Paver Block Installation

Mark the edges of your site with wood pegs and tie a long piece of twine between the pegs. Add 3 inches to every side for the restraints.

Dig out the grass and dirt from the area within the twine with a shovel. Continue digging an expanse 12 inches deep plus the thickness of the paver blocks, minus two inches. For instance, if your blocks are 5 inches thick, dig down 15 inches so your surface will sit 2 inches above ground level.

Go over the soil with a hand tamper to compress the ground and force out moisture and air pockets.

Fill the expanse with three 4-inch thick layers of aggregate. Go over each layer with the tamper before adding additional fill. Tamp the aggregate until the rocks no long shift beneath your feet. The irregularly-shaped rocks will wedge together to form a solid base for the blocks, while still enabling moisture to travel through for drainage. Check that the aggregate is level and shift it as needed before tamping again. An uneven base will result in an uneven surface.

Place wood or metal edge restraints around the interior sides. Secure them to the aggregate beneath by sinking 12-inch nail spikes through the holes with a hammer.

Lay a 1 ½-inch layer of coarse sand bedding over the aggregate and smooth the surface by gently dragging a wood board over the top.

Set the paver blocks in the bed of sand, shifting each one in the sand until it doesn't wobble and is level with adjacent blocks. Leave even spaces of 1/8 inch between the blocks. Lay a board across each row or section and apply even force to the board with a rubber mallet to sink the blocks into the sand.

Spread stone dust over the completed block surface and press it between the joints. Once all of the dust is swept into joints, add water to the surface to force the sand down and add more layers until the joints are filled with compacted dust.