DIY Brick Paver Patio Will Save You Money
Outdoor space has become a big part of your living space ever since the COVID pandemic. Everyone is trying to make a spot outdoors for a new entertainment room or family room. A brick paver patio is a great way to help bring this outdoor space together. Here are instructions from professionals in the industry on how you can DIY a brick paver patio. 
1. Mark the Patio Edges
To do this you will need a couple of items, stakes and a mason’s line in order to create lines for where your patio will be placed. You will want to go off the dimensions of the brick paver size, so the lines you create will represent the outer edges of the brick. To mark the edges of the patio, use the stakes and drive them into the ground about two feet beyond the sides of the patio on each corner. “When you tie lines to the stakes, the points where the lines cross mark the actual corners of the patio. Make sure the string layout is square by measuring diagonally between opposing corners (where the strings meet); the layout is square when the diagonal measurements are equal,” instructs Spruce, a home improvement site.
2. Slope the Strings
This is important because water run off needs to stay away from your home’s foundation. “Place a line level on each layout string and adjust one end of the string up or down, as needed, so the line is perfectly level. Then, lower the strings on the downhill end of the patio by 1/4 inch per linear foot of patio length,” says Spruce. So if you have a patio that is 10 feet long, it needs to slope down 2 1/2 inches from one end to the other end. The end that the water will drain from should be the end away from the home.
3. Excavate the Area
To do this, you need to dig the patio area about 8 inches deep and extend this to about six inches farther than the layout. Remember you will need to slop the soil to follow the lines. “Excavate to full depth along the two sides, then dig out the center, checking with a long, straight 2×4 board and a level to ensure the entire area is flat and level from side to side; the soil base will slope towards the downhill end but will be level from side to side. Tamp the soil thoroughly with a hand tamp or a rented plate compactor,” comments Spruce.
4. Add a Gravel Base and Install Paver Edging
“Pour compacted gravel inside the excavated area to a depth of four inches. Rake the gravel smooth and level, slope it to follow the string layout, and tamp it so that it is thoroughly compacted,” instructs Spruce. Installing the paver edging will include lining up bricks along the edges. You want to make sure that the edging sits snugly against the test-fit bricks. Once you establish this, you need to remove the test-fit bricks.
5. Add the Sand Layer
Before you do this, lay a landscape fabric over the gravel so weeds will not grow through and separate the gravel and sand layer. Once you have done this, add about two inches of sand over the landscape fabric. To smooth the sand out, use a 2×4 to level the sand.
6. Lay the First Row of Bricks
They say that this is the most important step of the project. Spruce instructs,”Lay the first bricks, starting in one corner and running along the edging to complete a row. Alternate each pair of bricks so that two are perpendicular to the edge, then two are parallel, and so on. Press the bricks gently into the sand and put them together as closely as possible. Tap the bricks with a rubber mallet to settle them into the sand, if necessary. Run a mason’s line across the first row, aligned with the leading edges of the bricks. Pull the line taut and secure it at the ends with stakes, or simply clamp them to the edging. Straighten the bricks in the first row, as needed, so all leading edges are even with the line.”
7. Lock the Bricks with Polymeric Sand
Polymeric sand will make sure the joints stay in place because it stiffens. Spruce recommends, “Gently spray the patio with a garden hose to settle the sand in the cracks. This will activate the sand and start the stiffening process. Spread and sweep more sand into the cracks, and then spray again, until the cracks are filled and the sand is settled.”
Once your project is complete, backfill behind the brick edging so it will have a finished look. You can use soil, sod or landscape material. This will also hold your pavers and edging in place, so you can enjoy your outdoor living space.
