Need ideas for alternatives to Polymeric (joint) sand for patio bricks

[Unionville]

I have 6 pavers under a downspout and the water washes away the sand in between the cracks. I want to fill the seams with something long term, so the water doesn't go into the cracks. I was going to try a polymeric sand, but it's expensive and is only sold in bags WAY more than I need.  Any homemade alternatives? Epoxy? Etc.  I probably only need to fill 6 seams that cover a 4' x 4' area.

[Fishindude]

Remove the pavers and use somewhere else.
Buy a few bags of ready mix concrete, then form and pour a single single splash block of the appropriate size & shape.

[lthenderson]

Since your location is outerspace where temperature swings vary widely, putting anything in the cracks is a lost cause because the pavers will move around too much. Like the others said, make or buy a concrete splash block. They are cheap and work well.

[Unionville]

Some of you asked for pictures.  I've already torn up the area to redo it -- but this will give you a sense.  I can't use a splash block because our garbage cans are stored in this area and we need a flat surface. We can't store the cans anywhere else (complicated situation).  I'm trying large blocks to see if that will help.  Also, perhaps I could just put them really tight together?  I thought you were always supposed to have and a gap.  I live in a climate where it doesn't freeze or rain much (but when it does, sometimes it comes gushing down)

[Fishindude]

Form and pour a small slab with a slight slope away.   It will hold together in one piece and you can set your trash cans on it.
4' Square x 4" thick will require (8) 90# bags of ready mix concrete.   

[boarder42]

isnt it always freezing in outer space?

carry on..

[Frugal Lizard]

You need to get the base for the pavers in way better shape.  Dig down and get rid of all that organic stuff (the black/dark soil)- It may just be wet but you don't want any organic material in there.   Particle size kind of looks like there is some gravelly stuff there but it is hard to tell in the photo.  Shape the surface to drain away from the wall. Water will get down into the paving and it needs to get out.  Compact it.  Install some Granular "A" stone.  Shape it so that it slopes away from your structure.    Lay in some sand for levelling. Put your pavers back down and abut them as tightly as possible.  Try to lay them so that the main brunt of the outflow hits the middle of the paver.  Better still  - bring the pipe down so that it is more of laminar flow and less splash.  I don't know the depths of materials required in your climate - but where I am - I use 6 inches of A, 1-2 inches of sand.  I would think that getting a proper base below the pavers that isn't holding water and making things soggy will go a long way to keeping things stable with however much weight you put on it.  I wouldn't bother with Polymeric sand for this small an application with only the weight of garbage bins. 

[sisto]

+1 to what fishindude said. I was originally going to suggest that you could caulk the joints, but after seeing the picture a small slab is what would be best.

[lthenderson]

You could just put in one of those long narrow splashblocks and then use pavers on either side of it to fill up the space. That way you get water drainage without cracks and you have a flat space to set your garbage cans and it is much less work and less permanent than pouring a pad. Like someone else said, I would do a little prep work before putting down the pavers and the splash block.

[Jack]

Since your location is outerspace where temperature swings vary widely...

isnt it always freezing in outer space?

I'm more concerned about the lack of gravity allowing both the pavers and sand to float away and cause Kessler syndrome!

Otherwise, I agree with the suggestions to pour a concrete slab or move the downspout.

Once suggestion that might be more work than it's worth but could create the best result, would be to cut the downspout off behind the block retaining wall, put in a 90-degree bend to the left, and extend the downspout behind the back of the wall away from the house foundation wall (side question: is that a pressure-treated wood foundation?) so that it can then exit somewhere better, further away. Then cut a block to size and fill in the hole in the wall, of course.