How to Lay Pavers for Walkway – DIY Patio and Garden Walkway

We all want to keep our garden or patio area organized and appealing, and one of the best ways to do this is to have pavers laid around the garden. These pavers are used to mark, decorate, and sometimes segment the patio area into different sections.

Having pavers around your outdoor space makes the area organized and adds some decoration to it. This has caused many homeowners to look for ways to lay pavers for patio walkways to give their outdoor areas an organized and appealing look.

Furthermore, these pavers are mold out in different shapes with different designs on them. These pavers can be arranged or interlocked stylishly to give different designs or shapes to the backyard or garden area.

However, there is a need for adequate planning before laying pavers around the home or the garden areas to ensure the result is breathtaking. To do this, you need to put some equipment in place and mark out the site you will be laying the pavers. Some of the equipment or tools you need to lay pavers for your walkway include

• Shovel – for clearing the marked area
• Fabric – to prevent weeds from growing within the pavers
• Gravel – to be used as the pavers base
• Compactor – For compacting the ground after leveling
• Pavers mold – to create your desired design
• Range

Steps on How to lay pavers for patio walkway – how to install pavers

To lay pavers in the patio area or around the garden, you must take a gradual step to ensure you have the correct result. Skipping any of these steps may still get the same result but would have a rippling effect in the long run. The steps involved in laying patio pavers for walkways include

• Marking out the area to use
• Clearing the marked path/excavation
• Base bedding and leveling
• Lay fabrics
• Sharp sand Bedding
• Arrange your pavers
• Sand joint and sealing

Marking out the path

This is the first step while trying to lay pavers for your outdoor space. To mark out the area you will be applying your pavers, you need some construction pegs, rope string, and a shovel.
The marked area would determine the look of your walkway when it is done. So this step needs to plan carefully.

However, the walkway’s design would determine how large your outdoor space is. The larger the outdoor area, the more design it would accommodate. If the walkway you are trying to lay is less than 10 ft in length, no design type would be suggested for that.

However, if the length is more than 15ft, you can introduce some layout to give the area an attractive look. So in marking out the area you will be using, you can easily follow this step below.

• Peg both sides in breath you will be clearing, usually not less than 3ft. Although the wider and longer the walkway, the more comfort, and beauty it gives to the backyard area. After knowing the breath, you need to peg the length to give you the desired shape.
• The next thing is to put a line or string around the peg to give bring out the shape you want. When you are done with this, you will know the area you want to work on, making it easier for you.

Clearing the marked path/ Excavation 

The next step is to clear your pegged or marked area. You need to remove all sorts of debris which, include grass that would hinder the success of laying the pavers. You can do it with a rake or a shovel, making it look like you are leveling the ground while also cleaning.

After this process, you need to install edges on both sides of the area you will be working on.

Base Bedding 

After the excavation is complete, the next step is the laying of the base material.
The first base bedding usually consists of crushed rock, such as 3/4 minus gravel. The crushed rock has varying-sized stones with sharp edges. The sharp edges and size variance allows for easy compaction.

Crushed gravel with little moisture in it makes compacting much easier. This first bedding material should be 4 to 5 inches thick. With this level of thickness, it would be easier to compact. Also, the compactness would be stable. If the sub-base is clay, a thicker layer is required.

Furthermore, if the pavers are to be driven on, a thicker layer will also be needed than a normal walkway. Spread the gravel over the area in an even layer. You should divide it into two or three smaller layers and compact it between each layer for best results.

Once it’s spread evenly, use a plate compactor to go over the area several times. Please make sure the compacted gravel is level, an inch slope to make it appealing.

How to level ground for patio pavers

How leveled your ground is would directly affect the finished work. Although, this can be corrected along the way when spreading sharp sand or gravel. However, it won’t be easy if you are not a professional.

The main purpose of leveling the ground is to make it even; you can use a compactor to make your work easier. Just follow the shape of the land and make it even to allow the easy arrangement of pavers.

The video below illustrates how you can level your backyard to prepare it for laying pavers. With this visual illustration, you should be able to prepare your land properly before laying the pavers.

Laying fabrics or weed barrier 

After leveling the ground, the next step is to lay fabrics on the cleared, leveled and compacted path to prevent weeds from growing within the paver. This will keep the look of the walkway smooth and appealing for a long.

Spread sharp sand

After laying the land fabric or weed barrier, the next thing is to spread sharp sand over the fabric and make it even using a range before moving to the next step. This bedding should not be more than one inch in thickness.

To get this process accurate, place a one-inch PVC pipe on the fabric and spread the sand using a range until the pipes are visible. The pipes should be put on both sides or edges of the work area. This process ensures the layer is uniform by one niche thick.

The best type of sand for this bedding is sharp sand. This sand is also called grit sand. And it is best applicable when you need to create something solid such as a pavers base.

Arranging the pavers 

The next step is arranging the pavers. The method or style of arranging the paver depends on the type of pavers you have. Since there are different types of pavers stone to enhance the outdoor space’s appearance, you might choose to buy or mode your pavers in-house.

To buy, you need to have calculated the area you will be installing the paver and inform the seller of the area’s total square meter. If you find it difficult to know the measurement, you can call the paver seller for the calculation.

Sand joint and sealing 

After arranging the paver to the worked area, the next thing is to fill the pavers’ joints by sweeping the sand over them. For this purpose, you can get the paver sand specifically made for this purpose.

This sand compacts well and fills the joint better when compared to other types of sand. Before carrying the step, ensure the pavers’ surface is dry to make the process easy and smooth.

• Sealing

The final step is to seal the pavers with a sand-binding sealant. This sealant prevents the growth of weeds between joining the pavers. It also helps with the easy removal of stains while laying the pavers.

What is the best base for pavers – bedding sand for pavers

The best base for pavers is the materials that can be easily compacted to ensure the base is solid.  Some of the ba s you can use for pavers include roughly crushed between the size of 3/4 or less. Also, sharp sand or grit sand can be used for this purpose.

Both sand can be used to create a solid base to need to lay your paver. If both are available, it is necessary for you to follow the process above. However, if one is missing, which is usually the gravel that is usually difficult to get in some areas, you can skip this step and move to the next one.

Laying pavers without base

You can also lay a patio paver without a base; this does not come with the same stress as the normal process. However, it can only have a smooth finish for a short time. This is the only bad side of making use of this process. On the other side, it is cheap and less stressful.

To lay pavers without base comes in different ways depending on the availability of resources. You can choose not to use any form of the base; use a single base with a weed barrier.

Installing a paver without any base

For this process, there is very little to do, and it includes

• Marking and measuring the area you want to use
• clear the area and compact and level it
• Install edge restraints
• Install the pavers
• sand joint and sealer

However, this type of walkway would lose its evenness and have a weed growing with the paver quickly.

Using a singles base 

You can make it better by installing a base below the pavers; this enhances the walk’s stability and lasts a bit longer than the first process. The steps for this process include

• Measuring and marking the area to use
• Evacuate, level, and compact the area
• Install Edge restraints
• laying weed barriers or land fabric
• Sand bedding
• Install the pavers
• sand joint and sealer

Maintaining Patio Pavers 

Generally, maintaining a paver is not a problem if the right process has been followed and properly laid. There shouldn’t be any reason for maintenance for a while. However, you may choose to re-seal from time to time to maintain the appearance of the pavers.

Sealing will also prevent weeds from growing within the paver and also protect the paver against stains. If for any reason, you wish to power wash your pavers, it will be necessary for you to sand the joint and also re-seal it for better durability.