Yes — leaving appropriate gaps between concrete pavers is not just acceptable, it's essential for a properly functioning paver installation. The gap serves multiple critical purposes: it allows for thermal expansion and contraction, facilitates drainage, accepts joint sand or polymeric sand that stabilizes the installation, and provides a small tolerance that makes installation on an imperfectly prepared base more forgiving.

Standard joint width for most concrete paver applications is 1/16 to 1/8 inch. This is narrow enough to look clean and prevent excessive shifting, but wide enough to accept the sand or polymeric sand that interlocks the installation. Spacers included with most paver products help maintain consistent joint width during installation.

The type of joint fill material you use matters significantly. Standard coarse sand swept into joints provides some stabilization but is vulnerable to wash-out in heavy rain and doesn't resist weed germination. Polymeric sand contains binding agents that harden when activated with water, creating a firm joint that resists erosion, weed growth, and insect intrusion. In Arizona's monsoon climate, polymeric sand is strongly recommended.

Pavers without joints — installed tightly against each other without any space — are problematic. Without joints to absorb thermal movement, pavers can crack, chip at edges, or heave as the surface expands and contracts with temperature changes. In Arizona where surface temperatures can exceed 150°F in summer, thermal movement in paving materials is significant.

Drainage is another reason joints are important. Impermeable paved surfaces without adequate drainage contribute to runoff and can cause water to pool near foundations. Paver joints allow some water infiltration, particularly when filled with standard sand rather than polymeric material, which helps manage stormwater on-site.

For driveway applications, wider joints of 1/8 to 1/4 inch are sometimes used to improve structural interlock and drainage capacity. Driveway pavers bear significantly more load than patio pavers, and the slightly wider joint combined with a deeper compacted base is part of what allows paver driveways to handle vehicle loads without cracking.

After installation, plan to replenish joint sand or re-apply polymeric sand every three to five years. Rain, foot traffic, and insect activity gradually displace joint material over time. Maintaining full joints is what keeps a paver installation stable and weed-free over the long term.