Fire Pit And Outdoor Living Options
You can spend anywhere from $300 to $2,000 or more on fire pits and other built in outdoor living options. Pools, kitchens and spa like outdoor living can run up to $50,000 or more.
- Fire pit installation costs$300-$1,400. Youll spend on the lower end when you install one as part of your patio.
- Outdoor kitchen costs$5,500-$22,000. The range includes all plumbing, electrical and gas lines needed.
- Pool installation costs$17,000-$45,000. One of the most popular things to put a patio around, youll want to consider it when you plan your backyard.
- Hot tub prices range from $3,500-$15,000. No room for a pool? Consider integrating a hot tub into your design.
- Patio cover costs$5,000-$25,000+. These can even hit $50,000 or more if you have a fully enclosed and insulated room that essentially becomes part of your home.
Get Quotes From Local Masons
Paver Patio With An Open View
If you have an elevated property that comes with a view of an open sea, tracks of fields, or a vineyard, opting for an open view paver patio can be one of the best choices.
Make it rough and rustic by installing an unpolished, irregular shaped flagstone with pea gravel in between. Complement it with a fitting landscape and build on the seating and lightwork for a beautiful night view.
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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Of : Excavating And Leveling Your Yard
How To Repair A Paver Patio

Postedby Chase Coateson December 15, 2017
Paver problems?
You’re not alone.
Your paver patio looked so great when it was first installed, didn’t it? All those bricks perfectly aligned.
But time takes a toll on paver surfaces. A crack here, a crooked brick there. And why do some pavers look like theyre sinking into the ground?
When the time comes, do you know how to repair a paver patio? How to fix sunken pavers? How to replace broken pavers?
Don’t worry you’ll have those pavers looking pretty again in no time.
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Preparing The Base For Your Raised Patio
Preparing the base for any project begins with the subsoil. We need to ensure that we achieve proper compaction of the subgrade in order to move on to the base of our raised patio, especially if it was disturbed during the excavation process. With our clay soils, we typically will spread a thin layer of 3/4 angular clean stone or ASTM #57 with a dusting of Portland cement throughout the subsoil and compact it using a heavy reversible compactor or a ramming compactor. These two pieces of equipment provide sufficient compaction of clay subsoils. If your subsoil is sandy, you can use a plate or reversible compactor to achieve compaction. You do not want to over-compact, as this will decrease the water penetration of the subgrade. Two passes perpendicular to one another is generally good for this step with a minimally disturbed subgrade.
The next step is to install the geotextile fabric. We typically install a woven geotextile, though in some cases we resort to a non-woven geotextile in our raised patio applications. Patios we always use a woven geotextile and retaining walls we always use a non-woven geotextile, but because a raised patio is constructed of both and integrated as one whole system that will have minimal water penetration in behind the retaining wall with proper drainage pipe installed, we are less concerned about using a non-woven geotextile in behind the wall of our raised patio.
Diy Front Path Makeover
As you can see, a lot of inspiration regarding DIY paver patio installation comes from projects focused on pathways. Another example comes from zenshmen where you can witness the transformation of what used to plain and boring concrete path into one that features stepping stones and gravel and has a more zen and overall beautiful look. Check out the full article to find out all the ups and downs of this project.
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Mark Out The Outside Dimensions
You can build an amazing-looking and long-lasting paver patio even if you dont have any experience with this sort of project. Follow these steps and you should be able to pull it off without any complications: mark out the outside dimensions of the project area and then dig out the area to a depth of 4 to 7 inches. Install edge restraints, add a layer of gravel, compact it, then a layer of patio paver sand, and level it. Its then time to install the pavers. We found this particular youtube tutorial to be very helpful and informative.
Pergolas And Pavers Mix
If you are eyeing more open backdoor space, go for the classic pergola and pavers combination. You can use sealed irregular shaped bluestone blocked pavers. Build a firepit centerpiece made of rough natural stones and surround it with rattan or wood benches.
Construct slatted pergolas in contrast to slatted boards where climbers could grow as natural fences. Install the lightwork in the pergola posts to have a dreamy paver patio at night.
