How to Install Pavers on a Sand Bed

Pavers installed over sand

Installing pavers on a sand bed is a much easier method of installation than using concrete, and it also can save you time and money over using a traditional mortar-based installation method. Sand can be just as effective in keeping a sturdy foundation for your pavers, too. A benefit of installing the pavers yourself is the dollars you save over the cost of hiring somebody to do the job for you.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• Wood posts
• Shovel
• Gravel
• Plate compactor
• Level
• 4 2-inch-by-4-inch lumber
• Saw
• Hammer
• Nails
• Rake
• Rubber mallet
• Broom

Instructions

1. Measure the area in which you will build the patio. Use a tape measure to measure the length and width, and jot down your measurements.

2. Place a wood post in the ground at each of the four corners where the patio will be installed.

3. Dig out the entire area between the wood posts you used to mark the borders. The area you excavate should be about 8 inches deep.

4. Add a 2-inch layer of gravel, covering the entire bottom surface of the area you excavated.

5. Compact the gravel down with a plate compactor.

6. Add another 2-inch layer of gravel and compact the gravel down once more.

7. Set a piece of wood on top of the gravel and set a level on top of it. The angle should be slightly away from your home or any other building.

8. Cut each of the 2-inch-by-4-inch lumber pieces to create a border for the inner edges of the patio.

9. Attach the lumber pieces together using a hammer and nails.

10. Pour a 3-inch layer of sand on top of the gravel.

11. Rake the sand to make it level.

12. Set each of the pavers on top of the sand one at a time. Start in a corner and place the pavers flush against each other, tapping the pavers into place using a rubber mallet.

13. Pour filler sand on top of the pavers and use a broom to spread it into the cracks between the pavers.

Tips & Warnings

• Take your patio measurements to a supply store and ask someone to help you determine how many pavers and how much sand and gravel to purchase.

References

• Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute: Do It Yourself
• Pacific Pavingstone: Do-It-Yourself Paver Installation
• Trendset Concrete Products Inc.: Paver Installation