Pavers in Chanhassen, MN

Pavers in Chanhassen have to handle a well-measured winter. The National Weather Service office for the Twin Cities sits in the city, and its 1991 to 2020 normals put average January lows at 5.6 degrees, average January highs at 22.4 degrees and annual snowfall at 54.7 inches. The station's record low is minus 35. A patio, walk or driveway here goes through months of freezing, thawing and plowing every year, and the way it is built decides whether it stays flat.

Frost heave, briefly

Water in the soil expands as it freezes. Where the ground under a patio holds water, it lifts; where it drains, it stays put. That uneven push is what tips pavers and cracks concrete. Frost can go deep in a hard Minnesota winter: in 2014, MnDOT recorded frost under pavement at 6 feet or more, and frost went deeper than 40 inches where snow cover was thin. A cleared patio or driveway has no insulating snow, so it freezes deeper than the lawn beside it.

How we build against it

• Base depth by use. Following Unilock's guidelines, 4 to 6 inches of compacted aggregate under walks and patios and 8 to 12 inches under driveways, more where the soil is clay.
• Compaction in lifts. Each 3- to 4-inch layer is compacted before the next goes down. A thick layer compacted once settles later.
• Wide base. The base extends past the paver edge by as much as it is deep, so edge pavers do not sit on soft soil.
• Drainage slope. A 1 to 2 percent fall away from the house moves snowmelt off the surface before it can refreeze.
• Solid edge restraint. Edging holds the field together through freeze-thaw cycles and snow plowing.

Materials for higher-end projects

About 84.1% of Chanhassen homes are owner-occupied per the Census, nine in ten residents were in the same house a year earlier, and owners planning a long stay often weigh larger patios, natural-stone accents, outdoor kitchens and lighting. Whatever the finish, a premium paver on a thin base still heaves. We spend the effort underneath first and then help you choose texture and color, including tumbled concrete pavers, large-format slabs, and natural stone where it suits the house.

A local example of permeable paving

The Minnesota DNR lists the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, in Chanhassen, as an early Minnesota permeable pavement site, built in 2002. Permeable pavers let rain soak through open joints into a stone reservoir. Minnesota research has found they keep infiltrating through winter, and porous surfaces can melt snow and ice faster than standard pavement. With several lakes in town, including Lake Minnewashta, Lake Ann, Rice Marsh Lake and Hazeltine Lake, some owners choose them for driveways or patios that drain toward the water.

Timing the season

The typical last spring freeze in the Twin Cities falls within a few days of May 1. We can excavate and set base once the ground thaws and dries, and we keep scheduling through fall until the ground freezes. Booking over the winter puts you near the front of the line in spring.

Our Chanhassen services

• Paver patios and multi-level terraces
• Paver driveways
• Entry walks and garden paths
• Retaining walls and planting walls
• Fire pits and seating walls
• Paver repair, releveling and re-sanding

Call (952) 800-9409 to set up a visit.

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