How to Build a Patio Guide in 5 Steps

How to Build a Patio Guide in 5 Steps Excavating, hauling, and leveling materials takes work. You'll need to rent tampers, compactors, and concrete mixers to do the job right. You’ll then spread a four- to five-inch layer of angular gravel.

Look at the Smallest of Spaces

Once the surface is flat, compact it with a plate compactor, available at tool rental stores for about $50 a day. If you haven't used one of these machines before, it's a good idea to work in the center area of the patio site first. These machines can be hard to control, so it's smart to get comfortable with your machine before you work close to the house.

So you’ve built your new patio and now you’re looking for some shade.Do you love to host parties or plan to use your new patio often?Work front to back and left to right, then tie strings where the other strings meet.This will be the frame or outline of your concrete patio.Once all the stones are laid, align the grout joints using a pry bar or flat bar.

To do this take a long, straight board and place one end against the house where the patio corner will fall. From the corner point, measure over 6 ft. along the house wall and make a mark. Then, measure 8 ft. along the board from the house and make another mark. Have someone hold the end of a tape measure at the house mark and adjust the board until the 8-ft. Drive a stake at the end of the board and tie a string from the house corner to this stake. Tighten the string so there is enough space to slide a scrap wood block between it and a stone below.

Step 3. Measure Slope To Allow For Patio Drainage

When you’re gathering your supplies, you’ll want to consider the type of material that will fill in the gaps between the concrete pavers. They can be square or come in natural stone shapes and be laid in a wide variety of patterns. When it comes to concrete patios, there’s only one option for design because they are concrete slabs. Sure you can color the concrete, or stamp it, but it’s going to be one solid piece. When researching costs for purchasing patio paver stones and having them installed, estimates ran between $10-$22 per square foot. DIY concrete patio pouring is certainly doable with good planning, tools, and assistance.

DIY Ideas for Creating a Patio on a Budget

The reason I mention this is because you’ll see my photos show the stakes inside my space, where I’m recommending you place yours outside. Because of this, we were locked in to very specific spacing, unless we wanted Visit this website to go through the hassle of cutting the pavers. Our area was boxed in on all four sides, and also raised, with the pavers needing to be slightly recessed within the space. Now let’s break down the costs of how much it would have been to make these pavers, vs the cost of buying them. Compared to hiring help, DIY installation provides major cost savings.