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We Chose To Use Stone Patio Pavers As These Would Be Much Easier To Lay Than Pouring Concrete
I have always enjoyed landscaping work. This will be the base for your patio pavers. Starting in a corner, place the first paver stone. Allow for about 1â? of slope away from the house for every 8. Dig diy paver patio base. Itâs finally dry enough to move around some dirt and make a welcoming paver patio outside our new entry!
The rule of thumb is to dig to the thickness of the paver, plus another six inches for a solid base. Laying a paver patio can make a great diy project, but itâs important to be sure the ground under it is prepared properly first. Allow for about 1â? of slope away from the house for every 8. We are diy enthusiasts, not professionals remember! Starting in a corner, place the first paver stone.
That will make the whole job go smoothly. By jessica bennett updated april 20, 2020 each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. Paver patio slope diy pavers building a on design ideas unyouthdelegates org zao44wwow3 sloped backyard block question doityourself com community forums stones yard pictures remodel and decor page 2 pics lawnsite lawn care landscaping professionals forum how to build suggestions google search pool tips installation geek. Youâll want a slight slope for drainage. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.
Overhead Costs To Build A Paver Patio
Licensed and insured contractors add overhead and profit in their bid, which typically adds 10% to 20% to the total cost depending on the size of the project. This covers insurance, staffing and payroll, truck expenses, licensing fees, warranties on your project, and more.
You could save on this expense by hiring an unlicensed handyman, but they may not be experienced or use the best materials.
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Prepare The Patio Area
Laying pavers is a DIY project that takes about one weekend to complete. When you’re building a patio, you’ll make layers using these materials:
- A 6-inch layer of gravel for the paver base
- A 1-inch layer of sand
- DIY patio pavers
- Paver sand
Use a tape measure to find the square footage of the area where you’ll lay the patio. That will help you figure out how many stone patio pavers and how much paver base and paver sand you’ll need. For example, for an area that measures 60 square feet, youll need about 60 12-inch x 12-inch paver stones.
You’ll be using 4 inches of gravel, which is 1/3 of a yard, for a paver base. To figure out how many cubic feet of gravel you will need, multiply your square footage by 1/3. In this example, you’d need about 20 cubic feet of gravel, or 3/4 cubic yards. You may want more in case you spill some. You will also need a 1-inch thick layer of paver leveling sand. As a rule of thumb, you’ll need about 1/3 as much sand as gravel, measured in cubic volume.
Can You Lay Paver Stones Across An Old Patio

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What was once a freshly laid asphalt or concrete patio eventually begins to lose its luster through time and weathering. An ugly patio surface has the ability to mar the look of your landscape. Fortunately, there is an easy way to give your patio a facelift without the backbreaking work of demolishing and removing the existing slab. Under the right conditions and with proper preparations, you can put paver stones over a concrete porch or patio to create a new, fresh surface that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing.
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How Much Is A Paver Sidewalk
A paver sidewalk costs $8 to $25 per square foot. While costs remain the same, youll want to know some building factors depending on three closely related, and often interchangeably used, terms: Pathways, Sidewalks and Walkways:
- Residential pathways. Sometimes called private or personal sidewalks, these run on private property and dont have to conform to any special rules or regulations beyond building codes.
- Sidewalks. The raised side of a road designated for pedestrian use is actually owned by your city and falls under special rules and regulations, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act, which designates dimensions and materials. Check with your local code or building department to see if you can install one as a paver to match your other pathways. The municipality you live in often has specific rules and regulations governing the construction and maintenance of all sidewalks.
- Walkways. Typically refer to public commercial walking areas, like paths through a park or outdoor shopping area.
Want The Look And Feel Of Natural Stone Without The Maintenance
An Allan Block raised patio may be just what your project needs. You can incorporate curves , corners or even stairs into your patio design. Building a raised patio is easy and can add more usable living space and lasting value to your landscape.
