If you’re preparing to create a great new patio area made out of pavers, there are a few things you need to do before you start. Once you have the pavers, you may want to jump right in and start laying them. The faster you get them laid, after all, the sooner you can enjoy your new outdoor space. Doing that, though, may cause you some problems later. Here are a few things you need to plan out before you begin laying pavers.
Know the Space
Where exactly are you creating your patio? How wide and how long will it be? You can’t accurately purchase the number of pavers you need until you’ve measured off the exact size of the patio. You need know where exactly your patio will begin and end. Otherwise, you may discover that you either don’t have enough pavers or have more than you needed.
Knowing where you’re going to put in the patio also means you’ll know if you need to level any parts of your backyard. Your patio needs to be level so that all of the pavers will sit up against each other and no weeds can grow up between them. If the patio space isn’t level, you may have to stop off and on while laying pavers to smooth the area out. It’s much easier to level the entire area first.
Have Your Design Planned Out
Are you going to do the edge of your patio in a different paver color? Are you going to put up short retaining walls around the area? Do you want to build in a fire pit, raised flower bed, cooking area, or outdoor fireplace? Having all of this planned out before you start installing your patio will ensure that everything has the room it needs. Otherwise, you may put down all your pavers only to realize that you don’t really have room for a fire pit or that your outdoor kitchen simply can’t be configured like you want.
Find Buried Utility Cables and Pipes
Finally, planning out your patio also means that you can have your utility companies mark off where any buried pipes, wiring, and other cables run. The last thing you want to do is start leveling out an area and discover that you’ve unearthed your water lines or have cut a buried electrical wire.
Need some help planning out your patio or finding the right pavers? Island Block & Masonry Supply has everything you might need. Contact us today to discuss your plans.
