Once you have a plan and solid base for your paver patio, it’s time to begin laying pavers. Begin at a corner and work your way across, using your first corner as your reference point. Be sure to check your work periodically – any jogs or curves in your pavers will only become worse as you get further into the project. After laying down a paver, tap it firmly with a rubber mallet to set it into place.

If you have any curves, angles or unusual edges, lay the pavers past the edge first. Mark the edge with a construction pencil or chalk. Then, using a saw with a special diamond paver blade, remove and cut each paver individually. This makes it clear where each paver belongs, saving you a lot of confusion and stress. If you’ve already laid out your edging, you may have to remove a section as you finish your corner; once you’ve finished all the cuts, don’t forget replace the edging.

Once your pavers have been set you may wish to compact them. Some paver manufacturers do not recommend this, as it may crack them; be sure to read any instructions or warning that came with your pavers. Contact your local landscape company or hardware store if you’re not sure whether you should compact your pavers.

To finish the joints of your paver patio, sprinkle sand over the pavers and brush it into the cracks with a broom. This helps to prevent weeds and other plants from taking root and growing up through your patio. Misting the sand with water will help to settle it in the cracks. Repeat to fill any gaps which reappear. This sand should be compacted with a light tool to avoid cracking the pavers.

Finally, use a paint roller or garden sprayer to apply a clear masonry sealer to the paver patio. This will make the pavers more weather-resistant and less likely to stain. As with your other supplies, this can be found at your local home and garden center.

You’re almost done! Now that the pavers are in place, backfill the perimeter of the patio with soil, gravel, bark chips or similar material. Be sure to use enriched soil if you are planning to plant grass along the edge of your patio. For a more professional touch, have your landscaping company design and install a decorative plant arrangement around your new paver patio.

There – your paver patio is finished! You’re now ready to enjoy the gorgeous summer days on your brand new patio. As time goes on, you may need to add more sand between the pavers to keep the joints filled. If you’ve planted grass around your patio, it may be subject to frequent use, so don’t forget to overseed it in the spring or fall. A little maintenance is all that’s necessary to keep your paver patio looking nice.

Stand back and appreciate your work – you just built a paver patio! It will serve you well in all seasons and for all events. Grab your lawn furniture and grill and invite some friends over to celebrate the occasion with a kick-off barbecue!

Determine the desired level for the finished patio surface. This can be calculated by estimating the depth of your base materials and adding the thickness of your pavers. When determining the depth of your base materials, keep in mind that a thicker base layer drains better, so if you’re in a moist climate be sure to plan for a thick layer of gravel and sand.

Level the area, then compact the dirt to the desired depth with a plate compactor. This is an essential step – if the dirt is not compacted, your patio may settle. You can rent the plate compactor from your local equipment rental or hardware store.

Once the base layer of dirt is compacted, put down some commercial-grade landscape fabric. This helps to discourage weeds and grass from growing up through your patio. It is also beneficial to prevent uneven settling and keep the patio as level as possible. Leave about 6” on all sides, to be trimmed after the pavers are all laid down.

Next, cover with a two inch layer of gravel. Level this layer and compact it with the plate compactor. Repeat until you’ve reached approximately 6” of compacted gravel. If you’re planning for very moist conditions, you may want to make this layer even thicker. Put 1” of sand on top of the gravel. This layer should also be compacted to ensure a solid paver patio.

Finally, lay down an even 2″ layer of sand over the compacted sand and gravel and level it without compacting. This will provide an even surface to set your pavers on. The best way to accomplish this is to screed the sand with a straight 2×4 or other straight-edge. Be sure your patio base is flat, as your pavers will follow the contour of this layer.

Once your base layer is finished, it’s almost time for the pavers. Before you bring the pavers out, lay out your landscape edging around the perimeter of the patio to prevent shifting or sliding. Your local hardware store will have a variety of materials and styles of edging to fit all of your needs. Aluminum edging is long-lasting and durable, which makes it a safe bet for most applications.

Once you have a solid base and edging for your paver patio, you are ready to start on the patio itself. One last time, double-check to be sure it’s cleaned and level – after the pavers are down, it’s difficult to correct mistakes. Does everything look right? Good! Next, we’ll get started on laying the pavers and finishing the patio.

