The first days, let the joints cure

Avoid walking on the paving for 24 hours and parking a vehicle for 48 to 72 hours. The polymeric sand needs this time to fully harden. Also avoid washing during this period.

Regular maintenance, keep it simple

Sweep leaves and debris regularly. For washing: water and mild soap is enough. Avoid bleach or acid. Pressure washer: keep the nozzle at a distance, never point it directly into joints. Oil stains: clean quickly before they penetrate.

Weeds

Polymeric sand blocks the vast majority of weeds. If one appears, pull it out or pour boiling water on it. Avoid strong herbicides directly in the joints.

Sealer, protect your investment

A protective sealer repels stains, resists freeze-thaw and UV, reduces moss and revives colour. Reapply every 2 to 5 years. Signs it's time: water no longer beads, stains sink in faster, colour looks faded. It's a service we offer, just call us!

Pavers that heave or sink

A winter heave or a dip that holds a puddle is almost never the paver itself, it is the base or the drainage underneath. The good news: it is fixable without tearing everything out. We lift the affected section, rebuild the base and reset the same pavers. Act early, a small dip becomes a large section.

Snow removal and salt

De-icing salt is the worst thing for pavers, especially in the first year. It attacks the surface and speeds up spalling. Use sand or an abrasive instead, and a plastic or rubber bladed shovel rather than metal. If you absolutely must de-ice, use as little as possible and rinse in the spring.

Stains: time works against you

Wet leaves leave tannin stains, patio furniture leaves rust, oil soaks in fast. Almost everything comes out if you deal with it within a few days. A cleaner made for pavers does the job, never acid or bleach, they discolour the stone permanently.

Edge restraints, the detail that holds it all

If the pavers around the perimeter start spreading or shifting, it is the edge restraint that failed, not the pavers. A patio without solid edging slowly opens outward, and once it starts it works its way toward the middle. It is a simple fix if you catch it early.

Dig deep enough for all layers: paver thickness + 1 in. (bedding) + base. Base depth: ~4 in. for a patio, ~6 to 8 in. for a driveway.

Always slope 2% away from the house. No slope means water freezes and lifts the paving.

Unroll the geotextile membrane over the entire excavation floor. Overlap strips by ~12 in. and run it a bit up the sides. This prevents stone from mixing into the soil and blocks weeds from below.

This is the most important layer. Spread stone in 2-3 in. lifts. Compact every lift with a plate compactor before adding the next. Check level and slope as you go.

Test: you should be able to walk on it without leaving a footprint.

Spread about 1 in. of stone dust on the base. Use two pipes as rails and drag a straight board (screed) across them for a perfectly even bed. Remove pipes and fill the gaps delicately.

Important: do NOT compact the bedding layer before laying pavers. It must stay loose.

Start from a straight edge (border or wall) and work outward. Walk on pavers already laid, never on the bedding layer. Keep a regular pattern with tight, even joints (~1/8 in.). Seat each paver with a rubber mallet tap.

Install edge restraints (plastic, concrete, or soldier course pavers) all the way around. Stake them firmly. Without restraints, pavers spread gradually over time and joints open up.

Run the plate compactor over the pavers to seat them in the bed and level everything. Always use a rubber protection pad under the plate, or you will scratch or crack the pavers. Make 2 passes in crossed directions.

Pavers must be DRY in dry weather. Fill joints fully, compact, re-fill. Blow off ALL excess with a blower. Activate with a light mist, multiple gentle passes, never a heavy stream. A half-filled joint cracks on the first winter.

If water takes more than 24 hours to disappear in one spot, your yard isn't draining properly, often due to a slope problem or compacted soil.

Water seeping in, a foundation wall that sweats, a musty smell: surface water is flowing toward your home instead of away from it.

Waterlogged soil suffocates roots. If a zone stays soft and "squishes" underfoot, water is pooling below the surface.

Water that always runs the same path carves channels: a clear sign it isn't being redirected properly.

Poor drainage freezes, heaves paving, and makes access dangerous.

If it happens in the same corner every winter, that's a drainage issue, not bad luck.

