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HomeBuildHow To Make A Patio

How To Make A Patio

Celebrate Spring On The Patio With Potted Bulb Plants

How to Build a Patio – An easy Do it Yourself Project

Bulbs such as tulip plants are to spring what fall foliage is to autumn. Make sure you will be able to enjoy some of your favorite spring-flowering bulbs from a comfortable seat on your patio. If you live in an urban area and cannot grow the plants in the ground around your patio, simply grow them in containers, as in this photo.

Level The Top Layer Of The Concrete Paver Patio Base

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.

Dont tamp the sand before laying the pavers. The screeding will basically have already compacted the sand for you.

I recommend only screeding one section at a time, for two reasons. One is that if it rains before you have placed your pavers, you will need to add more sand and relevel with the screed.


The other is that since you can walk on the pavers as you place them, it will be much easier to get around the patio. Youll be forced to work outside the patio the whole time if you level the entire space at once. Youll also benefit by getting a second set of hands for this.

To screed the sand for leveling, start at one end and place the screed on top of the pipes.

Hold the screed tight to the pipes and push it across the pipes. Keep the pressure even as you move along.

You may need to slide the screed back and forth to help even the sand out.

If you get to the end and you meet a wall, like the foundation of your house, use a mason float to scoop out the additional sand.


You can also use the float if there are any spots that you accidentally pulled a piece of gravel through and it made a divot, or your hand hit.

How To Build A Paver Patio

This article was co-authored by Scott Johnson. Scott Johnson is the Owner and Lead Design Consultant for Concrete Creations, Inc., an award-winning landscape and design company based in the San Diego, California metro area. He has over 30 years of experience in the pool and landscape construction industry and specializes in large estate outdoor environment construction projects. His work has been featured in San Diego Home & Garden Magazine and on Pool Kings TV Show. He earned a BS degree in Construction Management with an emphasis in Architecture and CAD design from Northern Arizona University.There are 14 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 14,973 times.

With the addition of a few rustic paver stones, you can transform a humdrum backyard into an enchanted wilderness escape. All you need is a basic plan for your new patio space and an eye-catching design for the stones themselves. Once the initial planning is out of the way, you can begin the process of excavating your lawn and installing the foundation layer-by-layer. When its all said and done, youll have an idyllic, professional-looking outdoor haven to show for your efforts.

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Pick The Perfect Patio Building Blocks

Creating a new living area outdoors is a whole lot easier than adding one indoors. Sure, you’ve got to furnish both. But in the backyard, there’s no fussing with walls, ceilings, doors, or windows. All you really need is a floor.


That’s why one of the first steps in planning a new patio design idea is deciding which material to put underfoot, typically brick, concrete, stone, or gravel. The surface you choose plays a huge role in establishing not only the style of your patio but also its cost, whether you can build it yourself, and how you’ll care for it over the long term.

Read more learn which patio material is right for you, get guidance on coming up with a design, and find installation tips for cost-conscious DIYers.

How Long Does It Take To Build A Paver Patio On A Slope

How to Build A Paver Patio

Disadvantage: Pavers take longer to cure than concrete floors. This process generally takes an experienced team 35 days to install a medium paved deck from start to finish. Concrete floor can be poured in a few hours, but takes 1-3 days to harden. Once the paved platform is in place, you can get on it right away.

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Ideas That Will Make Your Patio Awesome This Summer

We moved into a new home last fall and we are SO excited to spend lots of time in our new patio space this summer! We have been working on our backyard patio. Last weekend we installed a Hanging Garden!


This was our space in our home in Daybreak and we loved the covered porch that was right off of the patio in our home there. I wrote a post about how easy it is to create an Outdoor Room.

How To Compact Gravel For Your Patio Base

Use a plate compactor to compact the gravel, creating a firm and long-lasting base for the patio.

Lay the Base

Watch video of this step.

Once the patio layout is done, you’re ready to excavate the area. Dig deep enough to allow for the base material under the pavers.

Pavers vary in thickness. The rule of thumb is to dig to the thickness of the paver, plus another six inches for a solid base.


