What Happens If You Don't Put Gravel Under Pavers? Drainage can really make or break an area where pavers are installed. If you have a paver patio, for example, without gravel or an alternative drainage system in place, water can roll back on it, causing damaging erosion.
As the saying goes; "If you're going to do something, do it right the first time." A GRAVEL BASE LAYER BEFORE SAND IS A MUST! Using sand alone to set pavers is not enough. The best and recommended paver base is 3/8-inch crushed gravel.
Whilst it is technically possible to lay pavers on bare, unprepared ground, this practice is not recommended as the ground will shift over time, causing the pavers to develop a sunken look, or even crack.
So in short, installing a paver base is crucial to get an even, flat surface that is easy to walk on and will last for years. There are several ways to install a paver. Depending on the soil conditions and terrain, you can choose the base.
Without sand, the pavers are likely to shift and sink over time, resulting in an uneven and messy surface.
Laying pavers on sand base follows the same steps as laying them on soil base, but you'll be adding a layer of coarse sand, road base, or polymeric sand first. Rake the sand to even it out and use a plate compactor to make your sand base solid so you have a firm, stable base.
Sand Bedding
Before laying the pavers, a layer of bedding sand is placed over the compacted base material. This layer provides a bed into which the pavers are set.
Paver base is a crushed gravel mixture that often provides a solid foundation for interlocking pavers. However, this mixture needs no other building materials and works well on its own as an outdoor surface.
The paver bed is usually made of sand, 1/4″-10 crushed gravel, or synthetic material, and is the topmost paver support layer keeping pavers in place.
Porcelain pavers can be laid directly over existing grass or lawn as 'stepping stones' or to create a pathway, but for better stability of the pavers, the grass beneath the pavers should first be removed, together with a shallow layer of the topsoil.
Should a patio be level with the grass? Your patio should be at least level, but generally between . 5″ and 1.5″ above grade. This provides adequate distance so that creeping grasses will not crawl onto your patio and dirt will not wash onto your patio during heavy rains or foot traffic.
The pavers lie on a 5 1/2 -inch bed of sand and gravel. The bottom 4 inches is gravel to provide drainage. The top 1 1/2 inches is bedding sand that helps hold the pavers in place once they're compacted into it. Finer sand, sprinkled between the pavers, keeps them from shifting.
We suggest using 3/4″ gravel for the base. This can be either 3/4″ crushed stone or a 3/4″ recycled concrete product. Both products allow for adequate compaction and drainage—compact your gravel base with a vibrating plate compactor.
The short answer is yes, you can. But there are a few things you need to consider and prepare before starting the job. We've put together a guide on paving slabs: where can you lay paving slabs, how do you need to prepare the ground, as well as practical advice on installation.
Since there is no gravel base, it's important to use a plate compactor to tamp down the soil before covering it with landscape fabric and a layer of sand. The sand layer must be screeded to provide a flat, properly sloped surface for the paver base panels. Lay the paver base panels over the sand bed.
Just like all other construction installations, you also need a base for pavers if you want them to not move from their place. Sand is ideal for this purpose as it forms the perfect base. You need to make sure that you only use high-quality sand for creating a base under the pavers.
In case of bad weather, you will again face two options: If there is a huge downpour, it's best to postpone the process. Sand will surely get wet and wash out of the joints, so it is best to reschedule and start from the beginning. If there is light rain, you'll most likely have nothing to worry about.
Paver base is a form of aggregate used in the construction of patios and walkways whose topmost layer consists of mortarless (or "dry-laid") pavers. The first layer in the construction of such a surface is called the subgrade—this is the layer of native material underneath the intended surface.
Standing water weakens pavers, leading to chips, cracks, and even erosion. During colder weather, water that gets into these cracks and crevices can freeze, causing cracks to expand and worsen. To prevent pavers holding water, you want to invest in draining the pavers.
Believe it or not, properly installed pavers are more structurally sound than concrete, and they can withstand much more weight and wear than blacktop. The traditional base for a paver patio is 4–6” of compacted gravel above your dirt.
Estimating the Paver Sand
The final paver sand depth needs to be 1 inch and you need to account for sand filtering into the paver base and into the joints between the pavers. Make your calculations using a sand depth of 2 inches or 0.1667 feet.
Before you begin laying pavers, prepare the ground. Ensure you have a root and rubble free compatible sand sub-base of at least 50mm thick. The sub-base should be roughly levelled and damped down before tamping down firmly with a hand or mechanical compactor.