How to Do Patio Pavers

Measure and mark the boundaries for the new paver stone patio call your local cable and utility companies to schedule a utility locating assessment. A thorough understanding of where all underground cables and pipes are located is needed before you begin digging.

Use a surveying set and determine your degree of angle to ensure rain and snowmelt will run away from buildings near the patio. Shoot for a declination angle of 1 inch per every 10 feet in length toward the far edge (away from a building) of your patio.

Purchase enough lime base, gravel, and sand to provide the necessary thickness of each material. Calculate a minimum of 2 inches of lime base, 4 inches of gravel and 3 inches of sand. To determine the correct amounts of each material use the formulas found on Pave Tools International's Web site, www.pavetools.com/info/diy.shtml.

Dig to the necessary depth and declination. Dig 6 inches farther out than your planned patio surface and figure in this additional square footage, to which you will add additional lime base, gravel and soil for extended support. Dig the hole deep enough to accommodate the total combined thickness of the lime, gravel, sand and paver stones.

Use a tape measure and hammer a stake every 2 feet along both sides of your excavated patio foundation. Tie leveling string onto the stakes to use as guides for pouring and grading each layer.

Apply a two 1-inch lime layers, compacting each with a powered compactor. Do the same for the gravel.

Pour the necessary thickness of sand over top of the compacted gravel and level well. Pour the sand, leaving a space at the top to the exact depth of your paver stones. The tops of the stones should be level with the surrounding ground when laying them. You will be filling gaps between the paver stones with additional sand.

Lay all paver stones according to the plans or to your desired pattern, leaving a 3/16-inch gap between paver stones.

Pour sand over the paver stones thickly and drag a leveling board across the pavers, causing the sand to fill in the gaps between pavers. Allow the patio to set over several days before positioning furniture onto the surface.