Patio Pavers Basics

An outdoor patio is a great way to enjoy your yard, increase curb appeal and add value to your home. But with the high price of contractors and materials, building a wooden deck or patio can be out of reach. That's where pavers come into play! Paver costs are relatively low and you can easily install them yourself with this basic guide.

Excavation and Leveling

Mark off your patio area with a string line or spray paint. Excavate the sod and soil to a depth of six inches minimum. You may need to go deeper if heavy equipment or vehicles are going to be placed on the patio. Level the soil in the patio area with a small rake. Next, using a drop level, create a slope from the highest side of the patio to the lowest side. A slope of 1 to 10 is the common slope. For every ten inches of patio space, the slope should fall one inch.

Aggregates

Back fill the excavated hole with two layers of aggregates to support the weight of the pavers. The first 2-3 inches of the excavation should be filled with a crushed limestone aggregate. Using a hand tamper and screed, level the aggregate to the 1 to 10 slope. Hand tamp the limestone until it is firm. A 1-2 inch layer of fine sand should then be filled on top of the limestone.

Patterns

What really makes a paver patio look good is its pattern. With so many patterns available, it can be tough to choose one. Since each pattern is installed differently, it's best to practice setting a few pavers outside of the area to get a feel and look of your design. Before you install patterned pavers, you may need to begin with a solider row first after you install the edging. No matter what pattern you use for your pavers, always install the pavers tight together and use a rubber mallet to ensure a tight fit. Cut any pavers with a wet tile saw.

Backfilling

Once the pavers are ready to go, you will need to backfill them with sand. The sand between the cracks helps prevent settling and keeps the materials tight as changes in the soil occur over time. Broadcast some sand on top of the bricks and use a broom to sweep in into the cracks. Keep spreading sand and sweeping it into the cracks until no more will go in between the pavers. After a few rains, you may want to rebroadcast some sand into the cracks to make up for the settling and compaction.