Gather your supplies
- Road base
- Paving sand
- Set-out paint
- Wheelbarrow
- Shovel
- Levelling rake
- Tape measure
- Hose
- Plate compactor (hired)
- Screed rails
- Spirit level
How to prepare a good base for laying outdoor pavers
Step 1 Measure area to be paved, then mark edges using set-out paint to give you a guide.
Step 2 Use wheelbarrow to lay out road base in a series of mounds (this makes it easier to spread evenly over the whole area).
Step 3 Spread out road base roughly with shovel, then level with levelling rake. Use tape measure to gauge a depth of about 70mm
Step 4 Damp down road base using hose then, using plate compactor, compact base to reduce its depth by about 10mm
Step 5 Lay out paving sand over road base, again in a series of mounds to facilitate even spreading.
Step 6 Level sand with rake to leave a layer 20-30mm thick.
Step 7 Lay screed rails on eitherside of sand bed, so their surface sits at finished level you are after. Tip, poly tubing and lengths of timber make ideal screed rails
Step 8 Level sand layer using screed and spirit level. Be sure to work backwards so you don’t disturb the finished surface.
