Do It Yourself: Walls With Paver Blocks

Mark the location of the front and back of the wall with marking paint or stretched string or hose around the area. The front and back of the wall should be separated by the length of the one of the pavers, plus 1 ½ to 2 inches.

Dig out the trench of the marked area to a depth of 7 inches. As you are digging, you should see the soil change from dark to light; this indicates that you have gotten to solid subsoil, which will provide a strong support for the wall.

Run a steel rake along the excavated area to ensure that it sits level. Remove any large stones, branches or roots.

Compact the soil surface in the trench with a hand tamper or plate compactor to ensure that the bottom is completely level and firm. As long as the bottom is level, it will be easier to make the rest of the installation level.

Line the bottom 2 inches of the trench with patio paver base material, which consists of small particles similar to gravel. Flatten the area out with the steel rake, water it with a hose to cut down on dust and compact with the tamper or compactor to get a flat surface.

Add another 2 inch layer of base material to the trench and repeat the compacting process. Continue to add base material as necessary until you have filled the bottom 5 inches of the trench completely, and the surface is compacted and leveled.

Top the base material with a 1-inch layer of coarse sand to protect the bottom of the pavers from any sharp edges of the base material. You do not need to compact the sand.

Set the first of your pavers with the longest edges point upwards. Push the front of the paver firmly against the front of the trench, so that there is 1 ½ to 2 inches of space between the back of the paver and the back of the trench.

Lay the next paver directly next to the first, butted firmly so that the pavers are touching. Run a level across the two pavers to ensure that they sit completely flat; if not, use a rubber mallet to tap them into place so that they are level.

Continue to lay pavers in the first row, checking the level after each one. If this row is level, the rest will be as well. A portion of this first row of pavers will be buried beneath the surface; this provides extra support for the wall. Continue until the first row is complete.

Backfill the remaining space at the back of the trench with crushed stone or gravel to add extra support and facilitate drainage. You should backfill after completing each row of the wall.

Cut the first paver of the second row in half with a brick cutter or diamond-blade wet saw. Start and end the second row with the half-pavers to ensure that the joints of the wall are staggered, and therefore more sturdy.

Stack up the paver wall one row at a time, alternative rows starting with a full paver and then a half paver. Check the level as you go to ensure that everything sits flat. Continue until the wall is complete.