What Type Of Pavers Is The Best
There are a variety of options for pavers to choose from. The most common is red brick pavers, and you can also purchase concrete pavers in a variety of colors and textures.
If you want a more modern appeal, you can select decorative concrete slabs that are made for your home style.
It is also similar to installing tile for your patio the process is slightly more complicated but will give you a sleek look.
How Much Does It Cost To Expand A Patio With Pavers
We cant give you an exact number, as it varies a lot according to each project. However, in general, the patio expansion project with pavers is not more expensive than an original patio installation project. There is no extra charge related directly to the fact that its an expansion of an existing patio . So the prices are quite similar to any paver patio project.
The chart below will give you a basic idea :
Type Each Average Per Square Foot
Brick $ 0,25 $ 4 $ 4 $ 8
Thin Clay $ 0,25 $ 2 $ 3 $ 5
Tumbled Concrete Brick $ 0,50 $ 5 $ 3 $ 5
Thin Concrete Pavers $ 0,50 $ 10 $ 2,50 $ 5
Interlocking Concrete $ 0,50 $ 15 $ 3 $ 6
Stone Style Concrete Pavers $ 8 $ 15 $ 5 $7
Natural Stone & Slate Pavers $ 3 $ 20 $ 7 $ 16
The reason why the price range is so different is related to two main factors:
Thus, you can get the same paver types in different cost ranges. If you find them closer to you, it will significantly reduce transportation costs, for instance.
A paver patio adds so much value to a property that its not hard to understand why its one of the best investments people make. But you must take all the necessary precautions with your project, from planning to sealing. If you dont feel confident doing it yourself, or you lack the experience, you can always count on experienced companies and personal to help with your project.
What Are The Steps You Need To Get Started With This Project
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What size of patio paver project do you want to start with?
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Faced by the many options and various sizes, it can be overwhelming. What kind of design are you going for? A good place to begin is deciding on your square footage needs if this figure doesn’t work out well enough then make adjustments accordingly before finalizing a decision.
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Rebulding An Existing Paver Patio Built With Mutual Materials Pavers
Oftentimes, customers call us looking for either a new paver patio, or an extension to an existing paver patio or concrete slab. However, this case was a bit unique. The previous homeowner installed a paver patio themselves. However, they did not properly prepare the base to install the pavers. As a result, over time, the pavers started to sag in places and the entiere patio became uneven. The new homeowner liked the original pavers, but wanted to fix the existing patio and extend it around the back of the home. Our AJB crew removed all of the original pavers and installed a new, level base that will last for many years. We then reset the original patio and added the new section.
While we normally work with Western Interlock paver and retaining wall products, since this patio was already built using Mutual Materials pavers, we sourced the same pavers as the original installation: Old Dominion, Harvest Blend. This saved the homeowner a great deal of money because we were able to reuse the old pavers. Over time, the new pavers will weather and look similar to the originals.
Brussels Block Driveway With Courtstone Accent To Widen The Area
Unlike the previous pictures of driveways where concrete paver Courtstone from Unilock is used for the main driveway, this one is different. The courtstone is used to widen the driveway.
The existing driveway itself is made of Brussels Block from Unilock. This is an original tumbled paver. Brussels Block gives a relaxed and warm appearance, while the finish resembles the design cues of quarried stone. Basically, there are several options of color. But the color shown in this picture is Limestone with a Basalt accent.
The homeowners used courtstones pavers to edge the driveway and widen it at the same time. We can see a different pattern from the existing driveway here. The courtstone used here are in multiple colors, Belgian Blue and Dawn Mist. The Belgian Blue color gives a nice contrast to the existing driveway, obviously distinguishing the main driveway area and the widened part.
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A Paver Patio With Trip Hazards
A paver patio that has uneven pavers can create dangerous trip hazards. This is once again most likely due to a problem with the construction of the base. The ground might not have been compact enough to bear the weight of the pavers and the people on top of them, and therefore some have sunk or become uneven.
