PATIOS & PATHS / The Family Handyman - June 1992

CUT PAVERS on masonry saw. Saw has a built-in sliding carriage for moving pavers past the blade. Recirculating water keeps blade cool and lubricated.   TAMP THE PATIO with a flat-plate vibrator after all the pavers are installed. Tamp entire outside edge first, then circle in.   SWEEP COARSE, DRY SAND between cracks of pavers to lock them together and fill voids. Repeat with more dry sand in a few days.

LANDSCAPE around the completed patio with flowers, shrubs and grass. Grass will root through the open spaces in flexible edging to anchor it in place. SHOVELING SMARTS This project scores a 9.9 in sweat equity. You'll be amazed at the amount of dirt you remove, even with the smallest patio. Compacted earth, once dug up and tossed, tends to double its previous size. Move it as few times as possible-preferably once. If you're going to use the dirt to fill in a low area, shovel the sod and dirt right into the wheelbarrow and dump it in its final resting spot. If it's going to be hauled away, back the trailer, truck or trash bin as close as you can. Be equally wise with the materials you haul in. Do all your excavating, then have your subbase dumped directly on the patio site. Have your leveling sand and pavers delivered close to the patio. Our patio took 2,500 pavers-that's a lot of hauling by hand! Consider access to your back yard. Can you back a truck close to the patio site? If not, are you prepared to do a lot of hauling by wheelbarrow? Will that heavy truck damage any tree roots or your soft asphalt driveway on a hot day? Have you carefully figured the amount of materials you need before ordering, so you don't wind up with tons of extra sand, subbase or pavers? Does it make sense to temporarily remove a section of fence for access during the project? Finally, consider recruiting help for some of the more labor-intensive parts: excavating, spreading the subbase, lugging the pavers. Art direction: Mike Smith, Gregg Weigand and Gordy Wilkinson Photography: Bill Zuehlke Illustrations: Ron Chamberlain Consultants: Bob Dahm, Jerry Hagen, Dave Zwernick, Southview Design