Bay Area Paver Installer’s Tips for Preparing and Installing a Paver Patio
To minimize the cost of driveway paving or patio paving, consider installing pavers on your own. Even if you’ve never done this work before, the process is fairly straightforward, and it doesn’t require many tools though it does require some significant preparation.
1. Prepare the area for the paver base.
Excavate to a depth of 6 inches for pedestrian traffic and 10 inches for vehicular traffic. Essentially you need to account for additional weight, this is not limited to vehicular traffic, if you will be rolling or placing any very heavy items on your patio you will want to prepare a deeper base.
2. Install the paver base.
Spread an 1-inch layer of paver base material over the subgrade. You will need to run a vibratory plate compactor over the area in each direction twice. While very few people own their own heavy tools, many contractor grade tools can be rented from your local tool rental outfit. Repeat this process with 2-inch layers of paver base material until you have reached the proper height. Check for variations in height across the paver base, and resolve any that are more than one quarter inch from your desired height.
3. Place the pavers.
Place pavers into the base material, and use the plate compactor to seat them. Be sure to use a rubber or plastic mat to protect the patio pavers from damage during this process. Fill the paver joints with masonry sand. Compact the pavers again until the joints are full of sand. Once exposed to moisture, this sand will harden to help hold the pavers in place.
Patio Paver Installation is Simple, But You May Prefer to Let a Pro Handle It
If DIY installation is too challenging or time-consuming, call a professional patio paver installer, instead. Our experienced team can assist with all aspects of your project and deliver beautiful, durable results, call us at (800) 941-1014 or contact us today from our website.
