A new paver patio can become one of the most useful spaces around your home—but creating a successful patio involves much more than choosing a paver color and deciding where to put the furniture.
Before installation begins, there are questions about patio size, drainage, landscaping, elevation changes, access, materials, patterns, lighting, and outdoor features. Some of these decisions are primarily aesthetic, while others directly affect how well your patio performs over time.
The good news is that you don’t have to figure everything out yourself. Viking Pavers designs and installs custom paver patios, handling much of the technical planning and site preparation for you. We evaluate the property, establish appropriate grades, account for existing landscaping and drainage, determine the proper foundation, and help you make design decisions that fit the way you want to use your outdoor space.
Use the checklist below as a starting point for planning your new patio.
Paver Patio Planning Checklist
Our Paver Patio Planning Checklist covers ten important considerations:
- Determine the size
- Plan furniture and use
- Consider drainage
- Account for existing trees and landscaping
- Plan steps and transitions
- Choose your paver style and color
- Select a paver pattern
- Think about lighting
- Consider features and accessories
- Plan access for installation
Let’s take a closer look at each one—and, importantly, what Viking Pavers can handle for you.
1. Determine the Right Patio Size
The first question is usually simple: How large should the patio be?
The answer depends on how you intend to use the space.
A small patio might provide enough room for a couple of chairs and a bistro table. A larger patio could accommodate a dining table, lounge furniture, a grill, fire pit, outdoor kitchen, or several of these features together.
It’s important to think about the space required around your furniture and features, too. A patio that technically fits a dining table may feel cramped if there isn’t enough room to comfortably pull chairs out and walk around them.
Consider:
- How many people will regularly use the patio?
- Will you have a dining table?
- Do you want lounge seating?
- Will you have a grill or outdoor kitchen?
- Are you planning a fire pit?
- Do you need space for children or pets?
- Will people need to walk through the patio to reach another part of the yard?
You don’t necessarily need to determine the exact dimensions before contacting Viking Pavers. We can evaluate your available space and develop a patio layout around how you want to use it.
2. Plan Around Furniture and How You’ll Use the Space
A patio shouldn’t be designed as an empty rectangle that you figure out how to furnish later.
Think about your intended use before finalizing the layout. An outdoor dining area needs enough room for chairs to move away from the table without immediately running into a wall, planter, or another piece of furniture. A lounge area needs sufficient circulation space around sofas and chairs. A fire pit requires appropriate space around the seating area.
You can also divide a larger patio into different outdoor living areas, such as:
- A dining area near the kitchen or back door
- A lounge area farther into the yard
- A fire pit area toward the edge of the patio
- An outdoor kitchen adjacent to the house
- An open area for children or entertaining
Viking Pavers can incorporate these intended uses into the overall patio design rather than treating each element as an afterthought. Our hardscape and outdoor living services can also be combined when you want your patio to connect with other parts of the property.
3. Consider Drainage Before Installation
Drainage is one of the most important parts of patio planning—and one homeowners generally shouldn’t have to figure out on their own.
A patio needs to be designed so water doesn’t simply collect on the surface or drain toward the house.
During the planning and installation process, Viking Pavers establishes appropriate grades to help direct water where it needs to go. This can be particularly important when a patio is located near the foundation, on a slope, or in an area where existing drainage patterns need to be considered.
Proper drainage planning can help prevent problems such as:
- Standing water
- Water flowing toward the house
- Erosion around the patio
- Saturated soil
- Premature settlement
- Water-related damage to surrounding landscaping
Drainage isn’t something that should be left until the end of a project. It’s incorporated into the site planning and preparation before the pavers are installed.
Viking Pavers also addresses drainage as part of our paver patio installation process, including establishing grades and installing Geotex fabric as part of the foundation preparation.
4. Account for Existing Trees and Landscaping
Existing landscaping can make a patio more attractive—but it can also complicate the design.
Trees, shrubs, planting beds, irrigation systems, roots, retaining walls, and other landscape features all need to be considered when determining where the patio should go.
Rather than simply removing everything in the patio’s path, the goal is to create a design that works with the property whenever practical.
