A successful hard scape projects starts with a well prepared foundation. Now, in the previous video in this series, we talked about designing your Patio or Walkway and choosing your materials.
In this video, we'll show you how to create the foundation for your Patio or Walkway. Then go to Lowes.com/Videos to view the separate videos that will guide you through the installation process.
With your Paver selected and your Area marked you can begin prepping the foundation. Now this is really the most important step for the longterm beauty and integrity of your project. Your foundation will consist of two layers, the first, is the Patio-Paver base. This is a Gravel layer that provide a solid base and aids in drainage. The second layer is leveling Sand, this thin layer creates a uniform service and helps lock the paver's in place.
Now, you can dig the trench and lay the base for your Patio or Walkway. You will need a Wheel Barrow, Work Gloves, Flat Bladed Shovel, a Garden Spade, a Level, Nylon Mason's String, Wood Stakes, a Line Level, a Hammer and a rented Plate Compactor or a Hand Tamper. Also, before any digging project, have a professional mark the location of Electrical or Gas Lines. By dialing 811, you will be connected to your local utility company for assistance free of charge.
In our area we need to excavate about seven inches of soil. Your Lowe's Associate can help you determine the requirements for your area. You also want to excavate the area a few inches wider around the parameter of the actual patio or walkway area. Our patio lies against the house, so I have to start this slope bit down towards the yard, this will assure that the rain water will run away from the house. Generally, if it slopes down one inch, it will be 4 feet of length. You want to make this distance from the house to the farthest stake to determine the grade. Then we'll mark the decline on the farthest stake, attach a second set of strings to mark.
Use your shovel and garden spade to dig up the soil, it's easiest to leave the side dry and cut it into the small strips. Once the side is removed, water and save it to re use around the parameter of your patio or walkway. Our patio has a stairway leading from the back door. We will excavate around and under it, so we can place paver's against the edge. Then dig out the remaining soil to seven inches in depth. Use your tape measure and level periodically to assure that the area is deep enough and level. Once your trench is dug, plate compactor to base, to assure all loose dirt is level.
Renting a Plate Compactor is the way to go for this step, it will help you more quickly and accurately level your foundation. Just be sure you will be completing the entire project at once, so you are not paying for waste of time. Now if renting is impossible, you can also use a Hand Tamper. Now you can pour the patio paper base material. In addition of the tools already mentioned, you will need a Garden Rake and some Landscape Fabric for this step.
In our area, we wear the landscape cloth before the paver base, check the requirements for your area. Now, we fill our trench with four inches of the base material, your area maybe different, but be sure the material is evenly distributed. The next step is to compact the surface, lightly wet the patio paver base, so that it clumps together, but not so much that it drifts. Them run the compactor over the material several times until the base is solid.
Now you can add the next layer about one inch of paver's sand. You need a few long pieces of one inch PVC pipe, and a long very straight piece of 2x4 or 2x6 for the step. Lay two pipes on either side of the path, or at various point across the patio width, then pour sand until it reaches the top of the pipe. Level the sand by sliding with 2x4 or another piece of pipe, perpendicularly across the pipes in the trench. Finally, carefully remove the pipes and fill the area they leave with sand. You then want to use your garden hose to gently mix the sand with water.
The uniformity of this grade is very important, and now, with the great foundation prepared you're ready to lay your pavers. To learn how to install a paver patio or walkway, there's Lowes.com/videos for the details on completing that portion of your project.
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