Building a Stable Base: Step by Step

You’ve picked out the right gravel – awesome! Now it’s time to get it in the ground the right way. Preparing the base is arguably the most important part of your DIY paver project. Take your time on this part and you’ll be rewarded with a patio that stays flat and firm. Here’s a straightforward step-by-step guide to building a base that won’t sink:

1. Excavate the Area: Mark out the patio area and dig down to the required depth. For a typical patio, you’ll want to excavate about 6–8 inches below the finished patio surface. This depth allows room for 4–6 inches of gravel plus about an inch of sand and the thickness of your pavers. (If you live in a frost-prone area or have very spongy soil, err on the deeper side – you might go 8+ inches of base.) Make sure to remove all grass, roots, and topsoil. You should be digging into the more compact subsoil. Pro tip: Slope the bottom of your excavation slightly away from your house or any structures (about a 1/4 inch drop per foot) to encourage drainage.
2. Prepare the Sub-Base (Optional but Wise): If your native soil is clay or prone to waterlogging, it helps to lay down a geotextile fabric in the excavated area before adding gravel. This breathable landscape fabric keeps your gravel from mixing with the soil and prevents the soil from pumping up into your base over time. It’s like a separation layer. It also helps stop weeds. While not everyone does this, at The Investment Properties we often install a fabric under the base, especially in wet or clayey sites – it’s cheap insurance for a long-lasting patio.
3. Lay Gravel in Layers: Don’t throw all your gravel in at once. Add the crushed gravel base in layers of about 2–3 inches at a time. After spreading each layer, compact it thoroughly. You can use a hand tamper for very small areas, but for anything of decent size, renting a plate compactor for a few hours is well worth it. Run the compactor over the gravel until it’s well packed and doesn’t significantly shift underfoot. Then add the next layer of gravel and repeat. By the final layer, you should have a solid 4–6 inch thick compacted stone base. As you go, sprinkle a little water on the gravel before compacting – this can help the fines settle in and reduce dust. Take your time with this process; proper compaction is what gives the patio its strength. (Your arms might feel like Jell-O after tampering by hand, but keep at it!)
4. Grade and Slope the Base: On the top layer of your compacted gravel, make sure you have a smooth, even surface that’s roughly level but with a slight slope for drainage. Use a long straightedge (like a 2x4 board) and a level to check the grade. The base should mimic the intended slope of the finished patio – generally dropping 1/8 to 1/4 inch per foot, away from your house or pool. This prevents water from pooling on the patio. It’s much easier to correct any high or low spots in the gravel base now than once the pavers are on. So adjust as needed, adding or removing gravel and re-compacting those spots until you’re satisfied. The top of the gravel base should be uniform, solid, and shaped the way you want your patio to drain.
5. Bedding Layer: With the heavy lifting done on the gravel, now add about 1 inch of bedding sand on top. This is a coarse sand (often called concrete sand) that will help you level the pavers and settle them in nice and tight. Spread the sand and use a straight board to screed it flat to exactly 1 inch thick. Do not compact the sand layer – it should be slightly loose to nestle the pavers into. (Also, avoid using stone dust or ultra-fine sand here; those can prevent proper drainage. Stick to coarse sand.) After screeding, you’re ready to lay your pavers on this smooth sand bed.
6. Install Pavers and Edging: Place your pavers in the pattern you like, fitting them snugly together on the sand. As you go, be careful not to disturb the sand bed too much. Once all pavers are laid, add solid edge restraints around the patio if you haven’t already. Secure edging tightly against the paver borders (spike it into the ground). This will keep everything locked in place horizontally. Finally, sweep polymeric sand or regular sand into the joints between pavers to lock them and help prevent weeds. If using polymeric, mist it with water to activate the binder. Now give the patio one last pass with the plate compactor on top of the pavers (if they are concrete/block pavers) to set them firmly into the bedding. Fill any remaining joints with sand as needed. Voila – your patio is built on a rock-solid base!

By following these steps, you’ll have a base that can withstand seasons of weather and loads of foot traffic without sinking. To wrap up this section, let’s highlight a few common mistakes you definitely want to avoid when doing your base prep:

• Skipping Compaction: Simply dumping gravel and not compacting it in layers is a recipe for future sinking. Always tamp down each layer thoroughly. Loose fill today means a bumpy patio tomorrow.
• Using the Wrong Gravel: As discussed, don’t use pea gravel, uncrushed stone, or only sand for the base. These won’t lock together and will lead to shifts. Stick to 1/2"–3/4" crushed rock with fines for best results.
• Shallow Base Thickness: Don’t be stingy on base depth. Less than 4 inches of gravel base is generally asking for trouble, unless you’re in an extremely mild climate with perfect soil. Standard patios need about 4–6 inches; driveways even more. When in doubt, a little extra gravel depth is better than too little.
• Improper Slope: Make sure you graded the base to have a slight slope. A level base might seem ideal, but you actually want that tiny angle so water doesn’t puddle. Patios that aren’t pitched correctly can collect water, which then seeps into the base and undermines it.
• No Edge Restraint: Even a well-compacted base can start to spread at the edges over time if you don’t restrain it. Always install edging around the patio perimeter. It keeps your gravel and sand snug under the pavers, so nothing can slip outward when weight is applied.

