Patio Paver -Installation Guide
If you want to expand your indoor rooms to the great outdoors, where you can enjoy space to dine, entertain, or just relax, consider installing a patio. Anyone can install a patio, but because there is lifting, hauling, digging and cutting involved, it is important to wear work gloves, knee pads, a back support belt, safety glasses and ear plugs, as well as to practice proper lifting techniques.
Designing and installing your own patio can be completed in four steps:
- Patio Paver Installation
- Site Analysis and Preparation
- Project Estimation
- Layout and Installation
1. Determine the area to be paved and how much material will be needed. Choose the patio paver shape and pattern. Prior to selecting materials, consider whether you want to use permeable pavers or a basic patio paver.
2. Have utilities marked and excavate the area being paved. The heavier the surface load means the deeper the base excavation. Be sure you have plans for relocating the soil and sod. Compact exposed base area.
3. Install geo-textile and base aggregates. Turn cloth up at sides of base. Place aggregates over cloth to required depth and compact to 95% solid. Set posts and stringlines for final base grades and finished patio paver elevations.
4. Install C-33 concrete bedding sand and screed smooth for setting the patio paver or permeable pavers to finished elevation. Allow ¼” high for patio paver setting during placement.
5. Place each patio paver or permeable paver on the screeded sand setting bed. Use stringlines to keep the pattern straight. Set hand-tight joints. Cut a patio paver in certain areas as needed to complete the pattern.
6. Set plastic edging tight against all exposed patio paver edges. Spike firmly every 24” for walkways and 12” for driveways and curves. Edging works best if set on aggregate base after trimming the sand setting bed flush with the outside edges of pavers.
7. Sweep dry C-33 concrete sand or other selected joint material into all joints and compact to complete the interlock process. Refill to desired level after early weathering. Sweep up, clean up and enjoy your new patio paver or permeable paver installation.
NOTE: Eagle Bay pavers with dimpled or textured surfaces – EpicStone, GrandCay, CircleStone, SF Rima, CottageStone, and Essex Stone – have high and low points on the surface which lend a more naturally aesthetic appeal to the pavers. However, pavers with textured surfaces are susceptible to surface scuffing when being compacted in place with plate compactors. Therefore, these paver types should always be compacted with plate compactors that incorporate a protective mat or other medium between the plate compactor and the surface of Eagle Bay pavers. This system will help to ensure that paver surface scuffing is kept to a minimum. These protective mediums include: rubber matting, thin carpet, Mirafi 500X, or cardboard. Manufacturers of plate compactors are able to recommend other products that can be used for this purpose. For further information on interlocking concrete paver details, technical information, and recommended construction practices, visit ICPI (Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute) at www.icpi.org.
Efflorescence is a whitish powder-like deposit which can appear on the surface of concrete pavers. When cement hydrates, a significant amount of calcium hydroxide is formed. A reaction occurs between the calcium hydroxide and carbon dioxide (from the air) to form water insoluble calcium carbonate, then called efflorescence.
Efflorescence does not affect the structural performance or durability of concrete pavers. Eagle Bay includes admixtures in their concrete pavers to help minimize efflorescence, but efflorescence is a natural occurrence in all concrete products. Eagle Bay does not warranty concrete pavers that it manufacturers against the appearance of efflorescence. Efflorescence may appear immediately or within months following installation. It may remain for months and some of it may wear away. Deposits may be removed from the concrete paver surface by using proprietary efflorescence removers. Before purchasing or applying any chemical to remove deposits, please consult with a chemical company which specializes in efflorescence removal chemicals.
