Do-it-yourself Concrete Pavers

Measure the area where you will be laying your pavers so you know what size pavers to make and how many you'll need.

Cut your 1-by-3-inch boards so that two of them are the exact size of the final paver you want to make and two are 1 1/2 inches longer than the size of your paver.

Arrange the four boards to make the shape of the paver you wish to make, with the inside dimensions of the boards being equal to the size of your finished paver. Screw two wood screws into each corner of the frame to hold it firmly together. Two of your boards are cut longer so they can overlap at the corners and still make a frame with the proper inside dimension.

Wipe vegetable oil onto the inside of the frame, using a cloth or paper towels. Coat the inside of the frame well, as the vegetable oil will act as a release agent for the concrete that will be poured into the mold.

Mix your concrete in a wheelbarrow or in a concrete mixing tub. Use 1 part Portland cement and 3 parts cement sand. Mix the ingredients with a hoe, then add just enough water to give the mixture the consistency of cake batter. Add any concrete dye, available at hardware, home improvement stores and over the Internet, you want to use to tint your concrete, then mix everything well with the hoe.

Set your frame on level ground in a shaded area and dampen the earth under the frame. Fill the frame half-full of concrete, then place a piece of wire mesh cut just slightly smaller than the frame on top of your poured concrete. Fill the frame to the top with concrete.

Tap the sides of the frame to release air bubbles that might be trapped in the concrete. Place leaves, rocks, shells or anything else on top of the cement to make your pavers unique. Once the concrete has dried slightly, you can use a sharp object to write on the surface of the paver if you wish.

Lift a corner of the frame up after the paver has dried for 48 hours, and use a small amount of pressure on the corner of the paver to make it pop off of the frame. Remove the frame, and set the paver in an area out of direct sun. Cover it with a plastic sheet to hold in the moisture. Allow the pavers to cure for 14 days. Spray or paint the pavers with a concrete sealant, then re-cover them with plastic and allow them to cure 14 more days. Your pavers are now ready to install.