How to Plan for Building a Patio

DIY Stone Patio: How to Build a Stone and Brick Patio Use a long 2×4 piece of wood or screed tool to drag across the surface and ensure the sand is evenly distributed and level. With the addition of a few rustic paver stones, you can transform a humdrum backyard into an enchanted wilderness escape. All you need is a basic plan for your new patio space and an eye-catching design for the stones themselves.

Drive a stake at the end of the board and tie a string from the house corner to this stake.Enhance your outside area with elements such as hot tubs, large grills, pergolas, herb gardens, and furnishings.Finally, hand float the concrete with a steel or magnesium float to finish smoothing the surface.If your paver dust/sand compacts to almost nothing, you will want to make your last mark 1½” above the base layer mark just made.

To make the stone fit properly, lift it up and either add or remove sand from the base using a trowel. With your square starter string in place, slide the corner https://www.storeboard.com/clearviewbuildersconstruction stone into position. Check its height by sliding your scrap block between the string and the stone. Next, cut a notch in both ends of a screed board to fit over the guides. Pull the screed across the gravel until the surface is flat.

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This is important to know when it comes to sketching out your design so it fits the space well. Like I mentioned, I was locked into a specific width of just over 2”, but with your patio space, you likely will have a choice. In my case, I was actually re-doing an existing patio with pavers that were literally caving in.

Proper Drainage

In the photo above, my metal bars are diagonal because I needed to slope my patio in two directions. I thought it would make it easier this way, but I ended up pulling them out and keeping them straight. It was easy enough to follow the slope lines with the strings.

Step 6: Laying the Stone

Depending on the paver material you choose, expect to pay around $1,700 to build your own paver patio. Hiring a local patio builder will set you back $3,700 on average. Move the pipe or rebar as you work across the patio. Pour and screed the sand in sections until the whole patio has a firm layer of sand.