As summer settles in, you might be thinking about how nice it would be to have your own patio so you can get out and enjoy the summer weather. Building a patio is definitely a manageable do-it-yourself project that can often be done in a couple of days, as long as you’re prepared to take on some real physical work.

Choosing your surface
Popular patio surface choices for DIY’ers include concrete pavers, bricks, and flagstones. Each of these has unique advantages (and disadvantages) so the choice basically depends on the finished appearance you want for your patio. Additionally, you can find various pattern and layout ideas online.

Concrete pavers are available in a range of sizes from 12″ X 12″ all the way up to 36″ X 36″. They’re relatively thin (about 2″), and since they’re usually square or rectangular, they easily fit together to form a straight-sided patio. However, the larger the paver the more it weighs, and the largest ones can easily weigh 100 pounds or more.

Interlocking bricks are relatively small so they’re easy to handle, but a finished patio could require placing hundreds of individual bricks. Since they’re available in a range of colors, you can create designs or patterns on your patio surface. The major downside to bricks is they require a prepared base at least 12″ deep made up of a layer of gravel, topped by a layer of sand and finished with a layer of stone dust - a lot of work.

Flagstones are thin pieces of natural rock (or concrete made to look like natural rock). They’re irregularly shaped so you need to put the individual pieces together like a jigsaw puzzle to create your patio. It’s virtually impossible to create a square or straight-sided patio using flagstones but they’re ideal for creating a natural looking surface.

Building your patio
No matter which surface you choose, building your patio begins with digging. For pavers and flagstones you need to remove at least 6″ of dirt. Depending on the size of your finished patio, you can do your digging with a shovel or rent a self-propelled digger from a tool rental outlet.

Once the dirt is out, smooth the bottom of the hole using the backside of a yard rake, then pour in about a five-inch layer of sand. The sand needs to be well compacted to provide a stable base for your patio, so renting a compactor is the best and easiest way to do it.

Once the base is ready, lay down your chosen surface and spread more sand on top. Finish your new patio by sweeping the sand into the cracks between the stones then watering the entire surface to hold them in place.

Need to find your patio furniture user’s manual before you set it up on your new patio? Visit the OwnerIQ Library.