![]() You’ll want that measurement to be consistent across the entire patio. Grab your measuring tape and measure from the string down to the ground where you’ve dug. You’ll also want to use the string to make sure the area you’re digging for the patio out is level.You can also use spray paint to mark the ground! If you follow along the straight line of the string, you’ll be sure to end up with perfect lines and square corners. Use the string as a guideline for where you should dig the edges of the patio.This is a perfectly fine order to work in too, if you find that easier! Here’s a quick rundown of how you’ll use the string border you’ve put up: We didn’t want to work around it (I’m clumsy and kept kicking it), so we dug out the main area, then added the string to get the edges and determine the spots where we needed to dig deeper. You may notice that we hadn’t placed the string yet in the above photo. Just put on a good podcast, tune out the world, and keep on digging. The digging is definitely the most back-breaking part of the entire process, and you’ll want to quit at least a hundred times. BUT, since our area almost never freezes, our soil drains really well, and this patio will only see light use, we felt good about doing the sand only. I absolutely do not recommend this if you’re doing a full paver patio (so, no pavers), if you live in an area that gets hard freezes regularly, or if this will be the main patio in your yard and therefore see a ton of traffic. Depending on the area you live in and how much use your patio will get, you may be able to skip it as well. Here’s a quick note: You’ll note I skipped adding paver base. To determine the depth, take the height of your pavers (ours are 2″), and add 1-2 inches for sand PLUS about 3 inches of paver base (a mixture of crushed rock that is used to improve drainage). This helps ensure no weeds or grass will poke through your patio! You’ll need to get all the way down to the dirt. Now, you’ll need to remove all of the grass from the area. Once you have the patio space marked off, you’re ready for the hard part: digging. This will help you level out the middle of the patio (I’ll detail that in a second). Once you’ve framed out all four sides, add a line of string going diagonally across both sets of corners. Use the line level to make sure the strings are placed evenly. Place a stake at each corner, then tie the string to the stakes to create an outline. Once you’ve determined the sizing, use your stakes and string to frame out the area where you want the patio to be. We had this perfect area next to our shed where grass never grew, and we knew if we put a patio there it would make this corner of our yard usable again. Your first step is to figure out where you want to place your patio and exactly how large you want it to be. Wanna watch the whole thing come together? I put together a compilation of all of the videos from this project that I shared on my Instagram stories. ![]() ![]() This is a much more reasonably-priced alternative!Īre you convinced? Good. Other hardscaping materials like flagstone or brick can be really expensive. ![]() Pea gravel gives a really classic look that won’t ever go out of style.It’s a particularly great choice if you have a lot of freeze and thaw cycles in your area, because it won’t crack over time! Having no labor costs makes me happy, you know? I love DIY projects, so anything I can tackle on my own is a win. Pea gravel is easy to install, and doesn’t require a professional.They have a really pretty natural range of colors and sizes, and look great in any environment. Pea gravel is a substrate of small rocks that have been formed by natural weathering.Let’s start with the most obvious question: why did I choose a pea gravel patio? Lots of reasons. ![]()
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