How to Plan and Build a Concrete Paver Patio This DIY brick patio project isn’t technically difficult, but be prepared to devote a big chunk of time and energy to it. You’ll haul tons of dirt, gravel, stone and brick before you’re done. Proper base preparation is a matter of some debate. With proper prep and installation, pavers can last 20 to 25 years or more. Chip the cut edge of the brick with a brick hammer so it blends with the rough edges of the used brick. Wet the gravel and compact it with the plate compactor. Then compact the center, first working one direction, then a second pass at a right angle to this. Begin site preparation by removing the sod in the patio area.
Shine an Outdoor Chandelier
Use the square nose shovel to scoop the paver dust and spread it onto the base layer. Do this in a sifting type of motion to get it even. Set them just in the base layer enough Additional hints that they don’t roll, but not so much that they are recessed. You can add a little paver dust to help lodge them into place. Measure from the ground, up the stake to 4” and mark this. This will be your level line and also the top of your compacted base layer.
To level the gravel, spread a third and final layer of gravel, 1-1/2 in. Pull out the pipes and fill the trenches with gravel, using a trowel to level it with the surrounding gravel. This patio costs about as much as a premium-quality wood deck. My space isn’t a small space, so laying my own pavers was clearly the best way to go. When I sat down and added up the math for this particular concrete paver project, it just didn’t make sense economically to make my own. Here’s what you need to know to build a paver patio.
Accurate leveling takes effort, but the payoff is a sturdy and steady base during the installation process.Building codes are usually required for any new construction as well as modifications.They will also add to the time and labor required, so make sure you plan.Set the top of the pipes high enough so that when the bricks are set on the sand bed, they’ll protrude above the stones about 3/8 in.
Typically this is landscape fabric, but we actually used a giant painting tarp that cost about $15. I researched first to make sure that it can in fact go under a gravel patio. We poked holes in it for drainage so that the ground beneath the patio wouldn’t harden under the patio. Spread polymeric joint sand across the surface of your patio. Use a hand tamper to settle the sand between the bricks. Add a perimeter border of landscape edging, wood, or bricks to contain the gravel. Then, line the space with fabric to block weeds and enable drainage. Set up a string line across the center of the patio in the direction you want the water to drain. Tie the stringline to stakes driven at each end of the patio so it stretches in the best drainage direction. The basic steps for this DIY project are the same for each material. The cost of a DIY backyard paver patio is between $1 and $35 per square foot for the materials, with an added $10 to $20 for any hardscaping required. Before beginning a backyard patio project, gather the required tools and equipment. Transfer these measurements to graph paper, letting each square equal 1 ft. Lay tracing paper over your plan and sketch in the stone border and bricks. Wood is used for decks, so I won’t discuss the pros and cons here. If you want to DIY, concrete is easy to pour and doesn’t require as much precision.