Start with your gutters

Before talking about major work: a downspout emptying at the base of the foundation sends hundreds of gallons straight against your basement wall with every heavy rain. An extension carrying the water 6 feet or more from the house solves a good share of moisture problems, for almost nothing.

The grade around the house

The ground should drop about 6 inches over the first 10 feet out from the foundation. Over the years the backfill settles and the slope eventually reverses without anyone noticing. Simply adding and shaping soil, before water has done any damage, costs a fraction of drying out a basement.

A French drain and a dry well are not the same thing

A French drain captures water and carries it elsewhere. A dry well receives water and lets it soak slowly into the ground. On many lots the right answer is both together: capture, carry, then infiltrate away from the house. A contractor who proposes the same solution to everyone is not looking at your property.

Do not solve your problem on your neighbour's land

The Civil Code of Québec provides that lower land must receive water flowing naturally from higher land, but that the owner of the higher land cannot make the situation worse. A fix that pushes your water onto the neighbour is a dispute waiting to happen. We direct water to the street, a ditch, or a well on your own property.

A real contractor carries liability insurance (ours is $2M). Without it, if something breaks, you're the one who pays.

A verbal guarantee is worthless. Ask for it in writing, in the quote. We guarantee our work for 1 year, in black and white.

This is THE key question. A base compacted in layers with geotextile and stone is what keeps paving or a driveway level for 20 years. If they only talk about the surface, be cautious.

A serious contractor explains their base process without hesitating.

A good contractor lists every line item, quantities, and what's included. No vague lump sum, no surprises mid-project.

With us, the owner is on the job site, not an unknown subcontractor. You know exactly who is doing your work.

A trench, not individual holes

Dig one continuous trench 60 cm wide and 15 to 20 cm deep along the whole hedge line. A trench beats separate holes: roots spread from plant to plant and the hedge fills in much faster.

Soak the trench before planting

Water the trench thoroughly, then let it drain a little before setting the trees in. Soil that is already moist deep down keeps the root ball from drinking up every drop of the first waterings.

Mycorrhizae and transplant fertilizer

Drop a small handful of mycorrhizae and one of transplant fertilizer per tree at the bottom of the trench, following the package directions. Mycorrhizae attach to the roots and greatly boost their ability to take up water and minerals.

Free the root ball without breaking it

Tilt the container and gently knead its sides to loosen the root ball, then lift the tree out. Never break up the root ball or tear the roots: a roughly transplanted cedar can take two years to recover.

Collar height, the detail that matters

The collar, meaning the base of the trunk, must sit level with the ground. If your soil drains poorly, set it slightly higher. A collar buried too deep suffocates the tree and turns it yellow.

Backfill with the right soil

If the soil you removed is decent, neither too clayey nor too sandy, put it back. Tamp it down with your boots while keeping the trunk clear. Otherwise, blend it with garden topsoil to lighten it.

The first watering

Water generously at ground level after planting, without wetting the foliage. A perforated soaker hose laid at the foot of the hedge makes watering far easier from then on.

Mulch is optional, and worth watching

A 5 to 8 cm layer of mulch holds moisture in, but it must never touch the trunk. If your soil drains poorly, skip the mulch: it would trap too much water around the roots.

Shelter from wind the first year

A wind-exposed hedge works itself loose. Tie the cedars to a fence or to stakes with rope for the entire first year after planting.

Getting through winter undamaged

If your cedars face strong winds or heavy snow loads, put up a burlap or geotextile screen. That is what prevents broken branches and scorched foliage come spring.

Watering through year one

Once or twice a week depending on your soil type. Do not water every day: one or two deep soakings, letting the soil dry between them, beat a daily trickle that rots the roots.

From the second year on

Water only during real dry spells. In the fall, give one or two heavy waterings before the freeze: cedars store that reserve and it keeps their foliage from drying out over winter.

Mow high, that is rule number one

Height changes everything. Aim for 7 to 10 cm in summer, never below 8 cm in a heat wave, and only drop to 3 cm for the final fall cut. Tall grass grows deep roots, keeps the soil cool and smothers weeds before they start. It is free and it delivers more than anything else.

