How to Make Concrete Patios Out of Concrete Pavers

Concrete paver patios can provide years of durable service.

Concrete pavers are excellent for making concrete patios in your yard. The sturdiness of concrete cannot be denied, as many times these structures last for years and years. In addition, it is relatively easy to clean and will not weather badly as some other building materials do. Concrete pavers can often be found at building supply stores in a variety of shapes, so it isn't necessary to stick with a square or rectangle if you desire another design.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring tape
• Wooden stakes
• Hammer
• String
• Shovel
• ¾ inch PVC pipe
• 1x4 lumber
• Trowel
• Concrete pavers
• Pea gravel

Instructions

1. Determine the size of your concrete paver patio and install wooden stakes at the corners by hammering them into the ground. Tie a string to one stake and pull it around the remaining stakes to create an outline of your patio.

2. Ensure that the ground inside your patio is free of grass, roots and other obstacles that may cause your concrete pavers to buckle or shift. Dig approximately three inches of the topsoil away to ensure a good base for your pavers. Tamp the soil down firmly before continuing.

3. Lay two pieces of ¾-inch PVC pipe approximately three feet apart on the ground inside the patio area. Pour white sand into the patio area around the pieces of pipe. Using a length of 1-inch-by-4-inch lumber, screed the sand so it will be even. To do this, hold the lumber, edge side up, against the two pieces of pipe. Pull the lumber toward you so excess sand will be pushed out of the way. The result should be an even layer of sand between the pipes. Remove the pipes and fill in the trenches with sand, using a trowel to smooth the sand.

4. Lay the concrete pavers beginning at one corner. If the first paver is laid correctly against the edges of the patio, the rest of the concrete pavers should fall into place properly. Leave a ½-inch gap between the pavers as you work to allow for shifting and settling. Continue laying the concrete pavers until you have completed the patio area.

5. Fill in the ½-inch gaps with small pea gravel to prevent the growth of weeds. The pea gravel will blend in nicely with the concrete pavers, but if that doesn't appeal to you, use the fill sand instead. However, sand will need to be replaced periodically as it erodes away, but the pea gravel will not.

References

• Ron Hazelton: How to Build a Patio from Concrete Pavers