Installation Instructions

PAVERS

Tamp the subbase using a at-plate

vibrator. Work in a circular motion compacting the

area twice.

Make a grid work of stakes and guide strings to indicate

the nished height and slope of your patio, then excavate

5" PLUS the thickness of your pavers, below these lines.

This will provide room for a 4" subbase, the 1" leveling

sand base, and the pavers themselves (Image 5). If the

area is hilly, you’ll need to go back and forth between

excavating, leveling and setting strings to get things right.

Soil conditions vary greatly across the country. If after

digging the necessary depth below your strings, you still

nd pockets of loose dirt or black soil, remove it or it will

eventually settle, creating a wavy patio.

When installing pavers as a residential driveway, a

minimum of 8" of base will be required. See local code

for details.

Next, bring in the subbase material. Bring the

area up to a of height 1" PLUS the paver thickness below

your guide strings (Image 6). It should be at least 4" deep in

all places. The subbase should extend 8" beyond the actual

edge of the patio to provide room for the edging. It’s possible

you’ll need to build up an area to accommodate your patio.

In such cases, remove the sod and loose soil, then build up

the area with your subbase material. Add subbase in 2-3" lift

increments, compact, and repeat until reaching the desired

base level. Building a 10" to 12" subbase is common; even

20" would not be unusual.

BASE & EDGING DETAIL

Spread subbase to a depth of 4" over the entire

patio area and 8" beyond. Measure down from

the guide strings to establish a uniform subbase

surface.

Tamping the subbase is an important step when installing

your new paver patio, walkway, or driveway (Image 7). Proper

compaction provides stability to the project by spreading

any load over a greater area of the ground below. If laid and

compacted properly the subbase will help to recompress

the surrounding soil that could have been disturbed while

excavating.

PAVER PATIO & SIDEWALK INSTALLATION