There’s nothing like the feeling of doing something yourself, and with our easy how-to guide to paving (and a little bit of elbow grease), you’ll be on the path to DIY paving pride in no time.

 

First things first. What kind of paver?

If you want a paver that’s low-maintenance, long-lasting and doesn’t stain easily, a stone paver is your best bet. For the budget-conscious, concrete pavers are a great alternative.

Also keep in mind the type of paving pattern you’d like. Certain patterns may require more cutting, therefore taking more time and costing more.

As with anything in the home and garden, it’s all about personal style - so pick what you think will look best in your space.

 

Preparation

The preparation is the most important part of laying your pavers. Get this part wrong and chances are your paving will look lumpy and uneven.

Preparing the ground

  1. Set up the area you want to pave.
  1. To ensure your pavers are laid straight, run a string line along the edge of your paving area. This can be done by hammering a peg into the ground and tying a string around it.
  1. Begin by adding a layer of road base gravel 100mm thick. Using a rake, spread it out evenly.
  1. On top of the road base layer, add a layer of river sand to a thickness of 25 to 30mm. Screed level the sand with a screed rail to ensure your base is perfectly level – this will stop your pavers from wobbling.
  1. Lay your pavers down and secure by tapping each paver with a rubber mallet. Use a spirit level to make sure they’re even (hopefully you’ve done your preparation, so your pavers will lay evenly). Check each paving course (row) with a string line to ensure all paving lines are straight.
  1. Once you’ve laid out all your pavers, use a broom to sweep gap sand into the pavers to set them.
  1. If any border of your paved area isn’t against a wall, you’ll need to use mortar haunch (which is a mix of sand and cement) to make sure there is no movement of the tiles.
  1. Wait at least 24 hours for the pavers to set before enjoying your brand new paving area.

If you need more advice on DIY paving, speak to our helpful Landscape Managers in-store. All the materials mentioned in this article are available at your local Flower Power Garden Centre.

A man scraping mortar into a gap between two tiles. His shoes are covered in mortar.

Paving is definitely a job you can do yourself and achieve great-looking results!

 

What you need

Tools

  • wheelbarrow
  • shovel
  • string lines
  • trowels
  • spirit level
  • rubber mallet
  • screed rail
  • broom
  • brick saw (if cuts required)

Materials

Not brave enough to pave yourself? Let our Flower Power services team do it for you. Learn more.