How do you fix a backyard patio with mismatched paver sizes?
Modern replacement pavers are often slightly larger than older ones, making them impossible to slide into tight gaps without cutting. Beginners also face backbreaking physical strain trying to hand-tamp and level the ground, leading to uneven surfaces that are demoralizing to fix.
What the numbers show
Counted from the threads quoted below. How we count
- The most recent one is from October 2026.
- This comes up 36.6× more often in r/Landscaping than across the site as a whole.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1removing deteriorating pavers to extend garden beds instead of replacing themDid this help you?
- 2watching more tutorial videos to learn proper DIY techniquesDid this help you?
- 3hiring professionals to replace the entire patio floorDid this help you?
- 4DIY the repair or replacement to save moneyDid this help you?
- 5Build a floating deck using deck foundation blocks instead of postsDid this help you?
- 6Make the deck smaller or replace only the decking boards if framing allowsDid this help you?
- 7Check underneath to inspect for broken or damaged joistsDid this help you?
- 8letting the grass grow up to the brickDid this help you?
- 9Dig out the loose material using a flathead screwdriver and shop vac, then sweep in polymeric sand and mist it with water.Did this help you?
- 10Remove all the current grout using specialized tools and redo the entire area with new material.Did this help you?
- 11Digging up the pavers manuallyDid this help you?
- 12Trying to clean mortar off the individual paversDid this help you?
- 13Considering replacing the patio with poured concrete instead of paversDid this help you?
- 14Pressure washing the paversDid this help you?
- 15Checking if the stones are cracked or kiln-driedDid this help you?
- 16Relaying stones upside down to mask chipped edgesDid this help you?
- 17Adding tamped sand and new grouts for a temporary fixDid this help you?
- 18scraping out old joint sand and refilling with fresh polymeric sandDid this help you?
- 19redoing the base layers and relaying the paversDid this help you?
- 20letting moss fill the gaps naturallyDid this help you?
- 21power washing and scraping out cracks before refilling themDid this help you?
- 22Pulling out the rock and replacing it with astroturfDid this help you?
- 23Lying down sod with turfDid this help you?
- 24Concreting the whole areaDid this help you?
- 25Avoiding the patio area entirelyDid this help you?
- 26scrape, etch, and repaint the concreteDid this help you?
- 27rip all of it up and replace it with real paversDid this help you?
- 28re-stain the stamped concreteDid this help you?
- 29Requesting receipts and confronting the original landscaperDid this help you?
- 30Switching entirely to real stone instead of pavers for future projectsDid this help you?
- 31Applying moss killer and pressure washingDid this help you?
- 32Physically pulling moss, grass, and weedsDid this help you?
- 33Choosing between traditional sand with a sealer versus polymeric sandDid this help you?
- 34Hiring professional contractors for larger parts of the projectDid this help you?
- 35buying gravel and compacting it into the holeDid this help you?
- 36contacting the local government road maintenance department to request repairs or check policiesDid this help you?
- 37building a small wall, curb, or installing rock for containmentDid this help you?
- 38Putting down pavers or a stepping stone footpathDid this help you?
- 39Concreting the path with a less severe slopeDid this help you?
- 40Installing gutters or interlocking gravel beds to handle water erosionDid this help you?
- 41Building a short wooden deck over the gapDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“The brick pavers were overgrown with grass, weeds and moss.”source ↗
“After removing all the moss, I had to decide whether to use sand and a sealer, or to use polymeric sand.”source ↗
“Now I’m wondering what are my options as the pavers have settled a bit more and the sand between has gaps.”source ↗
“We bought a house from an elderly gentleman and this patio not only smells like New York on the first hot spring day - where the snow melts and urine saturates the air - but it’s also just so unusable with this rock.”source ↗
“It feels daunting! Any advice on tackling this would be extremely appreciated.”source ↗
“as first timers it’s very difficult to tamp/ level and the original pavers being 7.5 inches wide vs the 8 inch pavers we can find easily at local hardware stores, it is difficult to slide the replacements in.”source ↗
“honestly was kind of demoralizing how difficult and backbreaking it was. I think we laid like 6 pavers but were sad about how unlevel they were.”source ↗
“Want to do at least something before the winter. I know the right answer is to probably tear it up and tighten up the gaps.”source ↗
“I'm 62 and was tackling stuff like this a few years ago no problem but I'm slipping physically all of a sudden.”source ↗
“Got the exact same issue smh”source ↗
“That rock is a nightmare with dogs and a baby, you’d be better off pulling it all out”source ↗
“I agree. It’s a nightmare area for me. I love spending time outdoors and I legit avoid this whole area.”source ↗
“the edge of the yard where it meets the street seems to have become pretty sunken in and sandy over time. I'm wondering how I should go about remedying this area.”source ↗
“Keep in mind mate nothing will ever grow there except maybe weeds.... and not well. Assuming youre in snowing climate the salt runoff will keep it dead. You'd need a curb or just rock but itll als always look bad without containment.”source ↗
“Old deck was built into the dirt and has rotted out.”source ↗
“Had my backyard done in June and the pavers look terrible three months later.”source ↗
“You can see the areas that were shaded by a grill and deck box as compared to the others.”source ↗
“Additionally, they dry unevenly, with some areas of sand holding moisture hours after getting wet.”source ↗
“The condition of the pavers had deteriorated over the past 3 years, and parts had sunken in. It didn't drain correctly, tripping hazards all over the place.”source ↗
“I have young kids and this back patio has basically been off limits unsupervised since we moved here.”source ↗
“A small area had a sand base, but the rest of the pavers were laid straight on to the dirt and filled in with cement or something.”source ↗
“The mortar/grout/cement (not sure what’s right) in between our pavers is starting to crumble. I want to try to find a solution before the winter but not sure how to repair/what to use.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 10How to fix a hole or deep channel in a driveway
- 3Backyard paver patio collapsed in the center
- 6How to fix yard grading under existing paving stones
- 13How to fix up an overgrown, rocky rental yard on a budget
- 15How to landscape a small and busy front yard
- 2How to replace rotting railroad tie garden edging