Our pavers are 2-1/2″ thick and we want them to be level with the ground. We need six inches of base material plus 2-1/2″ for the paver height, so we are digging 8-½” deep.

It’s a good idea to create a slight slope away from the house to encourage water runoff a 3″ slope over a 12′ patio should be fine.

Now it’s time to add the base material. First, fill the excavation with compactable gravel, to a depth of five inches, tamping it down as you go. Rake the top surface smooth and level with a steel rake . To check for high and low points and to make sure your area is level, place a long, straight 2×4 on edge across the area then place three-foot level on the 2×4, adjust the gravel as necessary .Use a plate compactor to compact the gravel, which will create a firm and long-lasting base for the patio . You can rent a plate compactor for as little as $50 a day. For best results work the compactor in a circular motion and go over all areas at least twice.

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How The Layers Go Together

When youve found a suitable spot, make a rough sketch showing trees, shrubs and gardens, then take measurements. 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. Experiment with different designs, and when you come up with a plan you like, use it to calculate the quantities of materials and help you place the patio stones. Remember that this is a casual, free-form patio. Have fun and let the plan evolve as you work.


Note: You can download Figure A and enlarge it from the additional information below.

How To Make A Gravel Patio

How to Build a Patio: DIY Paver Patio | The Home Depot

Are you here to make a gravel patio? You’re in the right place!! A gravel patio is an affordable way to finish your yard and make a pad for entertaining. Our backyard has been a tough place to rehab since we got this house eight years ago. We’ve been trying to find a solution to our side yard, an area where we wanted to put our firepit and pots of flowers so we can relax while barbecuing. The backyard has been an eyesore and we want to have a space we can enjoy and be proud of. Let’s get started:

This post contains affiliate links. When you click and make a purchase from these links, we might get a commission. It doesn’t cost you anything extra!

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Clean Lines In Backyard Style

The white pavers are arranged with decorative grey stones as accents. It’s a very simple rectangular design that requires no cutting if you measure according to your stone sizes. Paths leading to and from the patio make this patio the focal point of the yard.


Pavers take over the backyard with a patch of green grass

Build A Small Patio In The Right Spot And Marvel At The Results

A patio need not be enormous to serve its purpose. If the owners of this patio built it for the purpose of communing with nature, then they could not have asked for anything much better. For one thing, the location is superb: It is tucked into a hillside, forming something of an amphitheater. In spring, the daffodil flowers surrounding it are a great plus.

Plants and patios can complement each other. We will be looking at many examples of the marriage of plant and patio in upcoming slides. Beginning with spring, let’s examine how you can plan your patio in such a way as to make it enjoyable for all four seasons of the year. This will involve astute plant selection as well as creative solutions to some nagging seasonal problems.

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Compact The Soil And Lay Landscaping Fabric

Once you’ve got the soil cleared away, compact the soil with a tamper.

Then roll weed blocking landscaping fabric across the entire area and secure with stakes. This will prevent dirt from mixing with the gravel and making a muddy mess in the rain, and will stop weeds and roots from growing through.

Order The Base Materials And Stone

How to Build a Floating Wood Patio Deck

It’s what’s 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 isn’t 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 they’re 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, you’ll 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 it’s 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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Brick Fireplace In Outdoor Seating Area

Comfortable outdoor lounge furniture surrounds this brick fireplace. The four wood chairs and two wood ottomans are each covered with chocolate brown fitted cushions.

And ways you might be able to save some money:

  • Location, Location, Location: Be aware that if youre installing further from your home, it could cost more to run gas and electric to the patio. Also, level ground close to the exterior of your home is inevitably easier to install upon, versus a hillside requiring retaining wall features. And if youre competing with a backyard septic system or existing mature trees, try to work around them to avoid the process of having to move/remove.
  • Buy things yourself: Lets assume that your contractor is cool with you sourcing some of your own materials visit a local stone yard to research your options, and purchase materials yourself to avoid a mark-up. You may find extra savings by negotiating a bulk order, or by purchasing materials in the off-season. Try to avoid multiple deliveries, as charges are often quoted as a flat rate for each trip.