For example, an existing tree might become a natural focal point beside the patio. A planting bed can provide a transition between the hardscape and lawn. Existing landscaping can also influence the shape and boundaries of the patio.
Viking Pavers accounts for these conditions during the site evaluation and planning process. You don’t need to create a detailed landscaping plan just to get started—we evaluate the existing property and incorporate relevant conditions into the project.
Because Viking Pavers also provides retaining wall installation and other landscape-related services, we can account for larger changes to the landscape when a patio project involves more than just the paved surface.
5. Plan Steps and Transitions
Patios frequently connect different elevations.
Your patio might need to transition between:
- The house and backyard
- A back door and the patio
- A patio and lawn
- Two different sections of the yard
- A patio and an existing walkway
- A raised area and lower landscape
These transitions need to be considered before construction begins.
The finished patio should feel like it belongs naturally with the rest of the property rather than looking like an isolated surface that was simply placed in the yard.
Depending on the property, that might involve steps, gradual transitions, retaining elements, or adjustments to the patio layout.
Viking Pavers evaluates elevation changes and site conditions as part of the installation process, helping determine how the patio should connect to the surrounding areas. If steps are necessary, our team also provides custom paver step and stair installation.
6. Choose Your Paver Style and Color
Once the functional aspects of the patio are established, it’s time for the fun part: choosing how it will look.
Pavers are available in a wide variety of:
- Colors
- Textures
- Shapes
- Sizes
- Finishes
- Blended color combinations
Your choice should complement both the house and the surrounding landscape.
For example, a patio next to a traditional home might benefit from a different color palette and texture than a contemporary outdoor space.
It’s also worth considering the colors already present on your property. Exterior siding, roofing, trim, stone, stucco, landscaping, and other hardscape elements can all influence which pavers will look most natural.
Viking Pavers offers a wide selection of patio materials, including permeable pavers, natural stone pavers, brick pavers, large-format pavers, porcelain pavers, and interlocking concrete pavers. We work with manufacturers including Belgard, McNear, Basalite, Techno-Block, MSI, and Kronos.
You can learn more about the options available on our paver patio installation page.
7. Select a Paver Pattern
The pattern of your pavers can have a surprisingly large effect on the appearance of the finished patio.
Different patterns create different visual effects. Some emphasize clean lines and symmetry, while others create a more intricate or traditional appearance.
Your pattern can also influence how large or small an area appears visually.
Depending on the paver system and design, possibilities may include patterns such as:
- Running bond
- Stack bond
- Basketweave
- Herringbone
- Mixed-size patterns
- Border-and-field combinations
Borders are another way to add definition. A contrasting border can frame the patio and visually separate it from adjacent landscaping.
This is another decision where you don’t need to know exactly what you want before contacting Viking Pavers. We can discuss the overall appearance you’re trying to achieve and help determine which combinations make sense for the space.
8. Think About Lighting
A patio doesn’t have to stop being useful when the sun goes down.
Lighting can make an outdoor space more comfortable in the evening while also adding another layer of visual interest.
Depending on the design, you might consider:
- Pathway lighting
- Step lighting
- Landscape lighting
- Lighting around seating areas
- Lighting near an outdoor kitchen
- Accent lighting around trees or planting beds
Lighting should be considered alongside the patio layout rather than added randomly afterward. For example, steps and transitions should be clearly visible, while entertaining areas may benefit from more functional lighting.
You can also coordinate lighting with surrounding landscaping to create a cohesive outdoor environment. Viking Pavers offers landscape lighting and other outdoor living services that can be incorporated into a larger hardscape project.
9. Consider Features and Accessories
One of the biggest advantages of designing a patio from scratch is that you can build the space around the features you actually want.
Popular additions include:
Outdoor Kitchens
An outdoor kitchen can turn a patio into a true extension of the home’s living space. Viking Pavers designs and installs custom outdoor kitchens and BBQ islands with options such as grills, pizza ovens, refrigerators, sinks, side burners, and other features.
Fire Pits
A fire pit can provide a natural gathering point for seating and entertaining. Viking Pavers offers custom fire pit installation that can be designed as part of a larger patio or outdoor living area.
