DIY Network

Travertine Tile Patio Learn how to build an elegant travertine tile patio and cedar screen. From "Grounds for Improvement" episode DGFI-301

Newlyweds Susan Bass and Tom Bradford recently renovated a 19th century home in historic Charleston, South Carolina. Now that they've decorated the inside, they're ready to get to work on the outside. They removed a concrete koi pond in an area just outside their new French doors and are yearning to transform the space into an area where they can dine alfresco. The Grounds for Improvement team arrives with a plan to help them do just that. They build an elegant travertine tile patio and construct a screen made of cedar to cover up some unsightly air conditioning units. New planting beds and a decorative wall fountain help warm up the entire area.

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Building the Patio

Near a set of French doors is a small cleared area around the corner from the backyard veranda (figures A and B). It's a great location for a new patio and alfresco dining area.

Figure A

Figure B

Tools
hammer
shovels
rakes
wheelbarrow
tarps
hose
extension cord
cordless drivers
corded driver
plate compactor
wet table masonry saw
laser transit
circular saw
miter saw

Materials
270 square feet pavers
3.5 cubic yards base drain gravel
1.5 cubic yards masonry sand
96 linear feet paver restraint (edging)
1 box landscape spikes

Landscape marking paint is used to outline the area for the new patio (figure C), and unwanted plants that lie directly in the outlined area are removed.

The elevation of the patio area is checked with a laser transit to make sure that it allows for drainage (figure D). The top of this patio will be the same height as the French doors that lead out to it, so the area is dug out to allow for the gravel base, a course of sand and the tile pavers (figure E).

Figure C

Figure D

Figure E

	Figure F
	Figure G
	Figure H
	Figure I
	Figure J

A gravel base is poured on the newly leveled area first. This base is 4 inches deep to ensure adequate drainage. The area is raked out to make sure it's evenly covered and then tamped down using a plate compactor.

Tip: If you have a downspout next to your house and inside the outlined area, you can build a splash wall around it using decorative rocks (figure F) so that excess water will not flow directly onto your patio.

A 1-inch layer of sand goes on top of the base gravel. To ensure the course is level, 1-inch-diameter poles are laid on the ground, and the sand is screeded with a 2x4 around the poles (figure G). It's very important not to walk on the sand after it has been screeded. Once a few feet of this course have been smoothed over, the first tiles are laid.

The tiles for this project are travertine, a morphed limestone that can be used either indoors or outdoors. It's twice as strong as concrete but can be cut using a wet table masonry saw (figure H). The tiles can be placed in any pattern and secured in place using a mallet (figure I). No sealant or grout is needed for these tiles.

Once the first area tiles are in place, the crew moves on to another area and repeats steps 3-5 until all of the tiles are securely in place.

Next, edging is installed around the patio to help prevent any horizontal movement of the patio. Aluminum edging is a great choice for a patio because it's non-corrosive and rust-proof, and it bends easily. The bottom of the edging lies directly on top of the stone base. The edging is secured with large spikes inside the pre-cut holes.

A plate compactor is used to compact the newly laid out patio. A 1/4-inch piece of plywood is placed between the compactor and the tiles so that the new patio tiles are not damaged.

For this project, the patio is connected to travertine pathways (figure J) that lead to the veranda and other parts of the yard.

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