How to Lay Patio Pavers

Patio pavers are a great way to spice up your landscaping. Installing pavers is easy to do yourself and can be done in as little as a day or two depending on your schedule. Using pavers you can make up a patio, steps or even a sidewalk. Here are some tips to help you in you task of laying patio pavers. 

1. Prepare your patio for being paved. To do this you will first have to make a patio foundation to keep a strong, long lasting patio. Use garden stakes to map out where exactly it is you want to have your patio and place the stakes in all four corners. This should make a square or rectangle pattern. Once you have all of your stakes in place tie a string around each stake to ensure you know exactly where to dig. 

2. Shovel out the area in which you want your patio. Make the hole about 6 or 7 inches in depth. Make sure to dig out the entire patio foundation area. Once you have your trench dug, water down the area so it is wet, but not flooded. Use a shovel or garden hoe to pack down and smooth the dirt. 

3. Use gravel with rough edges to fill in the hole up to four inches. Make sure the gravel is packed as tight as you can get it. This will not only make your foundation more sound, but will also help prevent weeds from growing. 

4. Cover the gravel with about 2 or 3 inches of sand depending on how deep you dug your hole. Use your hoe or shovel to pack and smooth out this surface as well. 

5. Start putting pavers on top of your foundation. Align the pavers so they are in the order you like best. Continue to do this until the entire foundation is covered while making sure to the pavers are as secure and as tight together as possible.