CGI Driveway & Pavers Nationwide

CGI Driveway & Pavers: The Miami Owner’s Guide

CGI driveway and paver systems in Miami typically run $8,260-$21,240 installed for paver driveways and $5,310-$14,160 for concrete, depending on substrate condition and whether we’re matching existing CGI patterns or starting fresh. We stock CGI-compatible edge restraints, polymeric sand, and paver base materials on our trucks, and most CGI paver repairs in Coral Gables, Pinecrest, and Aventura are completed in a single day. Most homeowners notice the problem after a heavy rain: pavers shifting, edge restraints pulling away, or joint sand washing out from between the stones.

Call (786) 321-4970

Which CGI Models This Applies To

CGI, or Concrete Graphics Inc., produces stamped concrete overlays, paver systems, and decorative concrete coatings under several product lines that were popular in South Florida between 2008 and 2018. The most common we encounter are the CGI Stone-Crete stamped overlay series and the CGI Paver-Crete thin-paver system, both of which used proprietary color hardeners and release agents that affect how repairs blend.

To identify your CGI system, check for a stamp pattern code near the garage or along an expansion joint - CGI typically stamped a small “CGI” and date code into the concrete near control joints. For paver systems, the original edge restraint was often CGI’s black PVC version, which becomes brittle in Miami’s UV exposure after six to eight years and cracks at the spike holes. The OEM replacement is no longer manufactured, but we source a compatible commercial-grade aluminum edging from Perma-Edge that accepts the same 10-inch spike spacing and holds up better in our coral rock substrate.

Matching the color is the gotcha: CGI’s color hardeners were site-mixed, so two driveways poured the same week can differ. We pull a core sample, send it to a matching lab in Hialeah, and document the formula in your file. Under Clause 1 of the Haven Standard, that written color-match price is what you pay - no surprises if the first batch needs adjustment.

Signs Your CGI Driveway & Pavers Is Failing

• Pavers shifting or rocking underfoot. This usually means the bedding sand layer has washed out or compacted unevenly. In Miami, our sandy soil and heavy downpours accelerate this - water finds the path of least resistance through joint sand, undermining the base.
• Edge restraints pulling away from the perimeter. The PVC or aluminum edging that locks pavers in place loosens as spikes work free in our soft coral rock. Once the edge goes, the field pavers migrate outward and the pattern unravels.
• Joint sand washing out or growing weeds. Polymeric sand breaks down after five to seven years in Florida’s cycle of saturation and intense drying. Weeds indicate the sand has lost its binder and water is penetrating freely.
• Surface spalling or color flaking on stamped concrete. CGI’s overlay systems are thin - typically 1/4 to 1/2 inch - and delaminate when moisture gets trapped underneath. South Florida’s humidity makes this more common than in drier climates.
• Ponding or poor drainage after rain. The substrate has settled or the original pitch was lost during previous repairs. In Miami-Dade’s flat terrain, even a 1-percent grade loss creates standing water that accelerates every other failure mode.

Before

After

Replacement Cost & What’s Included

What drives the range: substrate condition is the big variable. If we’re pouring over stable compacted fill, we’re at the lower end. If we need to remove failed CGI overlay, regrade for drainage, and import structural fill to replace washed-out base material, costs move up. Our quotes itemize each layer - demolition, base prep, bedding, pavers, edge restraint, joint sand, sealing - so you see where the money goes.

Every CGI driveway or paver job carries our 365-Day Done Right Promise. The written scope specifies brands: we typically use Belgard or Techo-Bloc pavers when replacing CGI systems, with polymeric sand from Techniseal and sealers from SRW. The photo record, included standard, shows before, during, and after - substrate exposed, base compacted, final pitch verified with a laser level. Measure twice, write it down, then build it.

DIY or Call Us?

There’s safe checking, and then there’s work that goes wrong fast.

An owner can walk the driveway after rain and note where water pools, or photograph cracked edge restraints for our review. That’s useful information and costs nothing.

Where DIY fails on CGI paver systems: re-leveling pavers without addressing the base layer guarantees the same rocking in six months. Power-washing stamped concrete with too much pressure strips the color hardener. And installing new edge restraint with the wrong spike length - standard 8-inch spikes in Miami’s loose coral rock pull out in the first heavy rain; we use 10-inch galvanized spikes driven at alternating angles.

We also stock the compatible materials. The aluminum edging, the right polymeric sand for joint widths under 1/4 inch, the sealer that won’t blush in 85-percent humidity - these aren’t on the shelf at the big-box store in the right spec. Call (786) 321-4970 and we’ll schedule a free estimate with a written price before any work starts.

FAQs