How To Install Patio Stones

How To Lay Pavers Brick Patio Stone And Stone Pavers

How To Lay Pavers, Brick, Patio Stone and Stone PaversBegin by assessing what is currently in the project area where you intend to lay your new pavers. If you have a lot of sugar sand, you are going to want to remove as much as possible. If the water table is high in your area, or you have water and/or flooding issues, the base material depth will have to change. In Florida, we live in dirt, sand, and if you are lucky you may have a lime rock bed under the area . Therefore, you must take precautionary measures to ensure your pavers will not fail over time. Follow the simple steps below to make sure your hard-scape lasts in our tropical climate.

1. Choosing your Pavers/Patio Stones:

Pavers, Patio Stones, Clay Brick, Turf Block, travertine, Natural Flagstone, Natural Keystone, Dense Oolite etc are available in a wide variety of colors, shapes, sizes, strengths, etc There are different products to match different applications. Here are a few rules to follow when choosing a hardscape for your project:

Thin pavers/brick are NEVER to be used for a driving surface. I dont care what you have heard, unless you have a specially engineered, high-strength, polymer product specifically designed to be driven on, you will ruin thin pavers/brick if you drive on them. No matter if they are all mortared to a concrete slab or have 12 of base under them, they will fail.

2. Mark the Project Area Dimensions:

3. Grade Stakes:

4. The Dig Out:

5. Base Materials:

6. Sand:

Professional Help With Edging Installation

There are several factors to consider and alternatives to go when adding an edge to your installation. Each paver installation is unique, with its own characteristics and challenges. The best way to make sure youll end up with a installation well done, is to hire professionals to help you.

Professionals in the hardscape business have literally seen almost anything there is to see when it comes to paver installation, so they are more than ready to use all that experience to your favor and help you have the best possible paver installation. One that will not cause you headaches in the future.

And if you happen to be around the Sarasota and Manatee Counties, in FL, we here at S& S Paver would be happy to help you with any paver need you might have. For over 10 years we have been serving our community with high satisfaction rate.

Give us a call anytime at or, if you prefer, reach us on our email at .

How To Install Pavers Over A Concrete Patio Without Mortar

I have a small poured concrete patio, and that Id like to cover with brick pavers. Can I do this without using mortar?

According to several paver manufacturers, paving blocks can be installed on top of concrete without mortar if you first lay down a 1/2 to 1 bed of coarse sand. The process is nearly identical to laying a paver patio over ground.

However, this type of installation should be done with caution, since drainage, settling, and cracking can be a problem. Keep these tips in mind when laying pavers over a concrete patio:

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How To Lay Patio Pavers On Dirt : Easy Diy Project At Home

When you ask how to lay patio pavers on dirt, you need to understand that the process may seem complex,

but actually it is pretty doable.

It means you can do it on your own without having to hire a group of professional builders.

Here is how you lay the patio pavers above the ground easily.

There will be explanation of it from start to finish.

Can You Lay Flagstone Directly On Dirt

Stepping Stones and Patio Flooring

Consider using flagstones that are at least 1-1/2 inches thick as stepping stones or patio flooring. With the latter, flagstones can be laid directly in soil or a bed of sand. Thinner slabs should be laid in wet mortar or concrete to prevent cracking when stepped on.

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Roll Out Landscape Fabric

• Add a layer of landscape fabric over the tamped soil.
• Note: The purpose of the landscape fabric is to prevent the sand from mixing in with the soil. But its important to use a non-woven fabric, as woven landscape fabric isnt very permeable and can trap water under your patio. Look for fabric with at least a 20-year life span.

Lay The Concrete Pavers

Cut your spacer down to the size you have planned for your joint width.

In the photo above, my metal bars are diagonal because I needed to slope my patio in two directions. I thought it would make it easier this way, but I ended up pulling them out and keeping them straight. It was easy enough to follow the slope lines with the strings.

Lay one the first spacer down, and use a squaring tool to lay down a crossing spacer. Then carefully place your first concrete paver against the two spacers.

Repeat, using the spacers to lay more concrete pavers. Remember, you can walk on these as you lay them.

My metal bars are lying diagonally in the photo above because I needed to slope my patio in two directions.

I thought it would make it easier this way, but I ended up pulling them out and keeping them straight. It was easy enough to follow the slope lines with the strings.

Lay one the first spacer down, and use a squaring tool to lay down a crossing spacer. Then go ahead and carefully place your first concrete paver against the two spacers.

Repeat using the spacers to lay more pavers. Remember, you can walk on these as you lay them.

