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A segmental pavement — pavers laid on a bedding layer over a compacted base, rather than a poured slab — holds together because it is confined. Each unit is prevented from moving by the units around it and, at the perimeter, by an edge restraint. Remove the restraint and the whole assembly begins to spread, joints open, sand escapes, and the pavement loses the interlock it was named for.

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That is the single most useful thing to understand before buying paving in Australia, because it explains almost every failure you will see. A pavement that has crept away from a garden bed, a driveway whose outer row has dropped, a path with a widening gap along one side: these are edge failures, not paver failures, and no amount of re-sanding fixes them.

The relevant document is AS 3727.1, the Australian Standard for residential pavements, which as the Housing Industry Association summarises applies to all types of construction methods including concrete, asphalt, spray sealed and pavers. Worth knowing, though, is HIA's other observation: application of AS 3727 is for guidance only, because it is not referenced in the National Construction Code. So a segmental driveway is built to a standard nobody is legally obliged to follow, which makes what your contract says about the base, the bedding and the edge restraint the only specification that binds anyone.

AS 3727.1 is guidance, so the contract has to do the work

AS 3727.1 covers residential pavements across construction methods — concrete, asphalt, spray seal and pavers — and sets out design, construction and maintenance guidance along with performance criteria. HIA's summary notes it is not referenced in the National Construction Code, and that application of the standard is therefore for guidance only.

The practical consequence for a homeowner is that nobody will be inspecting your paving against a code. Whatever the standard says, what you can enforce is what the quote and the contract say. So put the base material and compacted thickness, the bedding layer, the jointing material, the edge restraint type and the falls into the written scope, and ask the contractor to confirm that the build-up complies with AS 3727.1 for the traffic the pavement will carry.

The layers of a segmental pavement, from the bottom up

  • The subgrade, which is the natural ground and the thing that ultimately carries the load; on reactive clay it also moves seasonally.
  • The base, a compacted crushed rock layer placed in thin lifts, whose thickness is set by the traffic and the subgrade rather than by habit.
  • The bedding layer, a thin and consistent course of clean sand or fine aggregate that the pavers are laid onto, never used to correct base levels.
  • The pavers themselves: concrete, clay, natural stone or permeable units, in a thickness matched to the traffic.
  • The jointing material, which transfers load between units and must be maintained.
  • The edge restraint, a concrete haunch, a proprietary edge or an adjacent structure, which is the part that keeps the whole thing confined.

Laying patterns, and where each one belongs

  • Herringbone at forty-five or ninety degrees develops the strongest interlock and is the pattern for anything carrying vehicles.
  • Stretcher or running bond is fine for paths and patios but allows creep under repeated vehicle braking and turning.
  • Stack bond is a visual choice with the least interlock, and belongs only on pedestrian areas.
  • Basketweave suits courtyards and small areas where the look matters more than load transfer.
  • Permeable systems use wider joints filled with clean aggregate, allowing water to pass through into a storage layer.
  • Larger format pavers and natural stone flags generally need a different bedding and jointing approach again, closer to tiling than to segmental paving.

What a proper segmental paving installation involves

  • Excavate to the full depth required for the base, bedding and paver, not just enough to make the pavers finish flush.
  • Prepare and compact the subgrade before any base goes in, and remove soft spots rather than bridging them.
  • Place and compact base material in thin layers, testing levels as you go.
  • Install the edge restraint before or as the pavers are laid on that edge, not as an afterthought.
  • Screed the bedding layer to a consistent thickness, and do not use it to correct an uneven base.
  • Lay from a fixed string line, cut at the edges rather than stretching the pattern, and keep joints consistent.
  • Compact the laid pavers, fill the joints, and compact again so the jointing material is fully worked in.
  • Set falls so the surface sheds water to somewhere it can go, away from buildings and boundaries.

How segmental pavements fail, and what each failure tells you

  • A spreading outer row and widening joints along one side: the edge restraint has failed or was never installed.
  • Rutting in the wheel tracks of a driveway: the base was too thin or poorly compacted for vehicle loading.
  • A dip in one area only: a soft spot in the subgrade that should have been dug out.
  • Rocking individual pavers: bedding sand used to correct base levels, so the layer is inconsistent.
  • Weeds and ants in the joints: jointing material has washed or been blown out and not replaced.
  • Efflorescence, a white bloom on the surface: usually a temporary curing phenomenon on concrete units rather than a defect.
  • Seasonal movement across the whole pavement on reactive clay, which is the subgrade doing what reactive clay does.

