Making Your Garden Look Fantastic

Residential Landscaping: Three Crucial Guidelines on Patio Pavers Installation

24 September 2017

Philip Newman

If you are planning on building a patio in your home, you should consider purchasing and installing paving stones. Interlocking pavers are attractive and stylish, and you can use different designs and stone colours to achieve extraordinary visual impact in your landscape. Also, paving stones are durable and low maintenance in comparison to general surfaces such as asphalt. On the other hand, the success of your outdoor improvement project will depend on the patio installation process. Here are the most crucial tips to remember when working with patio pavers:

Prepare the Ground

One of the common causes of paver patio failure is inadequate ground preparation. Often, homeowners just place the stones on the ground and hope for continued service. Unfortunately, the earth keeps shifting, so the pavers will be unstable with time. Ideally, you should dig up the soil in the area you plan to install the patio. Remove the earth and replace it with sand. Sand does not retain water like clay or loam soil. Therefore, there will be no shifts with the changes in weather. Also, you should have the material compacted properly to increase its long-term stability.

Plan for Proper Drainage

The patio can become unstable over time if the ground on which the pavers are installed is unstable. In simple terms, if stormwater becomes stagnant in the patio area, it will penetrate the compacted sand and weaken the foundation of your structure. Eventually, the paving stones will move, and the surface will fail. Therefore, you should plan for efficient drainage. In general, you can prevent water pooling by ensuring that the surface is appropriately inclined. The ground should be slanted slightly to promote rainwater runoff without creating a visibly steep surface. Ensure that the water flows away from your house, and install drainage channels to prevent flooding during inclement weather. 

Check the Paver Spacing

You should take particular note of the spacing between the paving stones. It is important to keep the pavers closely packed together when laying them on the ground. This practice ensures that the appearance of the patio is uniform and eye-catching. Also, when the stones are close together, they provide each other with mutual support, promoting optimal stability. Finally, you should add filler material between the pavers to enhance the steadiness while allowing expansion on hot days. 

Residential patio surface construction can be a complicated and time-consuming process. Therefore, you should consult a professional landscaper to help you select and install the right paving stones and bricks.

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