How to Create a Sand Base for Patio Bricks

Here is a short list of the items that you will need. You can pick theses up at your local home improvement store:

6 to 8 foot level

3 pieces of lumber, 2 x 4 x 8

Sand

Hand held tamp

There is a quick reliable way to make sure your stone dust or sand base for your patio is level without the hassle of strings and a float level. You may have to do this in different spots if you have a very large patio. I used this technique on my 8 foot by 8 foot patio and it worked perfectly.

First, add your sand base to the area you are working on. Then take 2 of the 3 pieces of 2 by 4 lumber that is about 8 feet long. Place that into the sand on either end of the patio layout, the opposite ends. Level the lumber in the sand precisely, it is very important to get this level. The rest of your project relies on these pieces of wood being level. Make sure you have about an inch of the wood exposed above the sand. Take the last piece of lumber and cut out a notch in either end shaped like 2 sides of a square. Remove a 1 by 2 inch notch and leave 3 inches on either end. The middle should still be 4 inches from top to bottom. The amount you cut should match the amount of the wood that is exposed.

Place either end of the cut wood on either piece of lumber exposed out of the sand. The inside full piece of wood should go down onto the sand and touch it. You then drag the cut wood along the wood and the sand numerous times until the sand is level, it will scrape the excess sand off. You can use a hand held tamp to tamp it down and add more sand if necessary. But once you tamp be sure to make sure the wood in the sand is still level. Do the same dragging motion of the wood across the sand to make sure it's level. Once done, carefully remove the lumber in the sand and fill in the holes with additional sand.

If you have one person on either end, it can go very quickly. Make sure the cut end is always pressing on the end of the wood in the sand; you will have a level surface before you know it. Then place your beautiful new stone on top and you will be on your way to a new patio to enjoy.