How to Build an Easy DIY Patio to Upgrade Your Backyard

How to Build an Easy DIY Patio to Upgrade Your Backyard Once you have this layer evened out, use the tamper tool to compact it. To help with the tamping, you can spray a little bit of water on the top of each of the two layers. I used a garden hose with a sprayer head, on a mist setting. Use the hoe to push and pull the base layer back and forth. You can buy handrails systems that fit a few steep grades. These require a ⅜ drill bit and give you that extra support. It’s worth the extra $200 or so for those slippery days or anyone needing that extra support. The standard size for a patio is roughly 16 by 16 feet. But if you want room for entertaining, I recommend increasing that to at least 25 feet wide or larger.

Shine an Outdoor Chandelier

To square and level the form, you must first ensure that the opposite sides of your form are the same length. If they are, then equalizing diagonal measurements taken from corner to corner will automatically square the corners. Pound a stake into the ground at each corner to hold the form square. Hold the brick in position and eyeball down to the stone below to sketch the line with a permanent marker. Lay a row of bricks along the baseline, aligning the end of the first brick with the perpendicular layout line. Lay another row, aligning the end of the first brick with the second line.

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When choosing the ideal materials for expanding your patio, it’s important to consider costs and the time commitment required for installation. Use an edger to create a rounded edge along the forms and concrete to prevent chipping. When the concrete can support your weight, cut grooves, called control joints, in the concrete every 8 feet. These help control cracking if the concrete shifts or settles. It’s also likely that one side of each paver will sink and your patio will be really wonky. Our new home has multiple outdoor spaces that are in need of repair. We plan to be here a long time, so it’s important we do it right when we makeover these outdoor areas. Although they can take a long time to grow, shade trees like maples are an excellent way of providing shade to your outdoor spaces.

Finally, saw the stakes so they are flush with the top edges of the form.Once you have your design down and your materials ordered, it's helpful to dry lay your slabs out first to check that everything fits together seamlessly.As you add more stones, always make the edges meet flush and check the overall slope frequently, especially as you work farther from the house.This will help you calculate how many pavers and other materials you’ll need.

If you find that as you get toward the top of the base layer that your gravel is too large, use the bow rake to pull the larger pieces out. If you pile on all 4″ at once, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to compact it properly. It’s best to lay half of the gravel (2″) and compact it first, then to add the second layer (2″) and then compact that. If you are using larger pavers and installing the patio yourself, you may want to take weight into consideration.

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Next, attach screed guide boards to the house and to stakes driven into the ground on the other side . The boards along the house should be level from side to side. On this job we used the sand layer because the patio was covered by an enclosed porch above, and because it made it much easier to fit the stones in place. We specialize in residential & commercial driveway paving, asphalt paving, concrete stamping, seal coating, sidewalks, brick pavers, parking lots and much more. Start in one corner of your patio and work your way out, placing the pavers snugly against each other. As you lay the pavers, be sure to check that they’re level by using a carpenter’s level or your screed tool. We bought ours in upstate New York, where 1-in.-thick bluestone costs about $4 per square foot delivered. Tiny patios and grand patios alike, building one yourself not only cuts costs but brings the pride and personal satisfaction of a job well done. Of course, a simple design is the best way to go if you’re unsure about building a patio. And if you still don’t think it’s the best idea for you after reading through these steps, you can find a reputable patio contractor near you. You’ve finished your simple patio, and now it’s time to enjoy it for years to come- or is it? Luckily, concrete patios don’t require much maintenance compared to, for example, wooden decks. Once they’re secure, measure https://www.playbook.com/s/clearviewbuilders/dcxq66QQfdKWvSwxRejLUghu?assetToken=7UXnn5bGRWyTLeG9KJXfcGGL each stake from the ground up to 4”. Are you wondering how to clean them when the time comes? Here’s how I cleaned the concrete pavers without using a pressure washer.