Do-It-Yourself Illustrated

Patio is great to spend at least Saturdays and Sundays with barbeque and beer (though, ladies may prefer wine). Put you outdoor umbrella-table-chairs set on the grass is not enough – patio should be defined by line and surface.  Even if you have a deck, you can extend the recreational area with some improvement.

All patios have a flat surface, no matter if it is even on hillside.  So step #1 would be a preparation of earth to make it horisontal and even, without bumps and holes (except by special purposes, like places for garden accents).  You’ll probably have grass that needs to be removed.

After, the surface is all flat and at the slope you want, you’re ready for the base material – step #2. You can find it in Home Depot, it’s  a crushed limestone, called “screening”.  Before spreading it out , it’s a good idea to put down what’s called “geotextile fabric.” It will hold the paving and prevent some weeds go through. But use level all the time, to make sure the surface is flat as possible, especially if you intend to use interlock.

Step #3 – compact the limestone. The best way to rent a compactor for few hours. The trick is to let the machine pull itself forward. Though, some places may be need to make with hand, using back of sledge hummer or heavy log.  And also, the limestone is beetter to compact when it’s wet, yet there is no dust.

Step #4 – Paving can be done in different ways and patterns of your own design.  The very good idea to make a one-inch bedding layer over the patio, using sand, smoothing it with trowel and using pipes or wood planks to control thickness.  Though, if you will not use bricks, it’s not really nessessary. One patio was done with interlock and another was covered by white crushed marble (the simple and quick way for people with no paving experience)

Step #5 – Next you need fill the joints betwen pavers with sand to make a patio incredibly strong. The process is to spread sand with a broom, run the compactor over, spread some more sand, compact, and so on, until the joints are filled. The trick is that sand should be fairly dry.

Finaly, you have the option to seal you patio project after it’s completed.

Pictures

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