Keeping a paved surface tight

  • Top up jointing material when the joints look low, because open joints are how the interlock is lost.
  • Avoid high-pressure washing directly into joints, which is an efficient way to remove the very material holding the pavement together.
  • Repair a failed edge restraint promptly, before the spreading works its way into the field of the pavement.
  • Keep soil and mulch from building up above the paving edge, which holds moisture against the restraint.
  • Lift and relay isolated settled areas rather than topping them with sand, which never lasts.
  • Keep the falls clear so water leaves the surface rather than sitting in low spots.

Paver Installation: frequently asked questions

Is there an Australian Standard for residential paving?

Yes, AS 3727.1, which covers residential pavements and applies to all types of construction methods including concrete, asphalt, spray sealed and pavers. The catch, as the Housing Industry Association notes, is that it is not referenced in the National Construction Code, so application of the standard is for guidance only. That makes the written scope in your contract the document that actually binds the contractor, which is why the base, bedding, edge restraint and falls should all be spelled out in it.

Why are my pavers spreading apart?

Because the pavement is no longer confined. A segmental pavement works by interlock, and interlock depends on every unit being restrained by the units around it and by a solid edge at the perimeter. Once an edge restraint fails, the outer row moves, the row behind follows, and joints open progressively inwards. Re-sanding the joints treats the symptom; the repair is to reinstate a proper edge restraint and relay the affected area.

Can I lay pavers over an existing concrete slab?

Sometimes, but it becomes a different job with different rules. The slab has to be sound and correctly falling, the added thickness has to not raise the surface above door thresholds or damp-proof courses, and water that gets between the pavers and the slab needs a way out or it will sit there. Many overlay failures are drainage failures. Ask the contractor specifically how water reaching the slab surface will escape.

What is the difference between paving for a path and paving for a driveway?

Base thickness, paver thickness and laying pattern. A driveway carries concentrated wheel loads, and vehicles brake and turn on it, which pushes pavers sideways. That calls for a thicker compacted base, a thicker paver, and a herringbone pattern that develops real interlock rather than a running bond that lets units creep. A path built to driveway specification is over-engineered; a driveway built to path specification will rut within a couple of years.

Do permeable pavers solve drainage problems?

They can reduce run-off, but only if the layers beneath them are built to store and release water and the subgrade will accept it. On free-draining sand a permeable system works well. On tight reactive clay the water arrives at the bottom of the storage layer and stops, so the system needs a designed outlet. Permeable paving is a stormwater design decision rather than a paver choice, and it should be worked out with whoever is resolving the site drainage.

Sources

  1. HIA: Designing pavements to avoid cracking, and the status of AS 3727.1
  2. NCC: ABCB Housing Provisions Part 3.2 Earthworks and compacted filling

Written by the LokalMatch editorial team. Last reviewed 22 September 2026. How we write and check our guides

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What affects the cost of interlocking

Prices depend on the details of your project. We only publish price ranges when they’re backed by real LokalMatch quote data or reliable sources. Until then, here’s what usually changes the price:

  • Size and thickness of the area
  • Removal of the old surface
  • Excavation and base preparation
  • Finish, colour or pattern
  • Access for equipment and trucks
  • Steps, curves, drains or retaining edges

How to compare interlock contractors before you hire

  • Choose a contractor who explains how they'll prepare the base, since most concrete and interlock problems start underneath.
  • Ask how they'll slope the surface so water drains away from the house.
  • Get a written quote that covers excavation, base material, reinforcement, finish and removal of the old surface.
  • Look at jobs they finished a few seasons ago to see how they've held up through freeze and thaw.
  • Ask whether they'll call to have underground utilities located before digging.

Questions to ask interlock contractors before you hire

  • How deep will you excavate, and what base will you put down?
  • Will you use reinforcement, and what kind?
  • How will you make sure water drains away from the house?
  • Does this work need a permit from my municipality?
  • How soon can the surface be walked on or driven on after it's done?
  • What warranty do you offer for cracking, settling or heaving?

When to call a pro for interlocking

  • Cracks that are widening or slabs that have sunk or lifted
  • Water pooling against the foundation after rain
  • Trip hazards on steps, walkways or driveways

Interlocking permits and local rules

Some interlocking work needs a permit or has to meet local bylaws. Rules vary by municipality, so ask your pro whether a permit is needed and who will apply for it — and check with your city or town if you’re unsure.

Permits and licensing

Seasonal maintenance

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