How to Build a DIY Paver Patio in 9 Steps in Just One Day

How to Build a Paver Patio

Follow these nine steps for how to build a paver patio from start to finish.

1. Clear the Patio Area

   Start by choosing an area for your patio, and remove any shrubs, stumps, and roots near your work site. Dig up about 6 inches of soil to make room for the base and pavers. Rake the ground level and tamp the soil to create a firm bed.

2. Control Weeds Around Your Paver Patio

   To prevent weeds from popping up between the brick pavers, lay landscape fabric over the bed. Cut the edges, so the fabric fits in place. The porous material allows water to flow through but blocks weeds from sprouting.

3. Lay a Gravel Foundation

   Lay gravel with a shovel to create a foundation for your paver patio. Spread a 2-inch layer of crushed gravel evenly over the landscape fabric. Use an iron rake to smooth the layer.

4. Tamp the Gravel

   Tamp the crushed gravel until the base is extremely firm. This will help ensure that pavers settle evenly. Then add another 2 inches of gravel and tamp again.

5. Make Your Paver Patio Level

   Attach a level to a long, straight board to ensure that your paver patio will be level. Move the board across the gravel bed to check the surface's level. Adjust the contour of the bed as needed to make the surface as level as possible.

6. Add Sand for Support

   Spread 1½ to 2 inches of builder's sand over the gravel for a second layer of support under the paver patio. To smooth the sand, lay a long, straight board along the base of the house. Then take another board, notch both ends, and shimmy it along the walk and the other board to smooth the surface.

7. Prep the Pavers

   To upgrade the look of your paver patio (without adding to the expense), consider mixing and matching different sizes of pavers. You can reduce costs by cutting some full-size pavers in half. Instead of renting a commercial-grade brick cutter, which can be heavy and difficult to move, look for a compact brick cutter intended for smaller projects. Or see if you can pay the rental supplier to cut some pavers for you.

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8. Lay the Pavers

   Lay the first line of pavers, using the edge of your house or walkway to guide straight lines. Alternatively, you can use a mason's line stretched tight between two stakes to keep lines accurate. Position pavers no more than ⅛-inch apart, and tap them into place with a rubber mallet. Continue placing pavers to fill the entire patio space.

9. Finish Your Paver Patio

   After placing all the pavers, spread a shallow layer of sand over the patio area. Use a push broom to work the sand into the crevices between pavers. Hose down the area to further settle the sand, filling any gaps that arise, then hose down the area a second time to finish your paver patio.