Pavers and Patios Guide: Design, Base and Care

A paver patio looks simple from the top. What keeps it flat for decades is underneath: the excavation depth, compacted base, bedding sand and edge restraint. These are the articles we’ve written from building patios and walkways in central PA, from the first sketch to fixing one that’s sinking.

Start here

• How to Build a Paver Patio: A Step-by-Step Guide: the full build, from layout to polymeric sand.
• How Deep Should a Paver Base Be?: base depth for patios, walkways and driveways.
• Patio Size Guide: What Size Patio Do You Need?: sizes for tables, seating and traffic, with charts.
• Polymeric Sand vs. Regular Sand for Pavers: which joint sand actually holds up.
• How to Fix Sinking Pavers: and why they sank in the first place.

Patio size, layout and design

• Patio Size Guide: matching patio size to how you’ll use it.
• Paver Patio Ideas: 20 Designs With Sizes, Costs and Build Notes: design ideas with the build details attached.
• 5 Patio With Pavers Designs, Drawn to Scale: when each layout works.
• Paver Patterns: running bond, herringbone, basketweave and which to pick.
• Outdoor Kitchen Layout: dimensions, clearances and the right shape for your patio.
• Seat Wall Dimensions: height, depth and length for seating around a patio.
• The Best Time to Plan a Patio: design in winter, build in spring.

Walkways and front entries

• Front Walkway Ideas: 17 Designs and the Measurements That Work: walks, steps and landings that fit the house.
• How Wide Should a Walkway Be?: widths by use, paver size and base.

Materials and brands

• Paver Brands Compared: Belgard, Techo-Bloc, Unilock, Cambridge, Hanover and Nitterhouse.
• Belgard Pavers: product lines, warranty and installation facts.
• Techo-Bloc Pavers: pavers vs slabs, warranty, installation and care.
• Porcelain Pavers Pros and Cons: an installer’s honest take.
• Flagstone vs. Pavers: cost, installation, frost and repairs.
• Thermal vs Natural Cleft Bluestone: finish, color, grip and how it’s set.
• Paver Patio vs. Concrete Patio: cost, lifespan and repairs.
• Pavers vs Concrete Driveway (and Asphalt): salt, snow, repairs and cost.
• Patio vs. Deck: cost, lifespan, permits and which fits your yard.

Base, sand and installation

• How to Build a Paver Patio: excavation, base, sand, laying and joints, step by step.
• How Deep Should a Paver Base Be?: the base that keeps pavers flat through frost.
• Polymeric Sand vs. Regular Sand: joint sand options compared.
• Paver Edging: which edge restraint to use and how to install it.
• Patio Slope: How Much Slope Does a Patio Need?: pitch so water runs off, not toward the house.
• Can You Put Pavers Over Concrete?: four checks before you cover an old slab.
• How Many Pavers Do I Need?: area, waste, borders and pallets.
• How Long Does It Take to Build a Paver Patio?: the full timeline.

Fire pits, hot tubs and pergolas on pavers

• Can You Put a Fire Pit on Pavers?: what’s safe and what cracks.
• How Far Should a Fire Pit Be From the House?: the 10, 15 and 25-foot rules.
• Can You Put a Hot Tub on Pavers?: what the base needs to look like.
• How to Anchor a Pergola to Pavers: without wrecking the patio.
• Outdoor Fireplace vs Fire Pit: size, footings, smoke and code compared.
• Pergola Post Spacing: how far apart, what size beam and which posts.

Maintenance and repairs

• How to Fix Sinking Pavers: lifting, re-basing and relaying low spots.
• Pavers Heaving in Winter?: why it happens and how to fix it in spring.
• Efflorescence on Pavers: what the white haze is and how to get rid of it.
• Should You Seal Pavers?: an honest look at when it’s worth it.
• Can You Use Salt on Pavers?: which ice melt is safe.
• How Long Do Pavers Last?: lifespan by material.
• Can You Pressure Wash Pavers?: PSI, technique and re-sanding the joints.
• Water-Based vs. Solvent-Based Paver Sealer: which type and which finish to pick.

Cost, quotes and hiring

• Why Your Paver Patio Quote Is Higher Than the Online Cost Guides: what the national averages leave out.
• Fixed Price Patio Packages: how they work and what they should include.
• Patio Installation in Central PA: is fall actually better than spring?
• Pavers Contractor: How to Hire the Right One: questions, bids and red flags.
• Patio Contractor: What the Job Includes: from site walk to cleanup.
• How to Estimate a Paver Patio: a contractor’s takeoff, step by step.

Free tools

Get a materials list from our paver calculator and gravel calculator, price a driveway by material with the driveway cost calculator, browse free paver patio plans and patio and walkway size guides, and check your state’s frost line depth and 811 dig laws before you excavate.

Want your patio drawn to scale before you order a pallet? Groundwork online landscape design lays it out with an exact materials list, and online patio design covers patios on their own. In central PA, our crews build it: see paver patios in Lock Haven, hardscaping services, cost guides or get a quote. More topics on the guides page.