Patio Planning Kit (printable)
Plan your patio before you call anyone.
Size it, measure it, sketch it and know what goes under it. From a hardscape company in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania that builds patios every week.
- Size it for how you’ll use it
- Measure the yard in 20 minutes
- Sketch it on the graph sheet
- What goes under a paver patio
- Compare quotes line by line
- Eight questions to ask before you hire
Muthler Landscaping & Construction · muthlerlandscaping.com
Print it, or fill it in on a tablet.
Size it for how you’ll use it
Start with the furniture, then add room to pull chairs out and walk around, about 3 feet past the table on every side you’ll use. A patio that’s too small is the most common regret we hear.
| How you’ll use it | What goes on it | Size to start from |
|---|---|---|
| Coffee for two | 2 chairs and a side table | 10×10 to 10×12 |
| Dinner for four | 42–48 in round table, 4 chairs | 12×12 |
| Dinner for six | 6 ft table, 6 chairs | 12×16 |
| Table and a grill | 6 ft table plus a grill with room around it | 14×16 |
| Dining and lounge | Table for six plus a sectional | 16×20 to 20×20 |
| Fire pit circle | 36–44 in fire pit, 4 to 6 chairs | 16 ft circle; 20 ft for more chairs |
Sizes in feet: the first number runs along the house, the second runs out into the yard.
Spray-paint the outline on the lawn and set your real table and chairs inside it for a day. Walk around it, pull the chairs out, carry a tray from the door. If it feels tight now, it will feel tighter with a grill and guests.
Keep the area in front of every door clear, and if the patio sits below the door, plan the landing and steps as part of the patio, not after it.
Measure the yard in 20 minutes
You need a 100 ft tape, a few stakes or a can of marking paint, string, a line level and your phone.
- Mark the corners. Put stakes or paint where you think the patio’s corners go.
- Measure two numbers. The length along the house, then straight out from it.
- Check the slope. Run a string from the house to the far stake, level it with the line level and measure from the string down to the ground. A patio needs about 2½ in of fall for every 10 ft away from the house.
- Note what’s in the way. Downspouts, window wells, the AC unit, gas and electric meters, hose bibs, trees.
- Measure the door. From the bottom of the door threshold down to the ground. It sets how high the patio can sit.
- Take photos. From the house looking out, from the yard looking back, and each corner with the stakes in the shot.
- Call 811 before anyone digs. It’s free and marks buried gas, power and water lines. Notice rules vary by state, so call a few business days ahead.
Sketch it here
One square is one foot. Draw the house wall along the top, then the patio, doors, steps and anything in the way.
What goes under a paver patio
Most paver failures are base failures. This is the build-up we use on our own patios.
| Item | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pavers to order | 107 sq ft | 7% extra for cuts and breakage; more for curves and circles |
| Base: 2A modified (crusher run) | 3.1 tons | 6 in, placed and compacted in 2 to 3 lifts |
| Bedding sand (concrete sand) | 0.5 ton | 1 in, screeded flat, not compacted before the pavers go down |
| Polymeric joint sand | 2 bags (50 lb) | about 60 sq ft per bag on standard joints |
| Filter fabric | 115 sq ft | under the base, overlapped at the seams |
| Soil dug out | 3.8 cu yd | about 9 in deep; dug soil fluffs up, so plan the pile or the haul |
Quantities round up. Stone is sold by the ton; ask your yard for 2A modified or crusher run for the base and concrete sand for bedding. For your exact size: muthlerlandscaping.com/tools/paver-calculator
Compare quotes line by line
Two quotes for the same patio can be thousands apart because of what’s under it. Ask each contractor to fill in these lines so you’re comparing the same job.
| Contractor A | Contractor B | Contractor C | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patio size (sq ft) | |||
| Paver brand and style | |||
| Base depth and stone | |||
| Compacted in lifts? | |||
| Fabric under the base? | |||
| Edge restraint | |||
| Joint sand | |||
| Slope away from the house | |||
| Demolition and haul-away included? | |||
| Lawn repair and cleanup | |||
| Who calls 811 and pulls permits | |||
| Insurance certificate given? | |||
| Warranty | |||
| Deposit and payment schedule | |||
| Start date | |||
| Price |
Eight questions to ask before you hire
- How deep is the base, and what stone?For a patio you want about 6 in of compacted crushed stone such as 2A modified. Driveways need more.
- Do you compact it in layers?Base stone should go down in 2 to 3 lifts, each one compacted with a plate compactor.
- What holds the edges?Edge restraint spiked about every 12 in keeps the outside rows from creeping.
- Where does the water go?The patio should fall about ¼ in per foot away from the house, toward somewhere water can drain.
- Who handles 811 and permits?Buried lines get marked before digging, and some towns need a permit or HOA approval.
- Are you insured, and can I see it?Ask for the certificate, not just a yes.
- What does the warranty cover?Settling, joint sand and workmanship, and for how long.
- Can I see one you built three years ago?New work always looks good. Old work shows how it was built.
Send photos and measurements and we’ll draw a plan for your exact space: a scaled drawing, a material list and plants for your zone. Single Space plans start at $349.
muthlerlandscaping.com/online-landscape-design