- 1). Mark the area that will house the patio with marking paint on the ground. Hammer stakes into the corners and stretch a string along the edges to draw a straight line; use a framing square on the corners to get a 90-degree angle.
- 2). Dig out the area to a depth of 2 inches for an elevated patio or 5 inches for a patio flush with the surface of the ground. Tamp the ground flat with a hand tamper or a mechanical tamper.
- 3). Pour 2 inches of crushed rock on the ground within the area to house the pavers. Tamp the rock flat. Measure the level of the surface of the rock to obtain a slight downward angle away from any building or structure for drainage.
- 4). Hold a string nearest the building and stretch it to the end of the patio area. Level the string. A proper decline should drop 1 inch for every 20 feet, which means the end of the rock should be approximately 1 inch lower than the string which is flush with the rock closest to the building if your patio is 20 feet wide. Adjust the depth of the rock as necessary and tamp the area flat a second time.
- 5). Lay out the pavers in the desired pattern starting closest to the building. Place a level on top of the pavers as you lay them out to verify that the blocks are level. Tap the pavers to the desired angles using a mallet. Press the edges of each paver tightly together with as little gap as possible.
- 6). Measure and cut any curved or partial pavers necessary to complete your desired design with a wet masonry saw. Cut the pavers as you install them so that you can measure the pavers precisely.
- 7). Stretch a hard plastic border, available from most hardware stores, around the pavers so that the border sits on the ground pressed tightly against the edge of the patio. Hammer ground stakes through the holes in the plastic border to lock it into place. The border will be covered by the growth of grass around the patio area.
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