check out our new patio!
Our backyard looked like a dog run when the snow thawed this spring. Spotted weedy grass, muddy pits, and no spot to comfortably sit. Casey vowed to build a patio. “I’ll do it this weekend,” he said casually as he set out with a shovel and the book Patios and Walkways 1-2-3 from Home Depot. Forty hours later (hail to the hubby!), we have a splendid one to soak up the sun. Now all we need is an umbrella… — Megan K.
P.S. Check out Better Homes and Gardens online for a sand-based patio how-to with illustrations if you’re interested in building one similar to ours. And be sure to click through for a before picture and detailed process shots.
detail 1: Casey measured and dug up the patio bed, then covered it
with a layer of landscape fabric. The next stage, pictured here,
involved layer upon layer of gravel, which he tamped down to make
firm.
detail 2: Sand was poured over the gravel for the final layer and
leveled out before the pavers were laid on top.
detail 3: The brick edging went in last, then sand was used to fill in
all the cracks.
August 13th, 2007 at 7:34 am
Ooh this is exactly what I am trying to do in my backyard! I have the same Patios and Walkways book but I don’t want to give up the drainage in that whole area - did you guys tamp your gravel etc. down by hand or with a compactor? I am thinking I might just lay mine in sand and tamp by hand, it doesn’t have to be perfect but then at least I know it will drain ok. As old pros at this, what do you guys think?
August 13th, 2007 at 8:01 am
Megan that looks great!
August 13th, 2007 at 11:15 am
Fabulous! What time should I expect your hubby to be over at my house to duplicate at my hacienda? I’ll ask my fiance to throw another steak on the grill.
August 13th, 2007 at 1:40 pm
We hand tamped. I wouldn’t worry about the level at all if you do a good job. It might settle a little bit more in certain spots, but nothing anybody else will notice. Obviously, it takes longer and there is more manual labor required with hand tamping, but our patio is very level. Just make sure you do a good job screeding the top layer of sand and everything will turn out fine.
August 13th, 2007 at 4:40 pm
I think I love the chairs as much as I love the patio.
August 14th, 2007 at 6:24 am
What a great area to relax and maybe play a little fetch with your dog! The patio makes a huge difference in the look of your back yard. Nice work, Casey!!
August 16th, 2007 at 11:49 am
I am still amazed with Casey’s skills…jealous and amazed.
May 27th, 2008 at 5:32 am
[...] Outdoor projects: Eco-Friendly Deck Stain Bottle Tree Outdoor Chandelier Modern Shed What’s That Bug? The Joys of Composting Putting In a Patio [...]