Before picking up a shovel or ordering material, you’ll need to design your patio. This includes surveying your current landscaping, checking for buried utilities, and picking your paver pattern.

First, you must consider the features of your yard. Keep in mind that you’ll need to dig a base for your paver patio, at least seven inches deep. Familiarize yourself with the location of any buried electrical lines or other underground utilities. Planning your patio around any plants or water features make it more interesting, but also more complicated. Identify any other obstacles and be alert to their effects as you develop your plan for the paver patio.

Next, come up with a plan for the size and shape of your patio. To keep it simple, you may want to stick with a rectangular paver patio; this saves many angled cuts and other difficult tasks. If you’re up for a challenge, integrating curves or circles into your patterns can make for an interesting decorative feel to the patio. Keep in mind your timeframe as well – the more complicated your patio, the longer it will take to finish.

When calculating the materials for your paver patio, multiply the length times the width times the depth. Include an additional 5-10% to ensure you have enough material. In addition to the pavers, you’ll need gravel and sand to build your base, and a covering of landscape fabric to keep the weeds out. Don’t forget the edging! If you’re not sure what type to get, ask someone at your local home improvement store.

Pavers come in many different sizes, shapes and colors. Your local home improvement store is a good place to view the selection. When it comes to pavers, the bigger they are the faster the job goes. Don’t order them too big though, or you could hurt yourself or those helping you. Also, if you’re looking for a more artistic feel, the smaller ones are more versatile, allowing you to create more complex patterns in a smaller space. Keep your personal preferences and existing landscaping elements in mind while choosing the right paver stones.

Ok, you’re almost there! Before you begin your project, be sure you have all of the necessary tools and materials to complete the project. Taking shortcuts to make up for a lack of proper tools or materials will leave you with an unstable, out-of-level patio. Remember: it’s easier to do it right the first time. Taking extra care will ensure you have a patio which will last a lifetime.

The first step is to build a solid base for your patio. Level the area, then compact the dirt with a plate compactor. This is essential an essential step – if the dirt is not compacted, your patio may settle. Once the base layer of dirt is compacted, put down some landscape fabric to discourage weeds and grass from growing up through your patio. Next, cover with a layer of gravel. Put sand on top of this. Each layer should be compacted to ensure a solid paver patio.

Once you have a solid base for your paver patio, you’re ready to start on the patio itself. First, lay down an even 2″ layer of sand over the compacted sand and gravel. This will provide an even surface to set your pavers on. The best way to accomplish this is to screed the sand with a straight 2×4 or other straight-edge. Be sure your patio base is flat, as your pavers will follow the contour of this layer.

Now it’s time to begin laying pavers. Begin at a corner and work your way across, using your first corner as your reference point. Be sure to check your work periodically – any jogs or curves in your pavers will only become worse as you get further into the project. After setting a paver, tap it firmly with a rubber mallet to set it into place.

Once your pavers have been set, install a plastic retaining edge around the perimeter. This prevents the pavers from being disturbed. You may wish to compact the pavers, but some paver manufacturers do not recommend this, as it may crack them. Be sure to read any instructions or warning that came with your pavers.

To finish your paver patio, sprinkle sand over the pavers and brush it into the cracks with a broom. This helps to prevent weeds and other plants from taking root and growing up through your patio. Misting the sand with water will help to settle it in the cracks. Repeat to fill any gaps which reappear.

Your patio is almost finished! Now that the pavers are in place, backfill the perimeter of the patio with soil, gravel, bark chips or similar material. Be sure to use enriched soil if you are planning to plant grass along the edge of your patio.

Your paver patio is finished! You’re now ready to enjoy the gorgeous summer days on your brand new patio. As time goes on, you may need to add more sand between the pavers to keep the joints filled. If you’ve planted grass around your patio, it may be subject to frequent use, so don’t forget to overseed it in the spring or fall. A little maintenance is all that’s necessary to keep your paver patio looking nice. Stand back and appreciate your work – you just built a paver patio!

Is your lawn looking thin? It’s probably time to overseed your grass. Overseeding your lawn during the spring or fall replenishes old lawn and brings back the green, lush grass. With summer coming, now is the time to get your yard ready for the barbaques, volleyball or other summer activities by overseeding your lawn.

