How to Lay Patio Pavers

Installing a patio using DIY patio pavers is a great way to add value to your backyard and is easy enough for you to do yourself.

Before deciding on your location of your patio, make sure that you identify any potential underground electrical lines so that you can be sure that you don’t accidentally come too close.

To start removing your grass – cut the sod 2 inches outside the line so that later the retainer can be installed. Once the sod is outlined, cut the sod into a checkerboard pattern – they are easier to remove this way and then they can be reused in different parts of the lawn. Dig the entire area 7 inches deep so that it can be filled with 3.5″ of drainage gravel, with then an inch of sand, and then the pavers which are 2.5″ thick.

Tip: To make sure that the depth of the area is equal and to measure the center, you can lay a 2×4 across the hole and measure from the ground up to the bottom edge of the board.

Lay some landscape fabric across the bottom of the hole as this will prevent weeds from coming through as well as to allow water to drain properly. Next, add your gravel and you can use a 2×4 to smooth it so that the depth is equal and then use a tamper to compact it.

Tip: To make sure that your sand is an equal depth, you can use 1″ metal electrical conduit to serve as screed rails. Lay down your electrical conduit, pour your sand, and then use a 2×4 to glide over the rails leaving the sand at a 1″ thickness in all areas. When you remove the first screed rail, fill in with sand and then smooth with a putty knife.

When you begin laying your pavers, you will use straight edged border pieces for the perimeter and key shaped field stone pieces that fit into an alternating top/bottom pattern for the center. After all of your pavers are in, you will install your L-shaped edging around the perimeter of the patio to keep the pavers from moving or shifting – set in place and then nail it every 3rd or 4th hole.

Tip: There will be some gaps between some of the pavers when you are finished, so to finish your patio you will want to use a large stiff broom to brush the sand into all the edges between the pavers. Clean off you patio by spraying with a hose and then you are done!

What is needed for the job

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