Get Your Tools Prepared In Advance

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When it comes to building your DIY paver patio, we recommend assessing the tools and materials youll need well ahead of time. Theres nothing worse than starting a project, only to realize you dont have something crucial. This could make or break the whole project and leave you in a very tricky situation this summer. Paver Search shares this very detailed tool guide to building a DIY paver patio. Youll find a comprehensive list of everything you need for your project, so you wont miss anything during your preparation phase. They also share tips on how you can make this project more budget-friendly. You dont have to spend a fortune to make your own paver patio. To save money, stick to a simple design and use high-quality yet affordable materials.

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Create A Pebble Mosaic

With myriad options for stone colors and sizesnot to mention endless variations in layoutthe design of a pebble mosaic for your yard or garden is limited only by your imagination. If this outdoor project is on your to-do list this summer but you’re looking for inspiration, here are a few fun examples of pebble patterns to get you started. We hope the hardest part of the project is picking your favorite.

The Proper Base Material Is Important

How to Build a Paver Patio

Our favorite material for a patio base is crusher run. Depending on what part of the country you live in, there are other names for it: hard pack, processed gravel, or road pack, to name just a few. Whatever its called, you want a base material that consists of crushed stone, usually ¾ inch diameter or less, mixed with ground aggregates, such as stone or concrete. This base material packs great and, more important, drains well.

Youll need a 3-inch-deep layer of packed material for your base. Our rule of thumb is that a cubic yard of crusher run will supply 80 square feet at 3 inches thick unpacked. So for a patio measuring 12 feet long by 12 feet wide, or 144 square feet, order 2 cubic yards of base material. Keep in mind that this formula isnt perfect, so be prepared to have a little less or more depending on how precisely you dug out the base. You also need a 1-inch-deep layer of coarse or concrete sand that goes between the base and the pavers. So add a yard of sand to your order, as well.

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Enjoy Relaxing On Your Paver Patio

After following our thirty tips to ensure the success of your DIY paver patio, its time to sit back and relax. Bob Vila shares how to create an outdoor patio that even a completely inexperienced DIYer will enjoy creating. Youll create professional results that will make the perfect space that youll enjoy spending time with your family and friends in this summer. Whether you just want a sun-soaked spot to read a book or somewhere to entertain your family and friends, its the perfect option for your next garden makeover.

How To Pour & Finish A Patio

1. Install reinforcement such as rebar and rewire set on bolsters , and then mix and pour the concrete. The use of fiber-reinforced crack-resistant concrete eliminates the need for wire reinforcing mesh.

2. Screed concrete level with the forms. Use a 2 x 4 in a sawing motion to level and remove excess concrete.

3. Float the concrete surface to create a surface that is both smooth and skid resistant. Wait until bleed water has disappeared before proceeding. Finish options include a broomed finish, a smooth steel-trowel finish or seed with small aggregate after floating.

4. Cut control joints in larger patios. Lay a 2 x 4 straightedge guide on the surface and carefully tool control joints using a grooving tool. Allow the concrete to dry until sheen disappears, and then treat with acrylic cure and seal.

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How To Build A Patio:

Start with deciding how big to make your patio

  • For two chairs and a small table to hold drinks and a book or magazine youll need an area about 2-3 meters across, approximately.
  • A dining table with four chairs will require 4-5 square meters of flat space.
  • Two loungers will take up somewhere in the middle as a space requirement.

Make your patio a little bigger than you think youll need, as there must be some room for displaying lush containers of plants.

String lines help you to visualize the area, or even a garden hose laid out on the ground.

Measure the area, and estimate how many pavers or flagstones youll need to buy.

If youre making your own diy patio blocks , you can make that determination at this stage.

For a unique patio design idea, use the garden hose in a curved line to follow this will be a free form rustic type of patio, without straight lines.

The area must be flat and level. This is crucial.

It also should have somewhere for water to drain out of the area, which is particularly important if your soil is clay, and the area is directly outside your door. Barefoot living, where the patio is on the same level as the floors of your house is not as enjoyable when you have to wade through water coming in after a rain storm.

Dig down 10-20centimeters and remove the turf, soil and any debris from the area. Make sure you move any larger rocks, as these can cause the flagstones or patio blocks to crack in the winter from frost heaves.


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