Stone aggregate comes in a variety of sizes, but most experts recommend 3/4-inch gravel for paver bases. Crushed stone makes a solid paver base because it allows water drainage and is easy to work with. Like sand, crushed stone comes in several varieties.

Can I use gravel for paver base?

Medium gravel is the most popular choice for a paver base. It compacts well but not as tightly as fine gravel, leaving enough room for water to drain through. Medium gravel is the middle ground in terms of support and drainage, making it ideal for regular or loamy soil with an adequate amount of drainage.

Is paver base the same as gravel?

You can use gravel as a paver base as it performs the same function as paver base itself. While paver base is coarser and locks together more tightly than gravel, they are both used to form a thick layer over your landscape fabric which is then covered with sand that you lay the pavers on.

Do you need gravel under pavers?

The principle to remember is this: your pavers are only as stable as the base they're sitting on. That's why you'll need to lay a substantial gravel base on top of your dirt. ... After you lay gravel, you'll need to spread a smooth layer of concrete sand for your pavers to settle in and stay.

What do you put under pavers?

Sand Bedding

Before laying the pavers, a layer of bedding sand is placed over the compacted base material. This layer provides a bed into which the pavers are set. The sand bedding also helps to protect the sand joints from being eroded away.

How to Set an Exact Paver Base

16 related questions found

How deep should gravel be under pavers?

Paver base depth is determined by the type of stones used and the type of sand or gravel that will be laid under them. Paver thickness is generally about 3- to 3 1/2-inches. Therefore, you need to dig a paver patio base depth of about 9 inches (22.86 cm) to accommodate any kind of paver.

How thick should sand be under pavers?

Paver sand holds the pavers in place and allows you to adjust them. The final paver sand depth needs to be 1 inch and you need to account for sand filtering into the paver base and into the joints between the pavers. Make your calculations using a sand depth of 2 inches or 0.1667 feet.

What is the best base for brick pavers?

The Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute recommends washed concrete sand as the best base sand for pavers. Concrete sand, also known as bedding sand, is coarse and doesn't trap excess moisture beneath the paver surface.

How do you lay pavers in gravel?

Check to make sure the pavers are level and adjust as necessary. Leave gaps between the pavers or flagstone to accommodate the gravel. Spread gravel. Once pavers are in place, spread between 1 and 4 inches of your selected gravel to cover all base rock and surround the pavers.

Do pavers need a sand base?

A walk or patio requires a 4-inch layer of compacted paver base, while a driveway needs a 12-inch layer. ... Some paver manufacturers recommend a 1/2-inch layer of sand when installing their products.

What is Step 1 paver base?

Paver Base Sand Step 1 is a sand used for the bedding base when setting pavers or building retaining walls.

Is paver base the same as Class 5?

In some areas of the county, this paver base is referred to as “Class 5”; in other areas it may be called “crusher rock,” “road bed gravel,” “ABC” or some other name. ... It's important to get the paver base flat since the next step is to install and level an inch of coarse sand, then lay the pavers.

Can I use gravel as a sub base?

If your builder uses the gravel he may find it will dissipate too easily into the ground and will spend more time and money to get the levels needed. I would not advise using the gravel. A well constructed base means your drive will never get sink holes.

What is Type 2 gravel?

This primarily 1″ crushed, washed gravel with a top size of 1-1/2″ is often used for drainage around perforated pipe, under concrete slabs, and as a coarse driveway topping for soft, very muddy driveways.

How thick should I lay gravel?

Gravel 1-1/2” to 2” will need to be 3” deep, and 2” to 4” gravel needs to be 4” deep. This is to provide complete coverage and so you cannot see the landscape fabric (weed-mat) through the gaps in the gravel.

How do you install pavers without a gravel?

Since there is no gravel base, it's important to use a plate compactor to tamp down the soil before covering it with landscape fabric and a layer of sand. The sand layer must be screeded to provide a flat, properly sloped surface for the paver base panels. Lay the paver base panels over the sand bed.

How do I stop my pavers from sinking?

Compacting causes the stones to form a tight bond with the bedding layer, which reduces the chance of your pavers sinking again. Sweep joint sand into the joints between the pavers. Do this by pouring a pile of sand on your hardscape and sweep it over the stones until your joints can't hold any more sand.

How do I figure out how much paver base I need?

Multiply the square footage of the project area by 0.01235. The result is the amount of crushed rocks you'll need in cubic yards. This will give you a 4-inch crushed rock base, which is the standard depth for a base when installing pavers.

Can you lay pavers directly on dirt?

Typically, it is not recommended to directly lay down pavers over dirt. For pavers to look and perform well in a permanent installation setting, the ground/dirt floor must be excavated, leveled, and hard compacted.

What kind of sand do you use for pavers?

The Proper Sand

The correct sand for laying a base under concrete pavers is concrete sand. Concrete sand is extremely course so it can be compacted uniformly and allows for adequate water drainage.

How many inches of sand and gravel do I need for pavers?

There is no absolute rule to determine how required depth, however recommendations vary by use. The guidelines are 4 to 6 inches for pedestrian walkways and 8 to 12 inches for driveways. Local soil conditions also impact depth needs.

What to put under pavers to prevent weeds?

Polymeric sand can help prevent weeds with pavers.

Can I use 20mm gravel as a sub-base?

0-20mm ballast is perfect for sub-base and concrete foundations. 20mm screened ballast is versatile and can be used on driveways, footpaths, oversite fill as well as sub-bases.

Can I use old gravel as hardcore?

Gravel can be used for the manufacture of concrete, as well as for mixing with asphalt as part of road construction. ... It may also be used on its own to form a temporary road surface on construction sites. Gravel can be used to make up a hardcore level.