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Install 1 Of Leveling Sand

Actually, you dont want to use sand because youll need to walk on this layer a lot, and as you know, sand moves when you walk on it. So instead, youll want to use some crushed rock that includes the screenings.

Where Im from, the best stuff to use is called Decomposed Granite . This stuff looks similar to sand, but it packs down much better so you can walk on it. Since its composed of both bigger pieces of sand and fine dust, its able to pack down similar to dirt, but its still easy to level out, and weeds have a hard time growing in it.

Since this is the final layer before you start laying stones, youll want to make sure its flat and graded properly. So, use a mason line tied between stakes in the ground and a line level to set the grading just right and ensure a flat patio.

Once its level, spray with the hose to get it damp and pack it down thoroughly. Level again if you have to.

How To Lay Patio Pavers On Dirt

The first tip for how to lay pavers is to plan the layout of the intended paved area with drawings, measurements, and calculated estimates of all requirements. Detailed planning is critical for the success of installing pavers over dirt. Considering all installation stages of the project in advance yields a smooth operation.

Excavating and base compaction of the ground area in preparation for paving is the next step. Critical attention should be paid to existing soil types and weather elements. This is because they determine the thickness of the pavers base and sand bedding. Base thickness of at least 4 inches is recommended for pedestrian areas like patios and walkways. The excavated area should incorporate the total depth of the base, bedding sand, and pavers thickness.

To ensure proper drainage, the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute recommends a minimum of 2% slope from the house to the paved area. ICPI does not recommend laying pavers without a base and gives emphasis to compaction in minimizing the deformation of the paved space.

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Pavers Edge Restraints And Borders

Edging restraints and bordering of the paved area is essential for the durability, security, and aesthetics of the construction. Edging gives structure to the paved area, ensuring that the pavers remain locked in position. Edging and bordering also has aesthetic and decorative aspects that augment the character of the property.

How to Lay Pavers on Dirt

Place Down Geotextile Fabric

It is important to place down pieces of landscaping or geotextile fabric over your fill dirt to firm up the base, improve drainage, and to deter weeds from growing between the bricks. You can secure down the edges of the fabric with spikes so that they do not show. Do not skip this step, as any precaution you can take against preventing weeds is worth it to ensure that you have a long-lasting patio.

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What Is Better Decking Or Patio

The quick answer: Patios take the gold medal

Each has its strengths but overall we would say that a patio is better than decking. Patios last longer, can be easier to maintain and are stronger. But if you are looking to do it yourself then a decking might be easier because you need less tools and less skill.

Using Pavers To Upgrade Your Existing Concrete Patio

If your ready for an aesthetic upgrade to your outdoor living space or driveway but aren’t looking forward to the hassle and expense of tearing up your existing concrete slab, you’re in luck. With proper preparation, concrete pavers can be installed on top of concrete without mortar.

While this type of installation is possible, you need to take certain precautions to prevent problems like drainage issues, settling and cracking. Here are some benefits of concrete pavers and timely tips for upgrading your existing concrete patio, driveway or walkway with beautiful concrete pavers.

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How To Create A Rock Patio

The thing about a rock patio is that it has to be practical so using the exact same strategy from a garden pathway project is not always the best idea, especially if it means placing a bunch of flagstone pieces or stepping stones on a bed of gravel. The alternative would be using a special type of sand which is sort of the equivalent of the grout used on backsplashes and counters. Find out more about this on gingersnapcrafts.

Excavate The Patio Paver Area

• Remove grass or other vegetation and skim off 2 to 4 inches of soil.
• Pro tip: You can speed up sod removal by renting a sod cutter.
• Pro tip: You also must remove soil evenly and leave a flat surface, as theres no thick layer of gravel to make up for uneven ground. After digging and grading, there shouldnt be more than about 1/2-inch variation in flatness over the area.

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Laying A Shallow Base

The second most common mistake is not digging a deep enough area for the base. When you read our recommendations for laying a base, you may think to yourself, Thats a lot of digging! The truth is, yes, it certainly is. However, gravel is cheap insurance to protect and preserve your pavers.

We recommend that you excavate enough dirt to lay a proper gravel base 4 for common foot traffic areas and 610 for driveways and residential parking lots. The general rule is to add an extra 24 to your gravel base if you live in colder climates with continually wet or weak soils.

Compact The Fill Dirt

Once you have leveled the entire area where your patio is going to be, you are going to want to lay down another thin layer of Virginia fill dirt. Using a tool like a hand tamper, you want to pound over the exposed soil so that the ground is tightly compacted and level. The more force you can apply, the better. The more compacted your fill dirt is, the more stable it will be for the patio pavers. This step is necessary to create a foundation that is sturdy and stable and will keep your patio in place for years to come.

