• If conduit or wires are located in the area to be excavated, contact the representatives of the company concerned before the work is started.
• To ensure sufficient drainage, excavate the soil to obtain a minimum incline of 2% (20 mm/m or 1/4 inch per foot).
• The excavation contour should extend beyond the surface to be paved by at least 300 mm (12”). Ideally, this distance should be 1 to 1 1/2 times the thickness of the foundation. The stability of the project depends on this measurement, which ensures that the paving stones at the edge will be as well supported as those in the centre.
• Level the bottom of the excavation with a rake and, if the soil is sandy, compact it with a vibrating plate or roller.

It is preferable not to pack clay soil at this stage. In this case, the use of a geotextile membrane placed between the natural soil and the foundation is recommended to prevent foundation contamination by clay and ensure greater stability.

• Spread and compact the 20-0 mm (0-3/4”) stone in 100 mm (4”) layers. Lightly water the 20-0 mm (0-3/4”) stone to make tamping easier. To ensure an adequate foundation, compact the stone several times with a
  vibrating plate or roller, or a jumping jack. Once this stage is completed, you will be able to see what the final result will look like.
• You can verify the final level of the pavers by placing a paver on a guide.

• If you are installing Universal® curb or Universal® Mini-curb: Before you finish the foundation, proceed immediately with installation of the Universal curb or Universal Mini-curb. Begin by installing the curb on one
  side. Before installing the curb on the other side, place temporarily a row of paving stones in order to determine the ideal distance and thus to determine the position of the other curbs and avoid having to cut pavers later.

• Spread between 15 mm (5/8”) and 25 mm (1”) of concrete sand or screening (Ref: Photo #4). Bear in mind that a 25 mm (1”) bed will be reduced down to 15 mm (5/8”) in thickness once compacting is completed after the paving stones are installed.
• Level the concrete sand using two (2) 25 mm (1”) diameter pipes and a straight plank

Any significant variation in bed thickness may cause irregularities in the paved surface.

• Take care not to compact the screenings or the sand before laying the pavers on the installation bed.

• Arrange the paving stones according to the pattern chosen with a 90° angle if possible. Proceed by walking on the paving stones. Fill the holes left by the pipes.
• Paving stones are manufactured with side spacers that will set a space of 3 mm (1/8”) between each paver. A space of 2 mm must be allowed for paving stones without spacers.
• To obtain an even distribution of colour and texture, it is recommended that you choose paving stones from more than one cube at a time. Moreover, working across each cube always gives the best results.
• Check the alignment of the pavers after every five rows installed and adjust them, if necessary, using a screwdriver.
• Install paving stones up to the last row. To avoid having to cut paving stones later, determine the position of the curbs to finish with a complete paving stone.
• If necessary, you can cut the paving stones using a cold chisel, specialized tools such as guillotine or a concrete saw. It is recommended that you use a chalk line to mark the paving stones
  to be cut. If you have to use a guillotine to cut the stones, be sure that the cut is at a slight angle as pavers cut this way are much easier to install. If you use a concrete saw, keep away from the paving stones already installed, since the dust and dirt from sawing will permanently stain them. Wear safety glasses when cutting concrete products.
• On both sides of the paving surface, proceed with installing the Celtik curb.
• Once you have finished laying them, stabilize the pavers using a vibrating plate. This operation will settle the stones into the bed while levelling the surface. For best results, run the plate over the pavers two or three times in both directions. The paving stones will settle into the screenings or the concrete sand by about 10 mm (3/8”).

• Spread concrete sand over the paving stone, let dry, if necessary, then work it into the joints by brushing in all directions.
• Remove the excess sand and work the remainder in by passing the vibrating plate over it. Repeat the previous step if necessary.
• If, after a few days, some joints are not properly filled, repeat the procedure.
• We suggest setting aside a number of paving stones for replacement.