Interlock · Kanata, ON
Interlock patios and walkways in Kanata
Interlock patios, walkways and steps across Kanata. The ground under a Kanata yard can change from deep clay to rock in a short distance, and groundwater rises and falls with the seasons, so base and slope are set once we have seen your yard.
- Pavers
- Concrete slabs
- Bedding sand
- Compacted gravel base
- Geotextile fabric
The local picture
Interlock in Kanata
A City of Ottawa study near Terry Fox Drive and the Carp River estimated groundwater at about 2 to 3 m down, rising and falling with the seasons. In a low yard the patio needs a clear plan for where surface water goes: the surface slopes away from the house, and the water is sent somewhere it can leave.
The same study found silty clay from about 1 m to 19 m deep, with rock at the surface nearby. Excavation follows what we find. Grass, topsoil and soft ground come out, fabric keeps the gravel from mixing into the soil, and the base is compacted and checked before the sand.
Interlock in Kanata, Beaverbrook to Kanata Lakes
Patios, walkways, steps and repairs
Korvex Construction builds and repairs interlock patios, walkways, front steps and landings across Kanata, in Beaverbrook, Glen Cairn, Bridlewood, Morgan’s Grant and Kanata Lakes. Every job starts with a free on-site estimate where we look at the soil, the slope and the surface you have now. Book online or call 613-880-7679.
Kanata was built in phases, and its paving has aged in phases too. Beaverbrook’s first street dates to 1964, Bridlewood began to build up in the 1980s, and Kanata Lakes grew out from the golf course lands that formed its first core. A first-phase patio can be several decades into its life, while a Kanata Lakes walk may still sit on the base the builder laid.
Part clay, part rock under one patio
Why Kanata interlock settles unevenly
Ground in Kanata can switch from deep silty clay to rock at the surface on the same site. Where a patio base sits on rock it barely moves. Where it sits on clay it settles and lifts with water and frost. A few winters later the line between the two shows as a step or a crack running across the paving.
So we read the dig-out as it goes. Soft clay pockets come out and are replaced with compacted granular base, so the support is even across the whole patio. Where rock comes up near the surface, the base is built over it and the slope is set so water runs off the rock and away, because water held on rock under pavers freezes there.
Repairing an older Kanata patio or walkway
A sunken corner by a downspout, a walk lifted by roots, edges that have spread until the joints gap: each starts under the surface. Interlock repair means finding that cause. The pavers in the damaged area come up, the base under them is rebuilt and compacted, the edge restraint is reset, and the pavers go back on the slope.
Beaverbrook is known for its hedged houses, and hedge and tree roots run under walkways beside them. A large private tree can be protected by City rules, so we look at what is growing along the route before we suggest cutting any root or moving the walk.
At the site visit
What we check on a lot in Kanata
- 01
Signs of rock near the surface: outcrops, thin lawn, an old walk that never moved
- 02
Where the old patio has stepped or cracked, and which side dropped
- 03
Hedges and trees along the walkway route
- 04
Low spots that hold water in spring
- 05
Patio height against the door sill and the deck stairs
What we plan around
Local conditions in Kanata
Each point links to the public source it was checked against. At the site visit we check how it applies to your lot.
- Groundwater near the Carp River
The same study estimated groundwater at about 2 to 3 m down, rising and falling with the seasons. Low yards need a clear plan for where surface water goes.
How we build it
What goes under an interlock patio
A patio stays flat when the base under it is deep enough, compacted and sloped.
- Excavation
Grass, topsoil and roots come out. Organic soil compresses and rots.
- Slope
The surface falls away from the house, so water runs off, away from the foundation.
- Compaction
Compacted and checked before the sand. Loose base is the main reason pavers sink.
- Edges
Edges are held in place so pavers stay tight and in line.
- Pavers or slabsSet on a slope so rain runs off the surface and away from the house.Set on the bedding
- Sand bedding layerScreeded flat by hand so every paver sits evenly.Screeded flat
- Compacted gravel baseCompacted in stages. This layer carries the load through freeze and thaw.Placed in lifts
- Geotextile fabricKeeps the base gravel from mixing into the soil below.Laid over the soil
- Excavated native soilTopsoil and soft ground are dug out before the base goes in.To firm ground
Projects
Interlock we have built
Recent jobs from across Ottawa.
“Vlad and his crew installed my patio in 2 days. Did excellent work and vlad answered any and all questions I asked. I highly recommend Korvex Development for any job you may require.”
Joe Ayoub · Patio installed
FAQ
Interlock in Kanata: common questions
Why did only one side of our Kanata patio sink?
Often because the ground under it changes. In Kanata a patio can sit on rock at one end and on clay at the other. The clay side settles and heaves, the rock side stays put. The repair rebuilds the base on the soft side so the whole patio has even support, then relays the pavers on one slope.
Can you fix a walkway that hedge roots have lifted?
Yes. The lifted section comes up and we see how big the roots are and where they run. The new base and the walk are then laid out around what the hedge or tree needs to keep, and a larger tree may bring City tree rules into the plan, which we check first.
Our Kanata backyard is low and wet. Can we still have a patio?
Yes, once the water has somewhere to go. We look at where it comes from and where it can leave, then set the patio slope and, if the yard needs it, a drain. Yards near protected land keep runoff and fill on the owner’s side.
Do you work in all parts of Kanata?
Yes. Korvex Construction builds decks, fences, interlock and drainage across Kanata, including Beaverbrook, Glen Cairn, Bridlewood, Morgan’s Grant and Kanata Lakes. The ground changes from yard to yard here, so the free on-site estimate starts with what is under your lawn. Request an estimate online or call 613-880-7679.
Why are my pavers sinking?
Pavers sink when the base under them is too thin, was never properly compacted, or sits on soft or organic soil. Water gets into the low spots, freezes and moves the surface a little more each winter. Korvex fixes it at the source: the pavers come up, the base is dug out and rebuilt in compacted layers, and the surface goes back on a slope.
Book a free interlock estimate in Kanata
Tell us what you want built and send a few photos. We come out, look at what sits under the job, and give you the scope and the price in writing.