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Brick Paver Installation Cost

The average cost to install brick pavers for a patio is approximately $4,620. For an average 280 square foot patio, the cost for your project may be as low as $2,240 or as high as $7,000. Overall, you can expect to pay around $8 to $25 per square foot for brick pavers.

The following table shows the average cost per square foot:

If you have a larger project or you need additional prep work, expect to pay even more. Special features or certain customizations can push your project cost to $10,000 or higher. If you want to use a natural stone or something high end, it will run closer to $50 per square foot for the materials alone.

How Much Does A 2020 Patio Cost

How Much Does a 20×20 Paver Patio Cost? According to data from HomeGuide, a 20-foot by 20-foot paver patio runs from $1,900 to $6,800, including labor and materials such as clay brick, natural stone or concrete pavers. Obviously, the larger the patio, the more materials required and the greater the labor costs.

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Sweep Sand Into The Joints

Spread dry sand over the stones and bricks and work it down into the cracks with a broom. Tamp with the plate compactor. Keep spreading sand and tamping until the joints are full.

Note: If your sand is damp, spread it out to dry before sweeping it into the cracks. If you run short, buy 50-lb. bags of mason’s sand at a home center or lumberyard.

Properly Lay Patio Stones

• Written by Niki Hampton on Jun 16, 2009To ensure our content is always up-to-date with current information, best practices, and professional advice, articles are routinely reviewed by industry experts with years of hands-on experience.Reviewed by

If you are looking for ways to fully utilize your outdoor space or create a patio, then you may want to learn how to properly lay patio stones end to end. This is a great and fun summer project that is not as difficult as it may sound. Before you begin, you will need to come up with a design based on the space available and shop around to decide on the type of stone you like best.

Step 1 – Plan Your Patio Area

Measure out the area in the yard that you will use for your new outdoor living space. Once you have made the precise measurements, use the stakes and string to keep the space clear and creat a “floorplan.” You should also be ready to purchase the appropriate amount of stones and other materials you will need.

Step 2 – Clear the Area

Clear the measured area to a depth of four to five inches. It may be easier to clear if you use a grass and weed killer ahead of time. Its also a great idea to use the extra dirt you just removed to create a raised garden or flower bed. Using your level, make sure the cleared area is as level as possible.

Step 3 – Finish the Foundation

Step 4 – Lay the Stones

Step 5 – Fill the Cracks

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Order The Base Materials And Stone

Its whats underneath that counts. Stone and brick are what you see, but the landscape fabric, gravel and sand are what hold them together and make your patio last.

Landscape fabric stabilizes the soil underneath the gravel base by keeping them apart while allowing water to drain through. We used 12-1/2 ft. wide, heavy, woven stabilization fabric purchased from our stone supplier. If this isnt available, use the widest landscape fabric you can find.

Class V limestone forms the foundation of our patio, but there may be different materials available in your region. Any granular fill will work as long as the size of the granules ranges from 3/4 in. down to a powder and theyre angular, not smooth and round. These qualities allow the fill to be tightly packed for a firm base that allows water to drain through. A mixture of recycled concrete and asphalt is widely available and is a good substitute for Class V.

Depending on your soil, youll need a4- to 10-in. thick layer of gravel. Sandy soils require less gravel than soils with organic matter or clay. Gravel is sold by the ton or cubic yard. One cubic yard covers about 50 sq. ft. at a 6-in. depth by the time its compacted and weighs 1-1/2 tons. We used 12 tons of gravel.

Coarse washed sand is spread over the gravel in a 1-in. layer to form a setting bed for the stone and brick, and later to fill the cracks between the bricks and stone. We used 5 tons of sand.

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What Is A Cheaper Alternative To Pavers

Gravel. Gravel allows better drainage than solid paving stones, and it is one of the least expensive paver alternatives. If you want to keep the gravel from shifting when you walk on it, opt for unsorted, sharp-edged gravel that is labeled 1/4-inch minus. Pieces of that gravel type fit snugly together.

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Speak To A Virginia Fill Dirt Contractor

If you plan to tackle this project by yourself, you will need a fill dirt supplier to receive the materials needed for the project. To learn more about how to lay patio pavers on dirt or to order your Virginia fill dirt for your project, reach out to a Virginia fill dirt contractor at Dirt connections. They can provide you with more information and let you know how you can get your fill dirt for free.

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