The walkway that leads from the driveway or the sidewalk to your front door is probably not an area of your house that you focus on, unless your front door is the main means of entry into your home. However, as a homeowner, you want to make sure that you make your property as safe as possible. Your property includes the driveway. If you have a patio paver that you use as part of your walkway that is cracked, it presents a hazard to anyone trying to get inside of your home. Here are the steps that you need to follow in order to remove the broken paver and make your walkway safe again.

1. Determine How the Paver Was Laid

The first step is to determine how the paver was laid because it will determine the tools that you will need. If the paver was simply laid on top of a bed of sand, then you will just use a crowbar to pry up the paver.

If the paver was laid with concrete acting as a stabilizing device, then you are going to need a sledge hammer to break up the concrete and a crowbar to remove the paver.

Finally, if the paver was laid with mortar to hold it in place, you are going to need a mortar knife to scrape away the mortar and a crowbar to remove the paver.

You should be able to tell just by looking at the paver, but if you have any questions, talk to your paving contractor.

2. Loosen the Paver

If you are just dealing with a paver that was set into a bed of sand, then you will need to insert the folded end of the crowbar underneath the paver. Make sure that you dig into the sand below. Then, using the edge of an adjacent paver as a fulcrum, lift it up so that a good chunk of it is sticking above the surface of the walkway. Have another person grab the paver out and drag it away.

If the paver was set using concrete, then you are going to need to use the sledgehammer to break up the bits of the concrete that are holding it down. Make sure that you break the surface of the paver in order to make sure that you are reaching the concrete below. Remove each chunk that you loosen until the entire paver is gone. Use a crowbar to pry up any chunks that aren't moving easily.

Finally, if the paver was secured using mortar, take the mortar knife and insert it into the mortar surrounding the paver. Wiggle it back and forth until you create a clear break between the paver and the adjacent paver. Continue doing this until you have cut all of the available mortar. Then, insert the crowbar into one of the cracks in the mortar and lift up the paver. Loosen any remaining parts with the mortar knife.

Once you have removed the paver, make sure that you block off the hole in your walkway so that no one falls into it and replace the paver as soon as possible. For assistance, talk to a paving contractor.