Never more than a third of the height at once

If your grass is 12 cm, do not go below 8 cm. Cutting too short in one pass stresses the plant, which burns its reserves regrowing leaves instead of feeding roots. Better to mow more often, less short.

A sharp blade, twice a season

A dull blade tears the blade instead of slicing it. The tip whitens, dries out and becomes an entry point for disease. Sharpen in spring and mid-summer, you will see it within a week.

Lots of water, rarely

About 2.5 cm of water per week, rain included, in one or two waterings. A light daily sprinkle keeps roots at the surface and leaves the lawn fragile at the first dry spell. Water in the morning, never at night, or the lingering moisture invites fungus.

The tuna can trick

To find out what your sprinkler actually delivers, set an empty can on the lawn and time how long it takes to collect 2.5 cm of water. Now you know exactly how many minutes to run it. Most people water half as much as they think.

Leave the clippings on the lawn

Grasscycling returns up to a third of the nitrogen your lawn needs, for free. Clippings do not cause thatch, that is a myth: they break down in days. Just mow without the bag.

Mulch your leaves instead of raking them

Run the mower over fall leaves to shred them into confetti. They feed the soil all winter and improve its structure. Only rake if a thick mat is completely smothering the grass.

Fertilize two or three times, at the right moments

One application in May, one in June, then a potassium-rich fall feed in September. The fall one matters most: it does not push leaf growth, it builds the roots that carry the lawn through winter.

Fall beats spring for seeding

Early September is the best window to overseed in Quebec. The soil is still warm, nights are cool, rain is more frequent and crabgrass has stopped competing. A spring seeding needs constant watering and often gets overrun.

Aerate if the soil is compacted

Core aeration once a year, ideally in spring or early fall, gets air back to the roots. It matters most near driveways and wherever people walk. Follow it with top dressing of two shovelfuls of compost per square metre and overseeding, the three go together.

White grubs: timing is everything

Signs: yellow patches in August, turf lifting like a carpet, skunks and raccoons digging. Nematodes go down from mid-August to early September, never in spring when the soil is too cold for them to survive. Apply on a cloudy day, water before and after, and keep the soil moist for 10 days. Expect to cut damage by 30 to 40 percent, not to eliminate it.

The best grub treatment is mowing high

Chafers lay eggs in short, open turf. A lawn kept at 8 to 10 cm, dense and deeply rooted, is far less attractive for egg laying and absorbs damage better. Adding clover to the mix helps too.

What is allowed in Quebec has changed

Since July 2025, the Pesticides Management Code bans more products than before, and not only on lawns: flower beds, hedges and gardens are covered. Several pyrethrin-based insecticides are now off limits for residential use. Bt, diatomaceous earth, insecticidal soaps and horticultural oils remain allowed. Your municipality may be stricter, check before buying anything.

Get ready for winter in November

Final cut short, at 3 cm, so grass does not lie flat under the snow and develop snow mould. Clear what is lying around, and above all do not pile salted driveway snow onto the lawn: salt burns roots and you will see it in spring as yellow strips along the pavement.

Salt damage can be fixed

If yellow strips show up along the driveway in spring, water heavily to flush the salt, add gypsum and reseed. For next winter, switch de-icer or add an edge that sends meltwater elsewhere.

A perfect lawn is not the goal

A bit of clover fixes nitrogen and stays green through drought. A lawn made of several species holds up far better than a single-variety carpet: if a pest or disease hits, it does not wipe out everything. Aim for a healthy lawn, not a golf green.

Late summer overseeding, the secret weapon

From late August to mid September the soil is still warm, nights are cool and weeds slow down. It is the best window of the year to overseed: spread seed over the existing lawn with a thin layer of topsoil and keep it moist for two to three weeks. That is what thickens a thin lawn, more than any fertilizer.

In shade, change your seed and your expectations

Under trees it is not a question of effort, it is a question of light. Use a shade mix based on fescues, mow even higher, water less often and fertilize less. Under a large mature maple, sometimes nothing will grow: mulch or a ground cover gives a much better result than fighting it every year.