Seating Walls
Built-in seating can provide additional places to sit without relying entirely on movable furniture. Seating walls can also help define different areas of a larger patio.
Planters and Landscaping
Integrated planting areas can soften hardscape edges and create a stronger connection between the patio and landscape.
The important thing is to think about these features before the patio is installed. Their locations can affect the dimensions, circulation paths, borders, utility requirements, and overall layout.
Viking Pavers can incorporate these considerations into the patio design rather than forcing you to retrofit them later.
10. Plan Access for Installation
There’s one final consideration that homeowners don’t always think about: How will the materials and equipment actually get to the patio?
Paver installation involves moving substantial quantities of material onto the property. Depending on the location of the backyard and the configuration of the home, access can be straightforward—or it can require more planning.
Things we consider include:
- Side-yard access
- Gates
- Fences
- Existing landscaping
- Walls
- Property boundaries
- Equipment access
- Material delivery
- The distance between the installation area and access point
This doesn’t mean you need to measure your entire property or develop an equipment plan yourself.
Viking Pavers evaluates access as part of the project planning process and determines how the necessary materials and equipment can be brought to the installation area.
What Happens Beneath Your Paver Patio?
The visible pavers are only the top layer of a properly installed patio.
A long-lasting installation starts with proper site preparation and a stable foundation. Viking Pavers follows a structured paver installation process that includes demolition and excavation, establishing grades, Geotex fabric, Class II road base, compaction, and bedding sand.
1. Demolition and Excavation
Existing hardscape is removed when necessary, and the area is excavated to the appropriate depth from the finished grade. For patios and walkways, Viking Pavers excavates approximately 8 inches from final grade while removing unstable ground.
2. Establishing Grades and Installing Geotex Fabric
Grades are established to account for proper drainage, and drain pipes, downspout tie-ins, and future lines can be addressed during this stage. Viking Pavers installs Geotex fabric to stabilize native soils and help prevent undulations in the finished installation.
3. Installing the Class II Road Base
The foundation is constructed using Class II road base. This provides the stable yet flexible foundation beneath the patio.
4. Compacting the Foundation
The Class II base is compacted to approximately 98% density to create a firm foundation and reduce the potential for sagging or settlement.
5. Installing and Screeding Bedding Sand
A 1-inch layer of bedding sand is installed and screeded to create the appropriate setting surface for the pavers.
The result is much more than a decorative surface. The preparation beneath the pavers is a critical part of creating a patio that can remain stable and attractive for years.
You Don’t Have to Plan Everything Yourself
A checklist like this can make it easier to understand everything that goes into a new patio, but planning your patio doesn’t mean you need to become a drainage expert, landscape designer, or hardscape contractor.
That’s part of what you are hiring a professional paver contractor to handle.
When Viking Pavers evaluates your property, we look at the factors that can affect the finished installation—including grading, drainage, landscaping, elevations, access, foundation requirements, and the relationship between the patio and your home.
You provide the vision.
We help turn that vision into a practical design and handle the technical aspects required to build it.
A Little Planning Leads to a Patio You’ll Love for Years
The best patios aren’t simply spaces where pavers were installed. They’re outdoor spaces designed around how you live, how your property functions, and how you want to use your backyard.
Before construction begins, Viking Pavers can help you work through the important questions:
- How large should the patio be?
- Where should the seating and dining areas go?
- How will water drain?
- How should existing trees and landscaping be incorporated?
- Where will steps and transitions be located?
- Which pavers and colors complement the home?
- Which pattern fits the design?
- Where should lighting go?
- Would an outdoor kitchen, fire pit, seating wall, or planter make sense?
- How will materials and equipment reach the installation area?
You don’t need to have all the answers before you call us. Viking Pavers handles much of the technical planning for you and can help develop a patio design that balances appearance, functionality, and proper construction.
Ready to Start Planning Your Patio?
Viking Pavers provides paver patio design and installation throughout the Bay Area, with a focus on creating outdoor spaces that are built to last.
Our installations are backed by a 30-year labor warranty and lifetime materials warranty, and our project managers are certified by the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute.
Ready to start planning? Schedule a free design consultation with Viking Pavers and let’s start planning your new paver patio.
