How to Excavate to Lay Pavers

Mark the outline of the area where you wish to lay the pavers onto the ground by painting the excavation area perimeter with landscaping paint.

Hammer wooden stakes into the ground every 3 feet surrounding the perimeter of the proposed excavation site. Attach string to the stakes at the level of the pavers you're installing using tacks. Attach the string first around the perimeter of the excavation site, and then attach string connecting the stakes on opposite sides of the site so that the intersecting strings form a grid with 3-foot-square sections. If creating a slope for your paver surface to direct water flow from structures, then adjust the height of the strings accordingly. Use measuring tape to set the slope height correctly. Form the slope so that it extends from a high point near the structures to the low point away from the structures. Typical slopes are 1/4 inch of drop per foot of paved surface.

Dig the excavation for your pavers using a spade. You need to dig deep enough to allow for both the gravel and sand layers. The depth depends on the type of traffic expected over the paved surface. Six inches deep plus the height of the pavers is usually sufficient for a paved walkway, with paved driveways running towards the 8 to 10 inches plus paver height depth. Remove and replace string as necessary to allow room for digging.

Maintain the desired slope when digging by measuring the depth at each grid line. Make the slope gradual so that it's an incline rather than a set of steps in the soil.

Remove the strings then pack the soil at the bottom of the excavation after digging. Use a vibratory plate compactor with a force of at least 3,200 lbs. to compress the soil. Run the compactor over the surface, hardening it to prevent any shifting after the pavers are set in place. Use a jumping jack instead of a plate compactor if compressing clay-heavy soils. You can rent either machine from an equipment rental shop or home improvement store.