Fixing a dead patch without laying sod

Rake out the dead thatch, loosen the soil about 2 inches down, add topsoil, seed, tamp lightly and keep moist for two to three weeks. For small areas it is far cheaper than sod and the result blends into the rest of the lawn instead of showing as a patch.

Water is what kills retaining walls

A retaining wall almost never fails because the blocks gave out. It fails because water built up behind it. Saturated soil weighs and pushes far harder than dry soil, and in winter that water freezes and expands. Poor water management tops the list of failure causes documented by the NCMA, the North American reference body for segmental block walls.

The backfill: clean stone, never soil

Behind the wall you need at least 12 inches of clean 3/4 stone, washed, with no stone dust. Soil and clay act like a sponge, they hold water instead of letting it drain. The NCMA formally rules out clay and organic soils as backfill behind a wall. If someone backfills your wall with the dirt that came out of the excavation, they are selling you a future problem.

The drain has to come out somewhere

A 4 inch perforated drain at the base of the wall, sitting in the clean stone, sloped at least 2 %, with a real outlet: daylighting at the low point, into a ditch, or tied into an existing system. A buried pipe that goes nowhere does not drain, it stores water.

Geotextile, the part you never see

The geotextile membrane separates native soil from the clean stone. Without it, fine soil particles migrate into the stone and clog it within a few years. The wall loses its drainage with nothing showing on the surface, and then it starts to push. A few dollars a square foot decides whether the wall lasts 10 years or 40.

The base and the first course

A compacted 0-3/4 stone base at least 6 inches thick, 6 inches wider than the block on each side. The first course has to be buried by the greater of the two: 6 to 8 inches, or one tenth of the total height. So an 8 foot wall sits at least 10 inches below grade. A wall set on the lawn is a wall that will tip.

Compaction, in 8 inch lifts

You backfill and compact in lifts of 8 inches maximum. Any thicker and the plate does not reach the bottom, so the soil keeps settling afterward. Another detail few people respect: no heavy equipment within 3 feet of the blocks, otherwise you push the wall forward while you build it.

Geogrid, once the wall gets tall

Past roughly 3 to 4 feet, the weight of the blocks is no longer enough. You need geogrid layers anchored into the backfill, turning the soil itself into a mass block. Length of at least 60 % of the wall height and never less than 4 feet. Depending on the block model the threshold can start lower than 3 feet, it is written in the manufacturer's chart.

Frost: depth is not what protects you, the absence of water is

People often say a block wall has to go below the frost line like a house foundation. That is not true for a segmental wall. It is a flexible structure, designed to tolerate small movements. No manufacturer guide asks you to dig down 4 or 5 feet. What protects against frost is non frost susceptible, drained backfill: no water, no ice lens, no pressure.

How to tell a wall is failing

Every defect points to its cause. Bulging in the middle: missing geogrid or water pressure. Uniform lean forward: inadequate base or embedment. One end sinking: localized settlement under the base. Water weeping through the blocks or whitish deposits: the drainage is clogged. A hollow forming behind the wall: the fines are washing away, the geotextile was missing.

Permits, and the engineer question

In Laval, every retaining wall requires a certificate of authorization regardless of height, and from 1.8 m up the City requires drawings signed and sealed by an engineer plus a site supervision mandate. It varies a lot from one city to the next: Boisbriand requires no permit, Saint-Jérôme asks for an engineer's attestation above 1.5 m. The Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec also points out that height is not what determines whether the Engineers Act applies, the nature of the structure is. Rules change, so we always confirm with the City before starting.

Repair or rebuild, let's be honest

The value of a wall is not in the blocks, it is in the excavation, the clean stone, the drain and the labour. If a wall is bulging because drainage was neglected, it has to come apart, the bad backfill has to come out and the structure has to be rebuilt. A real "repair" of a bulging wall is, technically, a rebuild. Only cosmetic defects or very localized settlement can be partly fixed. We will tell you straight rather than sell you a cover up.