Pavers Sherman Oaks – Installation, Repair & Retaining Walls
In Sherman Oaks, a lot of paver work starts with an old concrete driveway that a street tree has cracked and lifted, or a backyard slab that has settled toward the house. Pavers are a good fix for both, because they flex with the ground and can be lifted and reset when roots or soil move again.
Flats and hills
North of Ventura Boulevard, Sherman Oaks is mostly 1940s and 1950s ranch houses on regular lots, with mature street trees and a lot of remodeling. Backyards here are where people live in the summer, so pool decks, covered patios and outdoor kitchens are common requests. South of Ventura, the hillside streets climbing toward Mulholland have steeper driveways, retaining walls and smaller, terraced yards.
Street trees and driveway aprons
Many Sherman Oaks driveways meet the street beside a mature parkway tree. The part of the driveway between the sidewalk and the curb, the apron, is in the public right-of-way. Replacing or widening it needs an A-Permit from the City’s Bureau of Engineering, and the City looks at obstacles near the apron, including street trees within about 6 feet. If roots have lifted the sidewalk or apron, that’s a City permit question, not just a paving one.
On your own side of the sidewalk, a paver driveway handles root movement better than poured concrete. Where a root has lifted a section, the pavers can be pulled, the base regraded, and the same pavers reset, without a visible patch.
Clay soils and settling patios
Parts of the Valley have expansive clay soil that swells in wet winters and shrinks in summer. A thin base over clay is why so many backyard slabs crack and tilt. For pavers, the fix is a proper excavation, a compacted aggregate base in lifts, geogrid where the soil is soft, and a slope that carries water away from the house. Our page on why pavers fail covers the common mistakes.
Pool decks and heat
Valley summer heat makes material choice matter around a pool. Light-colored travertine stays cooler underfoot and has a natural texture for wet feet. Textured porcelain is another option. Coping is usually priced separately. See travertine pavers.
Hillside lots
South of Ventura, flat space usually means a retaining wall. Walls over 4 feet from the bottom of the footing, or walls supporting a slope or driveway, need a permit and engineering. Some lots fall under the City’s hillside rules, and those near Mulholland can be in the Mulholland Scenic Parkway Specific Plan area.
Sherman Oaks paver questions
A tree root lifted my driveway. Will pavers stop it happening again?
No surface stops roots, but pavers can be lifted and reset when they move. A root barrier, where the tree’s health allows, helps too.
Do I need a permit to replace my driveway?
Not for the part on your property, in most cases. The apron at the street needs a Bureau of Engineering A-Permit.
What’s the best material for a pool deck here?
Light travertine or textured porcelain. Both stay cooler than dark concrete.
How long does a backyard patio take?
A typical residential patio takes a few days once materials arrive. Walls and steps add time. See our patio page.
For a Sherman Oaks estimate, call (213) 577-0727 or send photos through the form.