The Principles of Building Patios & Walkways
Paver patios provide functional outdoor living space, allowing homeowners to enjoy pergolas, water features, and outdoor kitchens. Pavers are far more resilient to freeze/thaw cycles, require less maintenance, and allow for more design customization when compared to poured concrete patios.
Click to See a Cross Section
of a Properly Built Paver Patio
After a precise site layout plan is complete, the process begins by excavating for the foundation of the patio. 'Organic matter' such as topsoil, sandy loam, mud, and other unsuitable soils are excavated, until a clay or dense gravel sub-soil is reached.
The soil level at which excavation stops is refereed as the 'sub-soil' or 'sub-base'. The sub-soil is then compacted.
A woven-geotextile fabric is placed ontop of the sub-soil. This fabric acts as a physical barrier, separating the sub-soil and the gravel base that will soon be installed.
The geotextile fabric plays a crucial role in preventing patio settlement, as well as reinforcing the soil.
Underground drainage from gutter downspouts is installed at this time. The base of the patio is now ready for gavel.
For a residential patio or walkway, industry standards require a minimum 6 inches of gravel base. At Conway Landscapes, we install a minimum of 10 inches.
The crushed gavel is compacted ensuring a strong foundation. Commonly referred to as the 'setting bed', a 1 inch deep layer of chip stone is carefully raked out, ensuring positive water flow away from structures. This is the final step prior to laying pavers.
The depth of base and quality of compaction are the two most vital elements to ensure a successfully built patio.
Subsequent steps would be sweeping polymeric sand into the joints, compacting the pavers to ensure a consistent height, and soaking the patio to activate the polymer in the sand.
