How to Lay Cobblestone Pavers

Cobblestone pavers offer an attractive alternative to concrete driveways, walkways and patios. They are available in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes for customization, and they require little experience or time to install. They are also highly durable and may add substantial resale value to your home. Laying cobblestone pavers is an easy weekend project for anyone interested in improving the appearance, functionality and value of their home.

Things You'll Need

• String
• Stakes
• Measuring tape
• Crushed limestone gravel
• Brick or other edging stones
• Weed barrier cloth
• Construction sand
• Rubber mallet
• 1-by-6 board
• Dry mason's sand
• Water hose with fine spray nozzle

Instructions

Preparation

1. Use string to mark the location of your walkway or patio. Keeping in mind any edging material you plan to use, measure the size and shape of the area. Place stakes in the ground every few feet and outline the area with string. Set the stakes slightly outside the intended corners.

2. Excavate the area where you intend to lay the cobblestone pavers. The finished paving surface should be approximately 1 inch below any door sills, and about 1 inch above ground level. Consider the height of any gravel or sand that you may need to lay.

3. Remove any roots, rocks and grass from the excavated area. Very small rocks can be left in place, but rocks larger than standard gravel must be removed.

4. Add a compactable gravel base, if necessary. Crushed limestone sized 3/4 inch or smaller is ideal. Lay about half the gravel, then tamp well before adding the remaining stones. Most projects require 1 cubic yard of gravel per 50 square feet of laying area.

5. Install any edging, if desired. Brick edging is a popular choice when installing cobblestone pavers. The bricks should lay end on end. Tamp the brick edging until its height covers the depth of the sand bed and the thickness of the cobblestone pavers.

6. Lay down a weed barrier to prevent weed growth between unmortared paving joints. The weed cloth should go on top of the gravel, or on top of the soil if no gravel is used.

7. Fill the excavated area with construction sand. The sand should go on top of the weed barrier cloth, and the bed should be approximately 2 inches high. After placing the sand, tamp it down until it reaches a height that allows for the thickness of the pavers. The paver surface should be 1 inch above final grade.

Installation

1. Lay the cobblestone pavers tightly together on top of the sand bed. Tamp them into place using a trowel handle or rubber mallet, being careful not to damage the pavers.

2. Check the pavers periodically to make certain they are level. If not, remove the pavers and smooth the sand bed. Using a 1-by-6 board, bed the pavers into the sand with a rubber mallet. Remove or add sand beneath the pavers as necessary.

3. Fill the joints between the cobblestone pavers with dry mason's sand. Using a broom, sweep the sand deeply into the cracks between the pavers. Make certain all cracks are full before stopping.

4. Spray the area with water to pack the sand. Use only a light spray to avoid dislodging the sand. Repeat as needed after the sand dries until the joints are completely packed and filled.

References

• Paver Search
• Gavin Historical Bricks
• This Old House