Most Hamilton interlock that needs work is fifteen to twenty-five years old, laid on heavy clay, and has been through a lot of freeze and thaw. The usual complaints are a dip by the downspout, a heaved edge along the lawn, weeds in every joint and a faded, dirty surface. Here is what each fix costs and how to tell which one you actually need.
2026 interlock repair and sealing prices in Hamilton
| Service | Price per sq ft (2026) | 500 sq ft driveway or patio |
|---|---|---|
| Small spot repair: a few sunken or loose pavers lifted and reset | Minimum visit | $250 - $450 |
| Clean only (surface wash, no sand or seal) | $0.50 - $1.10 | $250 - $550 |
| Re-sand joints with polymeric sand | $0.60 - $1.30 | $300 - $650 |
| Full service: clean, re-sand and seal | $1.20 - $2.50 | $600 - $1,250 |
| Strip a cloudy or peeling old sealer | $1.80 - $3.60 | $900 - $1,800 |
| Relevel settled areas, reusing the pavers | $6 - $14 | $3,000 - $7,000 |
| Lift, rebuild the base and relay | $18 - $32 | $9,000 - $16,000 |
The spot repair minimum covers travel, setup and the first hour or so of work, which is enough for a few pavers by a downspout or a single trip edge. Larger areas are priced by the square foot. A relevel is only possible when the gravel base underneath is still firm; if it has washed out or was never deep enough, the area has to be rebuilt. The Ontario paver sealing cost guide breaks down every line in detail.
Why Hamilton interlock sinks and heaves
- Clay soil and water. Much of Hamilton, the Mountain especially, sits on clay that holds water. If the base under the pavers is thin, or water is getting in, it softens and freezes. Pavers drop in some spots and lift in others.
- Downspouts. The most common sunken spot we see in Hamilton is directly under a downspout that empties onto the interlock. Every rain washes bedding sand out through the joints.
- Edges with no restraint. Pavers along the lawn creep sideways and tip down if the edge restraint has rotted, was never spiked in, or was buried under sod.
- Tree roots. Maple roots lift walkways and driveways, mostly within a few metres of the trunk.
- Utility cuts. Where a gas, water or cable line was dug under the driveway and backfilled loosely, a trench-shaped dip shows up a year or two later.
If you want to understand the cause in more depth, our guide on why interlock sinks walks through each one.
Repair, relevel or rebuild?
| What you see | Likely fix | Rough cost |
|---|---|---|
| A few pavers low or loose, base solid underneath | Lift, add bedding sand, reset, re-sand | $250 - $450 minimum visit |
| A dip of 10 to 50 sq ft, the rest is fine | Relevel that area, reuse the pavers | $6 - $14 per sq ft |
| Ruts in the wheel paths, pavers rocking across the drive | Base has failed; lift, rebuild, relay | $18 - $32 per sq ft |
| Level and solid, just dirty with weeds in the joints | Clean, re-sand, seal | $1.20 - $2.50 per sq ft |
| Pavers cracked or crumbling | Replace those pavers; matching colour is the challenge | Quoted with the repair |
Most of the time, the original pavers can be reused. Concrete pavers last far longer than the base under them. If some are broken, we look for a match from the same manufacturer; on very old driveways we sometimes borrow pavers from under a planter or along a side edge and put new ones where they will not show.
Fix the water, then the pavers
A repair that ignores water is back in two years. Before relaying anything, we extend downspouts so they discharge onto grass or into a drain away from the pavers, check that the surface slopes away from the house, and replace or re-spike the edge restraint. If water pools against the foundation or across the yard, our Hamilton yard drainage page covers the bigger fixes.
Driveways that meet the City boulevard
The part of your driveway between the sidewalk, or the property line, and the road is on the City's road allowance. Resetting sunken pavers there is ordinary maintenance. Widening the driveway or changing where it crosses the boulevard is different. The City's Residential Driveway Access Approval Guide says you need approval to build or widen a driveway access across the boulevard. The 2026 application fee is $507 including HST, the City prices the work on the approach separately, and applications received after September 5 are scheduled for the following year. Check that the change meets zoning before you apply. If utility or City work has torn up part of an interlock apron, ask the crew or the City how it will be put back before they leave, and take photos first.
Sealing: worth it, if done right
Sealing is optional. It deepens the colour, makes oil and food stains easier to clean, and helps lock in the joint sand. It does not fix sinking or weeds on its own. Done badly, it leaves a milky haze that costs more to strip than the seal cost to apply.
- Dry pavers only. Sealing over damp pavers traps moisture and turns white. After washing, pavers need a full dry day or more.
- Warm weather. Most sealers need surface temperatures of about 10°C or warmer and no rain for a day. In Hamilton that means roughly May to early October.
- Clean first. Old stains, white efflorescence and weeds have to come out before the seal goes on, or they are sealed in. See why pavers turn white.
- Matte over gloss. A natural or matte finish is less slippery and less prone to haze than wet look.
- Every 3 to 5 years. A good penetrating or matte sealer typically lasts that long on a Hamilton driveway.
Winter and your interlock
It is too cold to seal or set polymeric sand now, but this is a good time to book spring work and to look after the surface through winter. Use a plastic or rubber-edged shovel blade, not steel, which chips paver edges and scrapes sealer. Keep the snowbank off the edges of the driveway so meltwater is not freezing into the joints all season. When the snow is gone, look for new dips and loose pavers, and get them reset before summer heat and traffic make them worse.
Where we repair interlock in Hamilton
The Mountain, the lower city, Westdale, Ancaster, Dundas, Stoney Creek, Waterdown, Binbrook and Mount Hope. If the driveway is past saving, see our Hamilton interlock driveway page for full replacement prices.
Frequently asked questions
How much does interlock repair cost in Hamilton?
About $250 to $450 to reset a few pavers, $6 to $14 per sq ft to relevel a settled area and $18 to $32 per sq ft where the base must be rebuilt.
How much does it cost to seal interlock in Hamilton?
A full clean, re-sand and seal costs $1.20 to $2.50 per sq ft, about $600 to $1,250 for 500 sq ft.
Why are my interlock pavers sinking?
Usually water softening a thin base on clay, often under a downspout, or edges with no restraint. Fix the water and edge, then relevel.
Can sunken pavers be reused?
Yes, almost always. The pavers outlast the base. We lift them, fix the base and bedding, and relay the same pavers.
When can interlock be sealed in Hamilton?
Roughly May to early October, on dry pavers, with surface temperatures around 10°C or more and no rain for a day.
Do I need a permit to repair my driveway in Hamilton?
Not to reset existing pavers. Building or widening a driveway access across the boulevard needs City approval; the 2026 application fee is $507.