How to Build a Sand-Based Paver Patio in Just a Few Days
For a backyard refresh that doesn't require messy cement or weeks of labor, consider a DIY paver patio set in sand over a gravel subbase. Sand-set (sometimes called dry-laid) installations are much easier to build than mortared surfaces. They don't require specialized skills, and because there's no concrete required, they are less expensive. Plus, the gravel ensures good drainage. A properly bedded sand-set patio will last for years and require little or no maintenance.
Ed Gohlich
Before you can begin building a paver patio set in sand, be sure to take your site measurements with you when you're ready to order the paving. Your dealer will help you convert those measurements to gravel, sand, and paving quantities. Remember to buy extra pavers to cover breakage and mistakes, and to store in case a paver or two needs replacing in the future.
Soil conditions will influence the construction of your project. Sandy soils drain very quickly but are soft. Clay is hard and doesn't drain well. Contact your county extension office or building department for tips about the climate, landscaping, soil, and other information relevant to your location.
The patio building method described in this article is for a square design, but the process can be used to make any rectilinear shape. Because the bricks are not mortared in place, a sand-based patio is very forgiving to the inexperienced builder or beginning DIYer.
How to Build a Paver Patio with a Sand Base
Before you begin, plan the patio site, choose materials, and draw plans. You'll need about three days to lay out and excavate a 12x14-foot site.
What You Need
String and stakes
Mattock and shovel
Landscape fabric
2x6s
8d galvanized nails
Expansion-joint material
Gravel
Screed
Sand
Pavers
Broom
Thomas Rosborough
Step 1: Prepare the Bed
Outline the shape and size of the patio. If you plan to include right angles, check them carefully for accuracy. As you determine the exact size, you will need to plan for the paver you intend to use, making sure that there will be room for all the pavers in the pattern you want. Be sure to allow for a tiny space in between pavers caused by the lack of uniformity from one paver to the next.
Once the patio has been laid out, use a mattock and shovel to dig out an area equal to the size of the patio and about 5-1/2 inches deep. If you are removing turf to make room for a patio, use excavated healthy turf to patch other areas of the lawn or to create a new area of lawn.
Thomas Rosborough
Step 2: Cut Landscape Fabric
Measure and cut out a piece of landscape fabric large enough to cover the patio. This prevents weeds from working their way up through the gravel. This might require several pieces of landscaping fabric, depending on the size of your patio and the size of the roll of fabric.
Thomas Rosborough
Step 3: Establish the First Corner
Lay out a 2x6 perpendicular to the house and cut the lumber so it ends where you want the edge of the patio to be. Align the board with the string guides and drive a stake on the outside of it to hold it in place. Nail the stake to the board.
Thomas Rosborough
Step 4: Build the Rest of the Frame
Continue to make the sand-based patio frame with the 2x6s, overlapping the corners as shown. Before you nail each board, use the triangulation method to make sure that everything is square. Otherwise, the pavers will not fit evenly. Once the frame is built, set stakes against the outside of the 2x6s every few feet to hold it firmly in place.
Thomas Rosborough
Step 5: Add Gravel and Level It
First, place a piece of expansion joint material between the house and patio area. Then pour in enough gravel to provide a depth of about 1 inch throughout. Make a screed with a short section of 1x4 or other scrap lumber. Starting at the house, scrape the gravel until it is level from side to side and gradually slopes toward the opposite end of the patio.
Thomas Rosborough
Step 6: Prepare a Sand Bed
Add a layer of builders sand ($4, The Home Depot) on top of the gravel. To calculate the sand depth, subtract the thickness of your pavers from 4-1/2 inches. Make a second screed by notching a long 2x6 to the depth of the pavers, then level the sand. If the top of the frame was set at the appropriate slope, the sand will be at the right slope too.
Thomas Rosborough
Step 7: Add Pavers
Arrange patio pavers in your desired pattern, fitting them snugly together to ensure good stability. (This is not the time to change patterns, because if you do, the pavers might not fit.) Run string from one end of the patio to the other to form a guide line. This will help keep the pavers straight. As you move around in the area, keep your knees on the sand, rather than on the newly laid pavers, because the pavers won't be stable until the area is completely filled. It's much easier to re-screed small areas of disturbed sand.
Thomas Rosborough
Step 8: Stabilize with More Sand
After all of the pavers are in place, toss handfuls of sand over the entire area. Then, working from one end, use a kitchen broom ($7, Target) to gently sweep the sand down into the cracks between the pavers. Spray the entire patio with a mist to help settle the sand. Allow the sand to dry. Then add a second layer of sand, sweep it into place, and wet it down. Repeat this process a week later, as well as any time you feel a paver wobble.
Bonus Tips and Tricks for Building a Sand-Based Patio
Follow these additional guidelines for a successful paver patio set in sand.
Slope the Lines for Proper Drainage
Patios and paths must slope 1/4 inch for every lineal foot to provide proper drainage. Measure the length of the mason's line between the stakes in feet, then multiply by 1/4. On the low stake, move the level line down by that much.
Image Studios
How to Screed the Sand
Screed the sand to a consistent level by setting a long 2x4 on the edge forms. Pull the screed across the surface in a seesaw motion; you'll need a helper for large areas. Then fill in depressions, dampen the sand, and tamp it. When the site is level, fill the recesses with sand, and tamp again.
How to Determine the Patio Size
Save yourself time and effort by making your patio site dimensions the same as an even number of pavers. You'll have less cutting to do at the edges. To determine the size of your patio, lay out the pavers in both directions on a flat surface and measure the lengths. Then lay out your site to these dimensions.
How to Build a Sand-Based Patio with Curves
For curved patio edges, use plastic edging with notches in the outside flange. This material conforms to almost any arc. Drive spikes through the holes in the flanges, making sure they penetrate the soil below the gravel.
More Sand-Based Patio Ideas
You can use the same basic patio building method described for other patio styles.
Stone: Substitute stone for the pavers. There are several beautiful varieties available in many different shapes and thicknesses. You can work with the pieces exactly as they come from nature or have the stones cut to your specifications. You also can experiment with different edging materials.
Concrete: Fill the entire bed with concrete. Use stamps or stains to add texture or color. Divide the bed into quadrants, and use one material in the upper left and lower right sections, and a different material in the other two quadrants.