How to Place Pavers

Lay out the length of the walkway using stakes and twine. Use two different ropes or a garden hose if your project involves a curve. Make use of a line level to make adjustments for your desired height. Incorporate the dimension of the pavers and the pattern you plan to use for determining the width measurement.

Excavate this area using your shovel to dig down at least 8 inches into the ground. The depth of the excavation must take into account room for gravel, a sand bed and the specific dimensions of the paver material.

Shovel in the gravel bed and then use a level to make sure it is even after compaction. Place wood edging against the stakes at the top for the walking space for straight lines. Use flexible aluminum or plastic for edging curves. Use a level to make sure that the walk is pitched at 1/4 inch per foot.

Fill in a two-inch sand bed on top of the gravel bed. Used a notched screed that is equal to the paver material thickness to ensure even leveling. Install standing pavers in a trench situated against the edging.

Lay the pavers down one at a time. Work in one section at a time to increase your efficiency. Space the pavers 1/8 inch apart and tamp them to a level position against each other and against the edging using a rubber mallet.

Cut pavers as applicable using a diamond-blade wet saw. Put this procedure off until the walkway is fully laid so you can see where you need to place cut pavers. Waiting until the walk is completed also gives you the chance to make adjustments so that you may not even need to cut pavers to size.

Bend a wire clothes hanger so that you can slip it beneath a paver when you need to remove a paver for repositioning. Place the hanger over each side of a stone and give it a quarter rotation before pulling up on the paving stone.

Work the final pavers of your project as closely to the position you desire as possible. Cover the material with a short 2-by-4 and tamp down on each of the pavers to get them level.

Clean your pavers with water from a garden hose. Seal the stones using an acid-based water sealer to protect them from staining and bring out their color. Sealer should be reapplied at least every five years.