DIY Network

Patio Installation Patio Installation From "Grounds for Improvement" episode DGFI-109

Figure A

With the fence now gone, the crew shifts its focus to installing a new paver patio. First, they pull up the rotting, broken deck boards and loose debris (figure A). By using a pry bar to pry the boards loose, they're pretty simple to remove.

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The threshold on a deck is the area where the boards meet, directly underneath the doorway. When you're removing these pieces, be careful to pry them loose and then pull out, so you don't damage the doorway. A shovel is good to use in order to remove the rest of the deck's frame. You won't want to leave any of the rotting boards near the house. In our homeowner's case, the decking boards were set right into the sod, so we'll need to remove parts of the sod to give a clean open area for the new concrete paver patio. Putting in gravel and sand will create a much more suitable foundation for the concrete paver stones.

	Figure B
	Figure C

After using marking paint to create an outline, the entire crew digs a trench for the new patio (figure B). Be prepared to dig 8" deep: 4" for the gravel base, 1" for sand and 3" for the concrete pavers.

The gravel is the first layer to put into the newly dug-out area (gravel is crucial for proper drainage). With the dirt out, the gang installs a gravel base and screeds, or levels, the sand that the pavers will rest in.

Once the sand is smooth and flat, everyone lays the pavers in a creative pattern Dean came up with (figure C). As the pavers go down, Amy and Dean install metal edging, and the crew starts planting in the newly created beds. After the crew continues mulching and spreading a little more paver sand in between the gaps in the patio, the day comes to end and the job is complete. The old fence is gone, and Mike and Amy now have a new paver patio and planting beds that makes their yard look more attractive, bigger and more cohesive.

RESOURCES :

Black and Decker tools
Website: www.blackanddecker.com
Black & Decker, Inc. (Corporate)
Website: www.bdk.com/main_bd.htm

Sealants
OSI Sealants, Inc.
Website: www.osisealants.com

Porter-Cable Tools
Porter-Cable Corporation
Website: www.deltaportercable.com

Delta Woodworking Tools
Deltak Power Tools
Website: www.deltamachinery.com

Irwin Industrial Tool Company
Website: www.irwin.com

Ames True Temper Tools
Ames-True Temper
Website: www.ames-truetemper.com

Paving stones
Pavestone
Website: www.pavestone.com

Equipment rental
Sunbelt Rentals
Website: www.sunbeltrentals.com

Annual plants
Wyld West Annuals
Web: newsite.com
E-mail: gardensla@aol.com