A patio that is forming uneven gaps throughout its layout can also become trip hazards. Extra space between pavers is typically caused by a faulty base, including lack of compaction. This would cause the pavers to shift and separate over time. Space between pavers can also be caused by poor workmanship during the installation. Its quite possible the pavers were installed with too much extra space to begin with.
Choose The Type And Style Of Concrete Pavers You Like Best
This is a great time to think about which type and style of concrete pavers you like best for your patio. Make sure it’ll fit with the color scheme that’s already present in your yard or garden – but don’t let yourself get too caught up on matching everything exactly! Did you know there are so many different types of concrete pavers to choose from? Visit your local home center or spend some time checking online so you can find the perfect patio in one that suits your style. There are all sorts of colors and sizes, so take your time during this step!
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Weed Growth In The Joints
Another common gripe that we hear about paver patios is that weeds can grow in the joints. However, the use of a special sand in the joints will make a huge difference.
Polymeric sand is a fine sand that is combined with additives which, when mixed with water, forms a binding agent. Rather than loose sand, which weeds could grow through, this special sand will reduce the amount of weeds that break through.
However, if polymeric sand is not installed correctly, this can pose problems. We see a lot of full patio failures with incorrectly installed polymeric sand. If the specialized sand is installed wrong, it may not stay put, leaving nothing in your joints. This can lead to a patio full of weeds!
In addition, the installation of geotextile fabric, which is a material with a very high tensile strength that is installed underneath of your paver patio, is also a barrier to any weeds breaking through from the soil beneath. Geotextile fabric also strengthens the base of your patio by acting as a bridge over top of the soft spots.
While some occasional weeds might pop up from seeds that have blown on top of your patio, the use of these two elements will eliminate most weed growth.
Extending Patio With Pavers : How To Extend Your Concrete Patio With Pavers
A popular trend in the home remodeling industry is to extend a patio with pavers. This extension provides more space for entertaining, especially in the evenings. It also provides more space for plants and flowers.
A contractor will need to be hired to extend the patio. This will take roughly two weeks for the construction to be completed.
The owner will need to buy the pavers, sand, cement, and aggregate. These materials are all available at most home building stores.
One of the most common substrates for patio is concrete, which doesnt always offer the perfect blend of style and functionality.
Paver stones, or pavers, are a great alternative to patio stones that can spruce up your look while providing more comfort and function.
Paver stones are easy to install, durable, come in a variety of colors and patterns and are relatively low-cost compared to other substrates such as flagstone.
While most stones are stamped on, several companies offer pre-molded stones that can be cut to the exact size and shape needed.
Tile is another great alternative to patio stones, particularly in contemporary or minimalist designs for areas where you dont need a more traditional look.
It is also easier to install, but because it is sold in sheets, this may not be an option for you if you are looking for an exact fit.
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Diy Patio Paver Extension Recap
It took Mr. DD 3 months to complete the DIY patio extension.
- 52 wheel barrels of dirt moved
- 60 wheel barrels of gravel moved
- 20 wheel barrels of sand moved
- 388 pavers set in place and picked up 2 to 3 times for leveling
- 400 pounds of paver set sand added
- 300 rocks moved and layered for the rock wall
- 152 pavers set for firepit
List of the supplies used for this 420 square foot patio paver extension
- 19 ton of pea gravel
- 1 ton of sand- would have used more if we used a power tamper
- 64 feet of paver edging
What we would do differently
Looking back on the project there are 2 things we may have done differently. The first would be to have someone with a bobcat dig up the dirt or rent a bigger rotor tiller that could handle digging into the ground. The tiller we borrowed would not dig into the ground and so Mr. DD had to hand dig the ground before the tiller would work. We were also concerned about the french drain collapsing so that is the main reason for not using a bobcat.
The second thing to do differently would be to rent a power compactor. The power tamper would have packed the sand tighter and that was much needed since we have the french drain running under a section of the pavers. This would require more sand in the long run.
It has been a lot of hard work and everything has been worth it to see these changes side by side. I will be sharing the other patio projects we have planned or completed for our DIY patio extension.
