How to Install Square Concrete Pavers With a Ground Cover

Combining patio pavers with a living ground cover softens the paved areas so they blend better into the natural surroundings. Square pavers work as stepping stones through the plants. You can arrange them in a linear design or create a staggered geometrical look, depending on your preference and the size of the paved area. When choosing ground covers, select those that tolerate foot traffic and are suited to the amount of sunlight and moisture the paved area receives.

Measuring tape
Pavers
Shovel
Gravel
Edge restraints
Sand
Plate compactor
Soil
Ground cover plants

Instructions

- 1
  Measure the thickness of the pavers. Add 5 inches onto this measurement.
- 2
  Dig out the area you are paving to the depth measured. Level the area with a rake.
- 3
  Lay a four-inch layer of gravel over the dug out area. Smooth and level the gravel surface.
- 4
  Install paver edge restraints around the perimeter of the gravel base. Follow the installation instructions that come with the restraints, as these differ between styles and manufacturers.
- 5
  Spread a one-inch layer of sand over the top of the concrete within the perimeter of the edge restraints. Smooth and level the sand layer.
- 6
  Set the paver on top of the sand. Begin at the perimeter of the bed, abutting the edge pavers against the restraints, and work inward. Space the pavers three to four inches apart. Use a mechanical plate compactor, which you can rent from hardware stores, to tamp the pavers into place.
- 7
  Fill in the space between the pavers with garden or potting soil. Water the soil to settle it and add additional soil as needed.
- 8
  Plant ground cover in the soil-filled spaces between the pavers, following the spacing requirements for the particular plant. Irish moss and creeping thyme are two choices that tolerate some foot traffic.

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