Why Should All The Fun Stay Inside?
The sun is shining, your lawn is gorgeous, and you are looking to take on the next project that will make your outdoor space that much more inviting.
Pavers offers an affordable, aesthetic, DIY-friendly method of adding beauty and living space to your lawn. Whether you are new to DIY or you have been hand-building additions to your property for years now, pavers can give your property just that much more oomph at any skill level.
We are going to go through the process of using pavers to enhance an outdoor living space!
What Are Pavers?
Pavers can be made of just about anything: concrete, stone, brick, clay, and so on. They come in many shapes, sizes, styles, and colors. Because of the wide range of pavers, you can truly add your flair to your outdoor spaces.
Pavers are also made of durable materials that require minimal maintenance. Even with minor maintenance, your paver patio, walkway, or firepit can last as long as 50 years! That is an amazing return on investment with minimal effort.
How to Get Started?
The first step to getting started with pavers is to start planning your project. Are you putting in a new patio made out of pavers in your backyard for entertaining guests? Or are you looking to add a rustic-looking driveway? This will get you started in the right direction, knowing which tools you will need, the materials required, and the style and amount of pavers necessary to complete your project.
Be sure to plan your landscaping around your project for the ultimate appearance!
What Pavers Will You Need?
By identifying the type of feature you are building, you can decide what kind of pavers to get for your project. Higher traffic features, such as walkways and driveways, will need more durable pavers. Considering the landscaping around your project area will help you plan. Do you need to grade the landscape to give yourself a flat space to work with? Are there large trees you are planning on building around?
When you envision your new paver patio, do you see it matching the colors of your house, or do you plan on adding a splash of color to bring some contrast to your home?
What Tools Will You Need?
Generally speaking, you will need a shovel, rake, and level to prepare the ground. A rubber mallet and a saw can help you fit your pavers in tricky spots.
You will also need sand, gravel, and a compactor to ensure a polished look and a durable paver-made project.
Where to Start?
Now that you have your tools and supplies and you have picked out the ideal pavers, it is time to get started.
First, it’s time to clear the space. You will need to excavate the project area, removing all grass, roots, and topsoil. This is going to be the foundation on which you will build your paver project.
Dream Outdoor Living recommends a depth of about 6 inches for sandy soil and roughly 8 inches deep for clay soil. This will allow you enough depth to fill with gravel and sand before installing your pavers. The right depth, plus gravel and sand, will ensure your paved area is level and has proper drainage and should extend the life of your project.
How to Build Around Draining?
Building around proper drainage will help you avoid water issues in the future, such as erosion, pooling water, or moving pavers.
Is It Time to Pave Yet?
There has been so much buildup, and you haven’t even had the chance to install the pavers you picked out yet. Now that you have built your foundation by digging out a few inches, filling the recess with gravel, and getting a proper grade using the sand, you are ready to start laying your pavers!
Using a compactor, start tamping down the sand to ensure it is packed. If you have ever done your own flooring project inside your home, you may be inclined to start from the center and work outwards. Fight the urge and start in one corner and move outward in straight lines.
You can use your rubber mallet to even out any pavers that stand out a bit higher than their neighbors. You can use your saw to cut pavers down to size, ensuring a nice, clean, snug fit.
Finally, you will want to seal your pavers by applying sand to the cracks between the pavers. Finally, apply your paver sealer and allow it to cure, giving you a durable, long-lasting new feature you and your guests will be able to enjoy for years to come!
Should You Hire a Contractor?
Did you feel a bit nervous reading through all those steps? Are you worried about all the tools you will need to buy for this one project? What about concerns about all this sand, pavers, and gravel? How will you haul that from the store, and where will you store it on your property while you work through the project?
While a paver-made project can be a DIY-friendly ordeal, it is still a time-consuming task that can result in a lot of headaches and extra expenses if you mess up.
Call Hauser Contractors at 610-510-6020 to schedule a project consultation. Working with an experienced team of contractors, you can ensure that you not only end up with a beautiful new feature for your home but that you will never have to worry about grading, drainage, or little mess-ups.
