Do you want to spend more time outside with your friends and family but don’t have the entertainment space? This is a common problem but don’t worry, it can be solved with an Easy Weekend DIY Project. Build your own backyard paver patio in just 6 simple steps! Pavers are not only cheaper than concrete, they tend to last longer and are less likely to crack over time. Repairs are cheaper too, if one brick breaks just replace it rather than the whole slab. Now lets get started DIYer’s!

Step #1) Plan your project ahead of time. Then pick the perfect spot for your new paver patio. You will need to take some measurements and draw out a simple blueprint on paper to follow. This can be done with a measuring tape. Most common sizes are 25ft but they do make tape measures up to 100ft if you want to splurge.

Step #2) Be sure to gather all the required tools you will need for this project ahead of time. This can include but is not limited to: Shovels, picks, tillers, compactors or tamper, yard paint, hammer, level and a broom. Then you will also need your supplies such as: Edge restraints, yard stakes, gravel/ rocks, pavers of your choice and sand.

Step #3) Next, you will want to measure and mark your patio area with paint and yard stakes. If you are doing a circle, hammer the stake in the middle and use the measuring tape to go out to your desired radius. Then walk around in a circle while painting the ground at that distance all the way around. If you are doing a square, you will put stakes in all four corners being sure to measure diagonally from corner to corner to verify your measurements. Then use a string to connect your corners and trace them with paint on the ground as your digging guide.

Step #4) Now when the weather permits, begin! It is time to get your hands dirty and start digging out the inside perimeter of your patio area. You will want to remove all grass and remove about 4-6 inches of soil for your base starting point. Then be sure to use the compactor or tamper to pack it down tight and level. Install a garden bed liner inside and edge restraints all along the perimeter. Then pour in the rocks or gravel as your base layer.

Step #5) Once all your rocks have been evenly distributed within the patio area, be sure they are also level and compacted down. Then you will start laying the pavers down on top in whatever pattern you like. For easy and cut-free jobs we recommend that you choose pavers that will fill the entirety of your patio area. But if you want to create curves or special designs you can. You can trim pavers with goggles on, by using a chisel or putty knife as your guide. Just lightly hammer it all the way around the brick until it breaks on the line you create. Fill the whole patio with pavers and trim them as needed.  

Step #6) Now you will need to fill in all the gaps with paver sand, this allows for a tight seal between the bricks and prevents shifting. Fully cover all of them and every crack in between. Then use a broom to sweep the top smooth. Finally remove any excess sand and gently water the patio 2-3 times with about 20-minute breaks in between. AKA a well-deserved BEER break! HAHA then repeat. This helps solidify and seal your sand almost like concrete.

And that’s all there is to it folks! Time to decorate your new patio with furniture, plants and maybe a fire pit. Then invite people over to sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Cheers!!!

E. Stricklin (Owner, Creator & CEO) Rustic Territory, LLC