Avoiding these pitfalls will put you way ahead of the game. Your patio will remain flat and safe, and you won’t have to embark on a repair mission every spring. Now that we’ve covered the essentials of a strong base, let’s talk about a specific scenario where you absolutely don’t want anything sinking: around a swimming pool.

Pavers Around a Pool: Special Considerations

If you’re installing pavers around a pool, you’ll want to be extra careful with your base preparation. A pool patio (often called a pool deck) faces the same challenges as any patio – and then some:

Water, Water Everywhere: Pool areas get splashed constantly, so the ground nearby will see a lot more moisture. Ensuring excellent drainage under a poolside patio is critical. Follow the same base building steps above, but be meticulous about slope. The patio should slope away from the pool (and ideally toward yard drains or a lower part of the yard) so that splashed water doesn’t just soak in around the pool. Water that seeps down must have somewhere to go; otherwise, it can accumulate and destabilize the base. In practice, this means setting your base slope slightly away from the pool edge all around. Even a 1/8 inch per foot pitch can make a difference in keeping the water moving outward.

Recently Installed Pools: One thing we often caution homeowners about is the backfill around a newly installed in-ground pool. When a pool is built, the construction crew digs a big hole and later fills the gap around the pool shell with soil, sand, or gravel. They’ll compact it, but usually they can’t compact it 100% (to avoid damaging the pool walls). That backfilled ground will settle over the course of months or even years. If you immediately build a paver patio on it, you might see sections sinking as the fill compresses. To avoid this, make sure the backfill has had time to settle and/or compact it in layers as much as safely possible. You could even over-build the base in such areas: use a bit more gravel depth and compact the heck out of each layer. This reduces the risk of future voids forming under your pavers.

Extra Base Thickness: Speaking of base depth, around a pool it doesn’t hurt to go on the thicker side. While a normal patio might have 4 inches of base, you might do 6 or even 8 inches of compacted gravel for a pool deck, especially if the soil was recently disturbed. This creates a more sturdy platform over any unpredictable ground. It’s cheap insurance against settling – gravel is much easier to add at installation than to fix a sunken area later when pool plumbing and other considerations are in the way.

Mind the Edges: If your pool has a concrete or stone coping (the cap around the edge of the pool), you’ll be laying pavers right up to it. It’s essential that the base under the pavers at this junction is well compacted and level so that the pavers sit flush with the coping and don’t wobble. Often, professional installers will pour a small concrete collar or use extra crush and run gravel right up against the pool structure to ensure nothing shifts there. As a DIYer, just pay close attention to packing gravel firmly along the pool’s edge and use edge restraints on the outer perimeter of your pool patio as usual.

Use Polymeric Sand for Joints: Around pools, weeds popping up or sand washing out from between pavers can be a nuisance (no one wants sandy pool water or vegetation in cracks). Using polymeric joint sand – which hardens slightly when wetted – can help lock the pavers together and minimize sand loss into both the pool and the base below. It’s not a must, but it’s a nice touch for longevity and low maintenance, especially in a splash zone.

Pro Tip: When installing pavers around a pool, there are special considerations to keep in mind to ensure both durability and safety. As Desert Tropics Pool Builders advises, 'Pavers around a pool should be made from non-slip materials, especially in high-moisture areas, to reduce the risk of accidents. Using a thicker paver with proper base material, like compacted gravel, can also prevent shifting and ensure the surface stays level over time. While the homeowner typically pays for the installation, investing in quality pavers and a solid foundation can extend the life of the pool area and minimize costly repairs down the line.'

In short, pavers around a pool should be installed just like any other patio, but with a keen eye on water and soil stability. If you take the time to create a drainage-friendly, well-compacted gravel base, your pool deck will stay level and safe. That means fewer tripping hazards and no worrying about someone stubbing a toe on a raised edge of a sunken paver. Instead, you can focus on enjoying pool parties and lounging in the sun!

Rock-Solid Relaxation Awaits

At the end of the day, a patio is meant to be enjoyed – a place to kick back, entertain, and make the most of your outdoor space. The last thing you want is to be out there repositioning pavers or worrying about new trip hazards every season. By understanding the importance of gravel size and proper base preparation, you’ve essentially cracked the code to building a patio that stands the test of time. It’s pretty empowering, isn’t it? A little extra effort beneath the surface – choosing the right crushed stone, laying it correctly, and taking care around tricky areas like pools – pays off with a patio that stays as level as the day you finished it.

No more unexpected dips or wobbles; no more puddles forming in low spots. Just a smooth, sturdy surface for your grill, patio furniture, and family fun. Whether you’re a weekend DIY warrior or someone with a budding interest in home improvement, these fundamentals are your key to success. Remember, even if you’re tempted to rush to the “exciting” part of laying pavers in a pretty pattern, the magic really happens in that gravel layer underneath. Get that part right, and you can truly set it and forget it.

So here’s to building on solid ground! With the knowledge you’ve gained, you can avoid the common mistakes that lead to sinking patios. Instead, you’ll create an outdoor haven that’s relaxing for you and impressively resilient against Mother Nature’s challenges. Pour yourself a nice cold drink, pull up a chair on your (now rock-solid) patio, and enjoy the satisfaction of a job well done. Your patio’s not going anywhere – and that’s the whole point. Happy building and even happier relaxing!

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