers may not be the actual source of the problem.
Correcting the underlying conditions is important when repairing a settled area.
Can sunken concrete pavers be repaired?
Often, yes.
One advantage of paver construction is that individual sections can sometimes be removed, the underlying base corrected, and the pavers reset.
Whether this makes sense depends on the extent of the settlement and the condition of the overall installation.
If problems are widespread, rebuilding a larger section may provide a better long-term result.
Why are my pavers spreading apart?
Pavers may begin separating when edge restraints fail, base material shifts, joints lose material, or the installation was not properly contained.
The surface works as a system, so the edges are an important part of keeping the individual units in their intended position.
If movement is significant, the underlying cause should be corrected rather than simply pushing the pavers back together.
Can you replace broken individual pavers?
Often, yes.
If replacement units are available and the surrounding installation is still in good condition, individual damaged pavers can sometimes be removed and replaced.
The challenge with older projects can be finding a new paver that matches the original color, texture, size, and degree of weathering.
Do concrete pavers crack?
Individual concrete pavers can crack, but they behave differently from a large poured slab.
Because the surface consists of separate units with joints between them, movement does not necessarily create a long crack extending across the entire hardscape.
Individual damaged units may also be replaceable without removing the surrounding surface.
Proper base preparation remains essential to reducing movement and damage.
Do weeds grow between concrete pavers?
Weeds can sometimes appear in paver joints, especially as organic material accumulates on the surface over time.
Proper joint material and routine maintenance can help reduce this.
Weeds do not necessarily grow up from deep beneath the installation. Seeds can settle into accumulated soil or debris between the pavers and germinate there.
Do concrete pavers need sand between them?
Many paver systems use joint material between the individual units.
The specific material and installation method depend on the type of paver and project.
Joint material helps fill spaces between pavers and contributes to the stability and finished appearance of the surface.
Do pavers require edging?
Proper edge restraint is an important part of many concrete paver installations.
Without effective containment, individual pavers at the perimeter may gradually shift outward, allowing gaps to develop elsewhere in the surface.
The appropriate edge treatment depends on the project design and surrounding materials.
Are concrete pavers slippery in Portland rain?
The surface texture of the selected paver affects traction.
Many exterior concrete pavers have textured surfaces suitable for outdoor pedestrian areas.
Because Portland receives significant rainfall, we consider both appearance and wet-weather use when selecting materials for walkways, patios, and other frequently traveled areas.
Are pavers good for a sloped yard?
They can be, depending on the slope and intended application.
Mild grades can often be incorporated into a paver walkway or patio design through careful grading and base preparation.
Steeper elevation changes may require steps, terraces, retaining features, or another approach rather than trying to force a continuous paver surface across an excessive slope.
Can concrete pavers be used for a patio?
Yes.
Patios are one of the most common applications for concrete pavers.
Pavers can create defined outdoor seating, dining, entertaining, or gathering areas while providing more visual variation than a single poured concrete slab.
They can also integrate well with surrounding walkways, landscaping, walls, and other hardscape features.
Can concrete pavers be used for walkways?
Yes.
Pavers work especially well for walkways because they can follow both straight and curved paths and offer considerable flexibility in appearance.
They can be used for main entry walks, garden paths, side-yard access, or connections between different outdoor areas.
Can you build curved paver walkways?
Yes.
Concrete pavers can be laid in curved configurations, making them a good option for paths through gardens or landscapes where a straight route would feel too rigid.
Curved installations may require additional cutting and layout work, especially around tight radiuses and borders.
Can pavers be installed around trees?
Potentially, but existing root systems need to be considered carefully.
Large roots can affect excavation depth, base preparation, finished elevations, and future movement.
In some situations, the layout can be adjusted to give the tree more space rather than building directly over important roots.
The appropriate approach depends on the specific tree and property.
Can you combine concrete pavers with poured concrete?
Yes.
Pavers can be used as borders, accents, transitions, or separate hardscape areas alongside poured concrete.
For example, a concrete walkway might transition into a paver patio, or pavers could be used to create a decorative border around another surface.
Combining materials can create visual interest when the design is planned as a whole.
Can concrete pavers look like natural stone?
Yes.
Many concrete pavers are manufactured with colors, textures, shapes, and surface treatments designed to create a more natural appearance.
They will not be identical to real stone, but they can provide a stone-inspired aesthetic while maintaining the consistency of a manufactured paver system.
Are concrete pavers available in modern styles?
Absolutely.
Concrete pavers are not limited to traditional brick-style patterns.
Larger-format pavers, clean rectangular shapes, subtle colors, straight joint lines, and minimal patterns can work very well with modern or contemporary homes.
Other styles can create a more rustic, traditional, or natural appearance.
How long do concrete pavers last?
A properly installed concrete paver surface can provide many years of use.
Longevity depends on factors such as:
- Quality of the pavers
- Base preparation
- Drainage
- Installation technique
- Edge restraint
- Soil stability
- Usage
- Maintenance
- Conditions surrounding the project
A strong base and proper drainage are especially important to long-term performance.
Do concrete pavers require maintenance?
Some maintenance should be expected over time.
This may include cleaning, managing joint material, addressing weeds or organic buildup, and occasionally resetting individual pavers if localized movement occurs.
The amount of maintenance depends on the installation, surrounding landscaping, shade, moisture, and how heavily the surface is used.
Can you remove an old patio and replace it with pavers?
Yes.
If an existing concrete or older hardscape patio is cracked, deteriorated, poorly graded, or simply no longer matches the property, it can potentially be removed and replaced with a new concrete paver surface.
Starting over also provides an opportunity to change the patio’s dimensions, layout, shape, drainage, and connection to surrounding areas.
Why hire The Wall for concrete pavers in Portland?
A successful paver project requires more than selecting an attractive pattern.
The base, grading, drainage, edges, transitions, and relationship to the surrounding landscape all play a major role in how the finished surface performs.
The Wall has decades of experience building concrete and hardscape projects throughout the Portland area. Our team works with walkways, patios, stairs, masonry, landscaping, retaining structures, and other outdoor features, allowing us to think about a paver installation as part of the entire property rather than an isolated surface.
Whether you want a simple paver walkway or a more elaborate patio and outdoor environment, our goal is to create a finished project that looks intentional and performs well over time.