Pavers Burbank – Installation, Repair & Retaining Walls

Most Burbank paver projects are on single-story post-war homes: replacing a cracked concrete driveway, adding a back patio, or redoing the walk to the front door. The lots are regular and mostly flat, so the work is usually simple. What makes it last is a proper base on the Valley’s clay soils and drainage that keeps water away from the house.

Burbank’s housing

A large share of Burbank was built in the 1940s and 1950s, when the aircraft industry and the studios were growing. Magnolia Park is the classic example, with hundreds of modest homes on a regular street grid. Similar ranch houses fill the flats on both sides of the 5. The Rancho area near Griffith Park is zoned for horses, with larger lots, stables and long driveways. North of Glenoaks, the hillside neighborhoods have newer homes, steeper driveways and retaining walls.

Many of these homes still have their original concrete driveways, now cracked and lifted by tree roots, with a single-car garage at the back and a patio slab that tilts toward the house.

Base and soils

Parts of the San Fernando Valley have expansive clay soils that swell when wet and shrink as they dry. Pavers handle that movement better than poured concrete, but only on a well-compacted aggregate base deep enough for the load. A driveway typically needs 6–8 inches of compacted base, a patio less. Soft or clay-heavy spots may need geogrid. Our page on why pavers fail explains what goes wrong when the base is skimped.

Driveways and curb cuts

If you’re widening a driveway or adding a second one, the curb cut at the street needs approval from Burbank Public Works. Residential driveways are generally limited to 15 feet wide at the curb and no more than a quarter of the lot width. Replacing an existing driveway on private property in the same footprint is simpler. If the approach or sidewalk is damaged, that portion is public right-of-way and needs its own permit.

Heat and materials

Burbank summers are hot, and dark surfaces get uncomfortable underfoot. For patios and pool areas, lighter concrete pavers or travertine stay cooler. For driveways, a vehicle-rated concrete paver at least 60 mm thick is the practical choice. In the Rancho area, horse traffic and trailers call for a heavier base and a paver with a textured surface.

Permits

Flat paving on private property at grade generally doesn’t need a building permit under the state code. Retaining walls over 4 feet from the bottom of the footing, or walls supporting a slope or driveway, do. Curb cuts and approaches need Public Works approval.

Burbank paver questions

Can pavers go over my old concrete driveway?

Sometimes, with a thin paver set on mortar, but only if the slab is sound and the added height works at the garage and street. Most cracked driveways are better removed. See pavers vs. concrete.

Can I widen my driveway?

On private property, usually. At the curb, Burbank Public Works has to approve any change to the curb cut, and widths are limited.

What holds up to horse trailers in the Rancho?

A deeper base, geogrid on soft ground and a thick vehicle-rated paver. Tell us about trailer weights at the estimate.

How much does a driveway cost?

See our cost guide for current ranges.

For a Burbank estimate, call (213) 577-0727 or send photos through the form.