How to install edging pavers

Brick, Paver or Stone Edging

Fill the trench with 2 to 3 inches of gravel or crushed rock and pack it down firmly with a hand tamper until level; the compacted gravel creates a well-drained, sturdy base that prevents the edging materials from sinking over time.

Edging is a crucial part of any paver installation. Without it, your pavers will be much more likely to spread and sink over time. Unless your pavers are installed with the edges touching another solid surface (a curb, driveway edge or a wall), you should have edging installed along the whole perimeter.

Pavers may be the easiest patio surface to install yourself. Pavers are set on sand or crushed concrete rather than bound with mortar. You can even lay pavers on top of your existing patio if it’s level and in good condition, so there’s no need to break up the old patio or excavate the ground.

A 20×20 brick paver patio costs $3,800 to $6,800. The average cost of pavers and base materials is $4 to $6 per square foot, while labor runs $6 to $11 per square foot.

Typically, it is not recommended to directly lay down pavers over dirt. For pavers to look and perform well in a permanent installation setting, the ground/dirt floor must be excavated, leveled, and hard compacted.

As far as installation costs and concrete costs go, poured concrete is technically the most affordable per square foot. However, even though the upfront cost of pavers is higher, concrete pavers offer greater value and durability than poured concrete and stamped concrete.

Poured concrete lasts up to 25 years and longer. Pavers last up to and beyond 50 years, thanks to their stronger material and simpler repair process.

Install a Backyard Patio

Installing a patio is another project that expands and enhances your outside living area while increasing the value of your home. According to the NAR and NALP, an 18′ x 20′ concrete paver patio costs about $7,200 and you’ll earn around 69 percent.

Total cost will be in favor of DIY as of the brake-even point of the molds and concrete, and getting nothing but cheaper per unit the more you make (assuming you never break the molds).

Concrete slabs are quite tough and resistant to impacts. However, paving stones are actually even stronger than concrete and can hold more weight on their surface before a break occurs. On average, most pavers can withstand up to 8,000 PSI while concrete only supports up to 2,500 PSI.

As one of the cheapest paving options on the market, black limestone is a great choice if you are looking to create a bold finish to your patio without breaking the bank! Black limestone slabs look stunning when wet, offering deep tones which are great at disguising most types of spills from a garden party or BBQ!

Pavers have a higher resale value because of their beauty and versatility. Concrete slabs are generally more common, but over time, pavers will net you more value because concrete is expensive to replace.

Plan on spreading about 1 inch of sand beneath the pavers, says Western Interlock. You’ll also use it to fill the gaps between them. The sand should be spread over a 4- to 12-inch layer of crushed stone, which has been tamped into place.

Sand Bedding

Before laying the pavers, a layer of bedding sand is placed over the compacted base material. This layer provides a bed into which the pavers are set. The sand bedding also helps to protect the sand joints from being eroded away.

The Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute recommends washed concrete sand as the best base sand for pavers. Concrete sand, also known as bedding sand, is coarse and doesn’t trap excess moisture beneath the paver surface.

Never compact your bedding sand prior to laying the pavers. Don’t even let a guy walk through it. After the pavers are down, sand the joints and compact. Sweep in the joint sand again to really fill the joints.