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• Planning and designing your Paver project
• Materials
• Determining how much you will need
• Prepare the Area
• Layout
• Final touches
•  Enjoy your work!

• Carefully consider and plan you paver area before you begin construction. There are several things to consider when choosing your site for your new paver patio or pathway. Consider your natural traffic pattern in the area. Don’t site it to close to any large trees because you could damage roots while digging and the large root system will disturb your paver area in the future. Whether it be a patio, terrace or pathway, brick pavers are a practical elegant investment into your home and is less expensive that a wood deck.
• Brick pavers are different then brick used on homes. They are solid and don’t come with holes. They come in two basic bonds for sand based applications:
  3 ¾” x 7 ½” and 4” x 8” pavers. Due to lower costs, sand based installations are more popular. Both mortar and sand based installations are extremely durable and will last for decades.
• Call your local utility companies and determine the location of any under ground lines.

• Chalk
• Measuring Tape
• Pavers
• Sand
• Crushed Stone
• Wet Saw
• Wooden stakes
• Masonry string
• Plate tamp
• Hoe
• Mortar trowel
• Wheelbarrow
• Shovel
• Landscaping weed fabric
• Scissors
• Masonry level
• Rubber mallet
• Hammer
• Push broom
• Garden hose
• Garden rake
• Safety glasses
• Work gloves

• Determine the square feet (length x width) of your space you want to pave.

• Estimate the number of pavers you will need. For 4” x 8” pavers – 4.5 pavers per sq. ft. For 3 ¾” x 7 5/8” pavers – 5.2 pavers per sq. ft.
• Add 5% extra for chipped or broken pavers.
• EX: a 10’ x 20’ patio= 200 sq. ft. x 4.5 pavers/sq. ft. = 900 pavers. An additional 5% (900 x 0.5) = 45 pavers. Total needed so far = 945 pavers. Typically, you should also include an additional 1 ½ pavers per linear foot of edge for cutting.

• Check the area to make sure it has proper drainage. ¼” per foot slope away from foundations or other permanent structures is recommended. Outline your area with stakes and string; be sure to include the width of your edging material.

• Prepare the Area
• Use a flat shovel to remove enough sod and dirt to provide a flat, level surface for your crushed stone base. Sometimes a plate compactor is needed for this.
• Place the crushed stone into the area after your soil is level. Using a plate compactor, tamp down no more then 4” deep. This is a critical step, if not done correctly and thoroughly, the pavers will move over time. Base material should be wet when compacting.
• An edging system is necessary to insure the pavers remain in place for years to come.  Experiment with your pattern before you anchor your edging system.
• Leave one side of your edging unanchored until final paver installation to insure a tight fit.
• Now fill your area with sand. The sand can be dampened with a fine mist of water prior to installation to do away with voids.
• Level with a broom or trowel.

Layout  

• Choose a pattern that compliments your space and brick paver size. There are several patterns to choose from. It is best to choose a pattern where cutting can be avoided as much as possible. Here are several examples:

Start laying your pattern at a corner. If your paver area is near a solid structure, start, at that side. Set the bricks into the sand. Use perpendicular string lines to keep the pattern on line. Don’t hammer or press them into the sand. They should fit snugly with about 1/16” to 1/8” of a gap between each brick.

• Continue to layout your pattern working from your starting corner to the unanchored edge. Don’t be too concerned with gaps between pavers; you can fill them with sand later.
• Be sure to check the level of the brickwork as you go along.
• Once the layout is complete, cut any remaining pavers needed to finish the pattern. Make sure the final edge pavers are no smaller then 2” in width.
• Brick pavers can be cut with a broad blade chisel and a hammer. For finer cuts, a brick splitter or wet saw can be used.

• Final touches
• Inspect the work you have done. Make any final adjustments that may be needed.
• Sweep dry sand into the joints to lock your pavers in place. This creates a “interlock”. You may want to use a plate compactor to gently tamp down and settle the pavers. Always spread a layer of sand down first before use the plate compactor.

• Installing brick paver patio or walkway only takes a small amount of time and a small investment in materials. Yet it adds to the value of your home and not to mention the enjoyment of your outdoor living space for years to come. Now that your work is done its time to enjoy your space. Congratulations!!

• www.pinehallbrick.com/pages/doityourself.htm

• www.navastone.com/installation/diypavingstones.htm

• Making Paths and Walkways: stone, brick, grass, pebbles and more by: Paige Gilchrist Blomgren
  lark Books (ISBN 1579902286)

• Building with masonry: brick, block and concrete
  by: Dick Kreh et al
  Taunton Press (ISBN: 156158228x)