How to Build a Half Wall on a Patio

Mark the outline of the half wall onto the surface of the patio, making it slightly wider than the width of the wall.

Remove the section of patio inside the outline with a hammer and chisel. If the wall is large, you may want to rent a jackhammer. Remove the debris from inside the hole. This trench should be at least 6 inches deep.

Add a 1-inch layer of paver base to the ground inside the trench and tamp it down. The paver base is a mix of stone dust and crushed rock. Repeat this step twice more.

Place a paver stone into the trench and examine how deep it is. You want the depth of the trench to be about half the height of the paver plus one inch. Add more of the paver base, if necessary.

Place a 1-inch layer of stone dust on top of the paver base and smooth the surface.

Lay the first paver into one end of the trench, centering it inside the trench. Check it for level, and tap it down with a rubber mallet if necessary.

Fill the rest of the trench with the first course of pavers. Keep the pavers even by placing the level across the first paver and the second paver, tapping the second paver down so it's even with the first paver. Repeat this process for the entire course.

Mix a batch of mortar, following the manufacturer's instructions.

Fill the gaps between the paver stones and the sides of the trench with the mortar, smoothing the surface with the trowel so it's flush with the patio. Allow the mortar to set for the time specified on the packaging.

Lay the second course of paver stones. Apply masonry adhesive in a thick, zigzag bead on top of the stones in the first course before laying the stones in the second course. Stagger the stones in the second course by cutting a stone in half with a wet saw and placing that on the end.

Keep building the half wall until it's about three feet high, staggering the pavers in every other row to give the wall added strength.

Place a row of capstones on top of the wall, securing them with masonry adhesive. You can either turn the stones you used to build the rest of the wall sideways, or purchase capstones.