recycling pavers and I haven't a clue what I can do with 'em - help?

I hope this is not too small a build to put up here? I see such amazing things, and this feels SO small, but it's pretty much my first building project, so it's as big as I get. ^_^

I have a few hundred pavers that came originally with my house, which have been removed from their original location and are now in a pile waiting for me to use. (camera is busted, so I can't take a picture, but they look the size and shape of size B and C of the pavers mentioned on this site, about halfway down the page, for reference: https://oregonblock.com/pavers/ ).

I was wondering if anyone knew if these could be used to build a raised garden bed, if placed on an already existing cement slab, essentially using them like bricks.  One slab has a brick wall already present on two sides. One slab has dirt on two sides, and metal fencing on the other two.  I can find information on using wood or other materials for raised beds, but nothing on reusing pavers for...kind of anything at all other than their intended use.

Anyone have any ideas for an utterly clueless builder? Could it work? If so, any ideas on precautions i might have to take? I have a friend who is much more experienced who is willing to help me do the work, can help with any mortar, if needed, but he hasn't done much with pavers himself, so I was hoping someone here might have messed around with them a bit. I am worried that the slight curve at the top pretty much nixes the entire idea, but thought perhaps someone has had extras of these before and found some hacks that might help, you know?

And if everyone thinks they would be utterly useless for this...any ideas on a great way to reuse pavers that is not for a path? I live in a desert and all these seem to do is heat up the surrounding area, which is the opposite of what I want for my yard, you know?

thanks for any help you can give me.

The pavers would be great to build a Spiral herb bed.  

Cheers!  K

Maybe a morter together a "raised bed" but line it and make a pond.
I wouldn't plant in a raised bed in the desert,  seems prone to more drying out than in ground beds.
Maybe trade,  sell or give them away, rather than burden yourself looking for ideas on how to use them.

I like something like this from your link:



Seating and a fire ring.  The seating area could be smaller ...  or taller to make an outside bar

Rings around tree filled with bedding plants or flowers.

Stacked with a basin for a bird bath.

Use them to make a water feature like a fountain.

Stacked like the fire ring to use as a compost bin.

Use as a border for gardens.

I also liked the suggestion to make a pond.

They might make a nice floor in a small building. Measure the pavers, get an exact square footage, build a building the same size, put in some gravel, place bricks on top, there you have a nice floor for a garden shed, etc.

Kate Michaud wrote:The pavers would be great to build a Spiral herb bed.  

Cheers!  K

Thanks - I hadn't thought of that - I might be able to play around with that some. :-)

William Bronson wrote:Maybe a morter together a "raised bed" but line it and make a pond.
I wouldn't plant in a raised bed in the desert,  seems prone to more drying out than in ground beds.
Maybe trade,  sell or give them away, rather than burden yourself looking for ideas on how to use them.

:-)  Got a pond already, and it has been fabulous, and if I didn't have one already, that would be an awesome idea. :-)

I usually don't go for raised beds, for the reason you mention, but I have an area that has a lot of partial shade, but has heavy cement that would be a pain to do much with but would be perfect spot for planting things on top of, and also gets good wind break from surrounding bushes, so I've been considering the raised bed. Or pots...but I already have pavers, so if I can do it for free...

...I never realized, until you said, how much i have a hard time with giving or selling these things, LOL.  My first thought was, 'but..but...but...  I have them! Must use them!'  Selling them might be a viable option though, thanks. :-)

Anne Miller wrote:I like something like this from your link:

I had to laugh a bit - that is close to what it looked like before I dug the pavers up, LOL.  They were done in a similar pattern, surrounding a good chunk of the house in the back, and while pretty, I'm in a desert and it both raised the temperature what seems like about 10 degrees F (which, when it gets up to 115 F here is truly awful), but it also took up all the space near the house where I can plant trees to try and get shade for the house, you know? So very pretty stuff, but not for me, I don't think. :-)

Anne Miller wrote:
Rings around tree filled with bedding plants or flowers.

Stacked with a basin for a bird bath.

Use them to make a water feature like a fountain.

Stacked like the fire ring to use as a compost bin.

Use as a border for gardens..

thanks - I hadn't thought of a composting bin but mine is an old one that is wearing out, and that could be a great idea, and possibly the garden border, too.  I have a kind of 'wild' look to the yard, with a lot of native plants, so it doesn't always lend itself well to a more well groomed look, but I have enough pavers I can do multiple projects, and play around some. :-)

Jim Fry wrote:They might make a nice floor in a small building. Measure the pavers, get an exact square footage, build a building the same size, put in some gravel, place bricks on top, there you have a nice floor for a garden shed, etc.

I had not thought of this at all, but this could be great - I have a shed I'm going to be replacing this year, and this could be perfect, thanks!