PAVERS: BEAUTIFUL, VERSATILE, MANAGEABLE

One of the beauties of pavers is that together they create a large, durable space, but individually they're lightweight and easy to install. This gives DIYers the permanence of concrete without the special tools, know-how and "hurry-upness" that concrete requires. Plus, pavers have color, shape and pizzazz.

There's no doubt about the durability of concrete pavers. They're often used in streets and industrial parking lots where heavy machinery cracks ordinary concrete slabs. Pavers-small and independent-withstand abuse by flexing, rather than cracking, under pressure. They're ideal for regions that go through freeze/thaw cycles, too; the individual pavers absorb heaving and movement without cracking. And it's a lot easier to repair small areas in a dry-laid patio than with a slab.

Pavers can be used for driveways, sidewalks, patios, garden paths, even porch floors. As long as the underlying gravel and sand base is properly prepared, pavers can be used almost anywhere. In areas where vehicles will travel, the subbase (Fig. C) must be increased to at least 10 in.

The simple rectangular pavers we used can be laid in a variety of patterns (Fig. B). Other paver shapes are available:

squares, zigzags, keyholes, even some that look like fancy floor tile. Shop around at home improvement and landscaping centers and check the Buyers Guide on p. 45 for more information.

THE BEST DESIGN FOR YOU AND YOUR YARD

Whether you're a novice or experienced DIYer, you'll find this project doable and satisfying. You'll be limited more by your energy level and free time than by the skills required.

A well-designed patio must take into account the terrain, landscape and the needs and pocketbook of your family. Not all yards are candidates for a patio. In uneven terrain, a raised deck-which can span hill and dale-might be the best option for outdoor space.

We needed to tie in our patio with existing trees, planting beds and decks. We measured everything and made a small scale drawing of our home and existing landscape on paper (Fig. A). We used a straight, 16ft. 2x4 with a 4-ft. level on it and a tape measure to get a rough idea of how much our yard sloped (we noted that on our drawing, too). Then we laid tracing paper on top of our scale drawing and doodled a half-dozen patio designs. A consultation with a landscape designer provided us with these helpful tips: