When you place the stones, place them directly in the sand and place them tightly together. Make sure you don't drag the cobblestones through the sand and never place a cobblestone in its place. Place the pavers on the base of coarse-grained sand. Walk gently on newly placed cobblestones to reach the next rows.
Keep pavers tight to each other, as wide joints cause weeds between pavers. After gathering the tools and materials you need for your project, it's time to prepare the area where you plan to place the pavers. It's always a good idea to call 811 before you dig to make sure you don't accidentally damage buried gas, water or electricity lines. Now that your land has been properly prepared, it's time to lay the foundation for your pavers.
Pour the Class II road base in two-inch increments, compacting twice with your plate compactor before pouring the next two inches. It is not recommended to compact the 4, 6 or 8 inches at the same time, as it would leave air gaps and could lead to necessary repairs in the future. After placing the road base, pass it with a hose and compact it until it reaches a 95% compaction level. If you were to drive over the base of the road with a tractor at this point, no tire marks would appear because the base of the road is as hard as a rock due to compaction.
Place the flush guides (1 PVC tube) on top of the base of the road and pour bed linen sand at an acute angle over the entire base. This is different from the round sand you'll find on your local beach. It's sharp and angled, making it perfect for locking it at the joints of the cobblestone. Then, use your rake to roughly level the sand.
Follow this by leveling the sand with a 2 × 4 to ensure a uniform depth of 1 inch. Make sure the level sand is level before continuing. Before replacing edge stones, make ditches in areas that are against grass, dirt, or asphalt. The depth of the trench must reach the native soil (5 ½ inches for a patio and 7 ½ inches for a driveway) and extend the same width as the edge stone.
To help your pavers stand the test of time, we always recommend sealing them with a quality product. After the area dries, apply the cobblestone sealant with an aerosol applicator and broom. Be sure to turn off all automatic sprinklers and avoid moisture for the next 48 hours after sealing the pavers. Place the leveling stakes on the edges of the project area.
Push the stakes down until the top reaches the desired height of the new paving area. Later, while digging, draw a line of rope between the stake and then measure to the desired depth to account for the base material of the cobblestone. Make sure to tilt your new project so that the water drains wherever you want and not into a garage or living room. Be sure to keep the height uniform throughout the area, as this is the last layer; its height will determine the final height of the patio.
Polymer sand is usually used with pavers with large joints, and ordinary joint sand will suffice for smaller joints. Using geotextile fabric is highly recommended, especially for areas with clay soil commonly found in Southern California. A mini “footer” can be dug with a hand shovel along the edge of the pavers without restrictions, approximately 3 in width and 3 in depth. When it comes to DIY projects, installing a paver isn't a quick or easy process, but the results are worth it.
Because masonry pavers are difficult to cut, it's often useful to slightly adjust the size of the patio, whether larger or smaller, to accommodate full-size pavers all around the contour. To get the pavers flush with the ground level, dig approximately 5 inches down to allow 4 inches of base material, plus 1 inch of sand bed, plus the 1-inch thickness of the pavers. While laying patio pavers is a fairly simple and straightforward exterior project, handling base materials and pavers is an exhausting job. After finishing all the preparatory work, start placing the pavers in the sand, using the straight edge as a guide.
Be sure to remove excess concrete from the outer edges of the pavers for a clean and beautiful finish. The best way to water polymer sand is to adjust the hose nozzle to a soft shower and gently water the pavers until no more water enters. If you are going to place pavers in curves or placing them diagonally, increase the excess to 15 or 20 percent. Place plastic parts on pavers in random areas, especially in shaded areas, in the heat of the afternoon.
Installing pavers properly requires patience, planning and effort, but you can do it and save yourself some money in the process. However, it will create a solid “cushion” when trapped between two hard surfaces, such as a base and a cobblestone. . .