Place the blocks on the base material near the front of the trench
Fill the hollow cores and 12 in. behind the block with wall rock up to the height of the block
Use a compactable rock or sand behind the entire wall. This provides a fill that is less likely to settle over time
Allan Blocks raised front lip provides a perfect edge for AB capstones, or pavers
Choose a flooring option like concrete, pavers, brick or natural stones to fit the design and style of your landscape
Once you have determined the location and design of your raised patio, stake out the location and use a string line or paint to mark out the area. A garden hose is an excellent tool for marking out curves. Then excavate the area by removing all the surface vegetation and organic materials from the area. These cannot be used as backfill material.
- Starting at the lowest point dig a base trench 24 in. wide by 6 in. deep plus 1 in deep for each 1 ft. of wall height.
- Compact the base trench as well as the entire patio base area, making a minimum of 2 passes with a walk behind plate compactor. Compaction of these areas are very important as they make up the foundation of both your wall and raised patio.
Excerpt from Landscape Newsletter Issue #19
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Calculate Materials To Buy
Use the outline to help you determine the quantity of pavers, base material, and sand to purchase. Measure the length by the width to arrive at the total square footage. Next, add 10 percent to allow for expected wastage. If you will be laying pavers on curves or laying them on a diagonal, increase the excess to 15 or 20 percent.
Paver Patio Cost Estimator
When estimating paver patio costs, the main factors are the pavers, materials, labor, and overhead. Also, location affects the price because of local labor costs, taxes, and other regulations. For example, installing pavers in California costs 45% more than in Arkansas.
Total Materials Cost | $3.40 $6.20 |
- Class II Road Base is crushed rock with pieces ranging from fine dust to ¾ in size. This material is used as the bottom base. Heavy soil must also be compacted before the Road Base gravel is spread.
- Geotextile fabric increase drainage, soil stability, and prevents the Road Base from mixing with the native soils. Its installed underneath the base material.
- Bedding sand, also called ASTM C-33 sand, is coarse and compacts well between the Class II Road Base and paving stones.
- Paver edging secures the pavers in place, so they dont shift and create large gaps. Paver edge restraints cost $45 to $60 for kits that cover up to 48. A concrete bond beam costs $1.25 per linear foot and creates a perimeter about 7 deep and 7 wide.
- Paver sand costs $0.10 to $0.30 per square foot of coverage and fills the joints of the pavers. Polymeric sand is the best choice for paver joints as it hardens and doesnt let weeds take root. A second sand sweep may be necessary once the sand has settled.
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What You Will Learn
Paving is our bread and butter at Acorn Landscape Gardening, there is rarely a week goes by that we dont see ourselves laying paving. As a result we have developed a lot of expertise in getting it done fast and flawlessly.
There are a number of methods for laying paving however we have experimented most of them and found this to be the winner for quality finish and speed.
This how to guide will show you how to lay your new paved patio, or path perfectly. The good news is that this can usually be done with very little equipment. The bad news is that it will be harder if you dont have some of the equipment.
This guide will work if you are laying on most normal garden surfaces including already existing patios, concrete, tarmac, grass or mud.
How To Mark Off Your Patio Area
Place a stake at the corners of the area for the patio and tie mason string to mark off the area.
Prep the Area
When considering where to build a patio, choose a flat, level area. Then have your local utility company come out and make sure the area is free of underground utilities.
Next measure the area, so you can order the right amount of materials. Our area is 11′ x 11′ square.
Once you have the materials, do a dry layout of your design . Do this in any level part of the yard. Play with the pattern and design, see what works and make sure you have enough materials.
At your patio location, measure the area and pound four stakes into each corner. We did ours 12′ square 11′ square plus 6″ on each side for edging .
Tie mason string to mark off the square . Measure diagonally across the stakes from opposite corners to make sure the patio area is square.
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Preparing The Site Is The First Step To Success
A lot of patio projects start out with nothing but an empty piece of land, usually with some less than beautiful grass growing on it. Preparing the site is the first step. Its a very important process that ensures a good foundation on which to build the paver patio of your dreams. This applies to other similar types of landscaping projects as well. to get rid of the weeds, if any, you can use a combination of landscaping fabric, sand, and small rocks or gravel. You can also spray a combination of vinegar and hot water on the more stubborn ones if need be. Check out more useful tips about DIY paver patio covers and other projects on hometalk.