How to Make Your Own Patio Blocks

A patio can be an island to which you retreat without leaving your property. To personalize your patio and to give it special appeal, make your own patio blocks. It's an easy and inexpensive project that can be accomplished with a few basic tools.

Things You'll Need

• Wheelbarrow
• Quikrete
• Hoe or tool for mixing
• Wood and duplex nails
• Measuring tape
• Buckets
• Gravel
• Shovel

Instructions

1. Determine the design of your patio. It can consist of rectangular, square or round patio stones, or a mixture of all three. It can even be a mixture of media, such as bricks or pavers and patio stones, with gravel serving as mortar between them.

2. Make forms for your patio stones. For square and rectangular stones, make forms out of wood. Measure diagonally from corner to corner to make sure the forms are perfectly square before nailing them together. For round stones, use buckets for forms. Some buckets that work well are the 5-gal. buckets that come filled with paint or joint compound. You can also buy empty buckets at building supply stores.

3. Mix the Quikrete and water in a wheelbarrow according to the concrete manufacturer's instructions. Add gravel if required, then pour the mixture into the forms.

4. Decorate the patio stones while the concrete sets. If you have children, invite them to press their hands into the tops of the patio stones. You can scratch messages into the stones with a stick, or press leaves from your yard into the setting concrete. Sprinkle gravel on top of the concrete to help prolong the life of the patio stones.

5. After the concrete has set, lay the patio stones according your design and fill between them with gravel.

References

• Making Concrete Patio Blocks
• Making Concrete Forms