Can bluestone or pavers be laid over concrete?

by Bob
(Sinking Spring PA)

I have a 15' x 20' concrete patio that is cracked and unsightly. I would like to replace it with a paver or ideally a bluestone patio. I have had landscapers tell me that the concrete patio needs to be removed before doing bluestone but I am concerned of the removal expense.

I have also been told by a contractor that he can lay the bluestone over the original concrete patio by adding a new concrete base on top of the old as follows "You would have to elevate the patio, and I would pour the base in concrete, not gravel. With some wire mesh and rebar, the concrete base would float on top of the existing concrete just fine." Will this work?? Or do you have other suggestions?

ANSWER

Hi Bob,
Remove the patio. Put down a new patio and have it dry laid. Pavers will be less expensive than bluestone, but you can use either.

Once a concrete patio is cracked, it is not stable. I don't know what landscaper #2 is talking about...I have never heard of that. Also, by the time he lays a concrete base and lays the new bluestone (set in concrete), you might as well remove the compromised existing concrete patio. If it were my own project, I would NEVER lay new concrete on top of old concrete. A concrete patio needs the right base. Something is not right if it is cracked. See my page Building a Patio and you will see images of the correct installation methods for various materials.

You are probably talking about $1000+ for the patio removal.

For a dry laid bluestone patio, take an average price of $22 per square foot. If you were to keep the same size, that's 300sf x $22 = $6600, plus the removal. Pavers average around $15 per sf, so that would be $4500, plus patio removal. These are installed prices including the cost of materials and are averages. I am in NJ so I shouldn't be too far off as I am not that far away from you.

You'll have to decide what fits in your budget. But I would rather do a new concrete patio if that is what your budget allows and remove the old patio than lay anything on top of your existing concrete patio.

I hope this was helpful.