Paver installations can be a lot less cheaper than having a concrete pad laid out. Concrete has a more tendency to crack if the base isn`t prepped correctly. Repairing pavers is a lot easier than repairing concrete. Repairs to concrete also can be ugly to the eye. Don`t get me wrong as I still enjoy concrete along with paver patios, walkways, & driveways. Pavers just give a more unique design as you can change the pattern & design when laying them out. A good experience too is to go out and see what nurseries & gardens have to offer for pavers, this will help you get an idea of what you want. This will also help in the planning of the paver installation.
Planning and laying out your design is the first step in paver installation. The decision on where the pavers will go as well as will they fit play into the design. The best way is to measure out the site then do a rough draft on paper. Once this is done, you are ready to lay out your plan. A garden hose or rope can be used to lay out the outline of the design, Then simply mark it with chalk or paint. Try to stay about 8 in. out from the your hose or rope when marking the layout. Also remember if the area needs to slope to help the runoff of excess water. This helps to avoid any damage over a period of time.
Next, it`s time to figure out how many pavers will be needed for the job. The simple way to do this is, measure length times width of the area. This will give you the square feet of the area. Remember to add in 5-10% over that for any tricky curves or extra cuts for the design. Once you have all that, most landscape material stores can tell you how many pavers are needed for what you desire.
Now it`s time to do some digging. There are some things to keep in mind when doing your excavation of the area. Establish the height of your pavers, and do not exceed this. Water always drains down hill, so slope the area away from your home or any buildings. When sloping a large area, a good rule of thumb is go down one inch. for every four to five feet. Placing stakes around the perimeter helps give you guide lines when digging out the area. You can also use stakes to show you where to slope the area more when needed. Calculate the total depth now of what will be needed for all the material. This is done by adding the thickness of the pavers, with the inches required for your base and sand bedding. You are now ready to dig out the area. Compact the ground after excavation for the next step. You can rent a compacting machine usually from any tool rental company.
Now comes the time to lay out your base material. A good base consists of crushed stone that can be either limestone or gravel. Make sure there are a various sizes of stones in your base. This helps with the compaction. Try to make sure your base has no moisture in it. Compacting the area will be mush easier than if it was wet. This is known as a dry lay out. Depending on what your sub-base is helps to determine the thickness of your of your base. This is what creates a good foundation for the pavers. Spread out the stones in different phases, compacting each phase as you go. Once all the stone is down go around in a circular pattern with a compacting machine.
Remember to use edge restraints when installing the pavers. This helps to keep your pavers from moving after installation. Now its time to start laying out your pavers in the desired pattern. Once the pavers are laid, spread out your sand and use a push broom to manipulate the sand into the paver cracks. A good sand will help to keep out weeds from the area. The sand will bond after being spread out and moistened down. You can then use a sealing compound to finish up the job.