Is It Cheaper To Build A Patio With Pavers Or Concrete
Concrete is way cheaper than pavers. Concrete will usually cost around $7-$10 per square foot, while pavers cost approximately $9-$14 per square foot. Is it cheaper because it is a far inferior material than pavers. Long term wise, build a patio with concrete is not worth it, as it will probably last for a year or two before having to be replaced.
A paver patio, however, can last for a lifetime if properly installed and maintained. Even though it has a higher upfront cost, it is by far the best decision from a long-term perspective.
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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.
Put In Edge Restraints
Edge restraints help hold the pavers in place. They are usually made of wood, metal, or plastic and are installed around the edge of the project with 12 spikes. For irregular-shaped patios, the edging may have to be cut to contour to the curves in the project.
The layer of sand under the pavers acts like glue.
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Buy Enough Pavers For The Job
The number of pavers needed for the project can be figured easily for a regular-shaped project, such as square or rectangular. Buy enough pavers to cover the square footage of the new patio space plus 5% for cuts at the edges. Irregularly shaped patios will require more cuts, so an extra 10% of that material should be purchased.
Pavers can extend your existing concrete patio for a larger outdoor space.
Clear Out Grass And Soil
To get started, mark the perimeter of the patio area with marking paint. Drive garden stakes into the ground just outside the perimeter markings and attach a mason’s line.
When figuring out how high to make the patio, work from the house outward. The pavers should slope away from the house with a drop-off of about 1 inch every 8 feet, so water can drain away. Mark the height on the stakes and adjust the mason’s line.
Use a spadeand shovel to clear grass and dirt from the work area. Check the depth and slope against the mason’s line and the measuring tape to make sure you maintain both the proper depth and slope.
Tip: Before you dig, remember that you will be adding 4 inches of gravel base and about 1 inch of paver sand before you add the DIY patio pavers.
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The Benefits Of Truegrid Pavers Over Other Materials
TRUEGRIDs pavers can be significantly less expensive than concrete pavers or brick pavers. TRUEGRID can be filled with grass or gravel to create a more natural aesthetic and add more drainage than asphalt, concrete, or other hardscape pavers. Made from highly-durable, 100% recycled plastic, these pavers can reduce upfront cost, overall maintenance, as well as installation.
If you extend your driveway with TRUEGRID pavers, it will also be permeable and protected from flooding. This is perfect for sloping driveways or driveways in a flood zone because the water drains right through the pavers and into the soil. TRUEGRID also offers erosion protection.
In addition to providing these benefits, TRUEGRID takes the utmost care to ensure that its products are tops in eco-friendliness. From production to installation, their products are designed to benefit the environment as much as possible. In addition to using and repurposing recycled plastic, TRUEGRID acts as a natural stormwater filter to allow infiltration and bioremediation to remove pollutants before they recharge our aquifers. There are no toxic sealants needed and the carbon footprint is a fraction of other paving alternatives. For this reason, you might prefer to extend your driveway with these pavers rather than asphalt or concrete.
The Easy Diy Patio With Pavers
And its done! This was a fun and easy project to tackle. Also the extra space has been really great in keeping some things from taking up room on the deck. These patio pavers were simple to install and not a bad option if youre on a budget either.
Do you have any summer patio plans of upgrading your backyard? Id love to hear about them in the comments! Could also use a few ideas on decorating this space too so if you have any, send them my way!
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Why Should You Widen Your Driveway With Pavers
In fact, there are obvious reasons why you should widen your driveway with pavers:
How To Build A Fire Pit Patio With Pavers
Building a patio is a way to add value to your home, make your backyard more beautiful, and extend your living space to the outdoors, especially when you incorporate a fire pit into your landscape. Fortunately, wood fire pits are easier to install than gas fire pits, once there is no need for gas lines, but that doesnt mean it is easy.
In this article, youre gonna learn more about how to build a fire pit patio with pavers and create that perfect entertaining area where you can gather with your family and friends.
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