The difference between a patio that stays flat for twenty years and one that heaves in two is all in the base prep.
Excavate enough
Dig out 6 to 8 inches below your finished height: room for 4 to 6 inches of base, an inch of sand, and the paver thickness. Cutting this short is the most common mistake.
Compact in lifts
Add base a few inches at a time, wet lightly and compact each lift with a plate compactor. One thick layer never compacts all the way through.
Screed the sand last
Once the base is firm and flat, screed an inch of leveling sand, set your pavers, and compact again. Firm base, flat sand, tight joints.
Ready to price your project?
Use the Project Planner or talk to a real person at the yard.