January/February            Turf Gro 20-3-7 Cool Season (slow release)

Scotts GREEN MAX Southern Lawn Fertilizer

April/May                            Turf Gro 23-2-10 Spring

Scotts GREEN MAX Southern Lawn Fertilizer

June/July/Aug                   Turf Gro 24-2-9 Summer

Scotts Super Turf Builder with Summer Guard

Sept/Oct                              Turf Gro 21-2-15 Winterizer

Scotts Lawn Pro Super Turf Builder with Winter guard

Nov/Dec                              Turf Gro 20-3-7 Cool Season

Scotts GREEN MAX Southern Lawn Fertilizer

Your soil will affect how often and in what quantity you will need to fertilize.   There are several choices of fertilizer on the market and as a result sometimes it’s just easier to do nothing rather than try to figure it out.  Or maybe you took a stab at it and now your grass is 8” tall and growing faster every day. In Decoding Fertilizer we help to explain why this happened in more detail.  But don’t give up.

In Vancouver Washington we have several soil types that landscapes are built on: Loam, Clay, Sand, and any mixture of these.  Clay tends to pass water much slower and means that chemicals/fertilizers tend to stay on the surface a little long than sandy soils.  So if you have a clay soil under your landscape you will likely only have to fertilize 4 times a year.  However, if you have a high sand soil, plan on fertilizing 5 and up to 6 times a year.

As a general rule:

Fertilize 5 times a year

Use a slow release fertilizer.  10-12 week duration.

Use a broad cast spreader. DO NOT use a drop spreader.

If in doubt give us a call: Boulder Falls Inc.  360-991-1347

Before Picture Deck and Patio Before Picture Raise Paver Patio

This is an exciting landscape construction project in Vancouver WA.  We bid against a composite deck and added a lower patio.  The price of raising a stone paver patio vs building a composite deck turned out to be the least expensive option. 
We now get to build a longer lasting, better looking, easier to maintain product.  The idea is to build a retaining wall out of Pisa 2 wall block back filling it with compacted gravel.  Once we get it to grade we will grade it out and set our pavers and build a stair system down to the lower patio.

Before Picture Raise Paver Patio

The build up is finally done.  There is a layer of engineered netting about two layers down and some Portland cement to help strengthen the compacted gravel fill.  This patio isn’t going anywhere.  In the next few days we will work on pavers and lighting.

Raised Deck and Patio

Excavation before pavers

Hauling away the concreteStairs before

Stairs before

This is a challenging landscape project in Washougal WA.  We are doing a partial over lay on concrete and a normal gravel base paver patio.  What makes this hard is blending the two surfaces.  Since the sand on the concrete will be significantly less then the sand over the gravel we need to make sure we adjust for compaction properly.  Adding to the complication is the two man hole covers we have to go over and yet make accessible.

The idea behind the stairsThe stair are now removed and we are conceptualizing what we will do with the new steps. Because the new old stairs had a facia plate, my design of only doing two steps leading out of the man door is scrubbed. I have to do a three stair system and I'm trying to do it without adding cost to the home owner. Time to get creative. We also discovered a sewer clean out to the left of the single man door that we have to work around.Holland Harvest pavers in Washougal WAPisa 2 Step system

Mortar block planter box

Pisa 2 Step systemHolland Harvest pavers in Washougal WA

This project is a simple paver walkway that connects the front driveway to the back deck.  The homeowner has dogs and decided to upgrade from natural stone.  As you can see the stairs and the lower patio are already finished and we are screeting the sand in just before we lay the blocks down on the upper pathway.  This walkway is made with Charcoal and Harvest Paleo will using a matching Pisa 2 block for stairs. Snap Edge is installed to create interlock.

This one was pretty straight forward and looks great.  The dogs won’t be able to destroy it now.  Thank you Greg for letting us do this for you.

Excavation of the Hatfield Patio

We are excavating the Hatfield patio down to undisturbed native soil.  We ran into a soft spot in the center and had to excavate a small area down even further to make sure the patio is stable

Finished Product

This is the finished product.  We used Harvest Blend Paleo pavers with a Charcoal Paleo paver boarder to trim it out.  There is a matching step made out of Pisa 2 wall block with a Charcoal Reverser block as the stair tred.   It was finished off with a handful of plants and some organic soil as a bark dust to give it a rich black look. This project took 4 days to complete.

Finished Product 2