How to Make a French Patio With Granite Sand

Remove sod in your patio site with a shovel or a sod remover. Remove soil to a depth of 4 to 6 inches depending on your climate and the general drainage of your site. A well-drained site in a relatively dry climate does not require as deep a footing as a site in a wet climate. Ensure the base soil does not dip in the center. It should be flat to slightly raised in the center to encourage water runoff. Tamp down the base soil.

Install the edging of your choice; plastic is economical, brick pavers or cement edging have a crisp formal look, while natural cobblestones or treated wood have a natural appeal.

Spread a 3- to 4-inch layer of road-base gravel, which has pieces approximately 3/4 inches to 3 inches across, in the bottom of the footing and tamp down.

Mix your decomposed granite, often just called DG by landscapers, with the decomposed granite stabilizer, sometimes called hardener, according to manufacturer instructions. The decomposed granite resembles coarse sand with tiny bits of rock. The edges of the small particles lock together when compacted -- especially when stabilizer is used -- to form a firm, yet permeable surface.

Apply a 1/2-inch layer of the decomposed granite/stabilizer mix over the compacted road base, using a wheelbarrow, shovel and rake. Tamp it down well. Sprinkle water lightly over the layer with your hose. Continue laying down 1/2-inch layers of DG -- tamping and sprinkling after each layer until you reach 2 to 3 inches, depending on the depth of your base.