DIY Patio Installation (Part 1)

Recently, I finished installing a patio off the deck in my backyard. It was definitely a learning experience, but also an achievement. If you ever want to install a patio yourself, know that there's a lot to think about before you begin.

The first step is planning. This might seem like a no-brainer, but there's a lot to consider. Up front, you need to know what your budget will be. Then, after you come up with a dollar amount, you should probably add a couple of hundred bucks to that number to account for hidden costs. And they will come up. Trust me.

You're going to want to look into patio blocks and stone catalogs. Check out some companies to buy stones from, too. The best place to do this is at home and garden shows, but there's always the Internet. The color, shape, and type of stone will vary and with that variation the cost fluctuates, too.

For example, I had my heart set on this one type of stone because of its color and pattern. But after getting an initial estimate, I learned that the cost was nearly four times my budget. In case you're wondering, the budget for my patio was $1500 (USD). After all was said and done, however, the project cost me about $1800.

After visiting more stores and considering more options, I found some stones that I really liked for a thousand dollars. You're going to need to have a pattern and a border (if you choose to have one) in mind before you can even get an estimate. You'll also need to know the size and pattern of the patio. You do this so the company knows how many stones of each type to order for you.

When planning your patio, you'll also want to consider some other things about your budget. For example, you'll need to order crushed stone, sand, fine sand, weed prevention cloth, plastic nails, and plastic border to hold the stones in place. You'll also need a tamping machine for the crushed stone, sand, and patio stones.

Plan for problems because you can be sure they will happen. For me, the biggest one was being at the mercy of the weather gods. It took me a long time to finish the patio because it rained so much this summer. Another problem I faced was when the supplier made a mistake and gave me too much of one type of stone for the pattern, but not enough of another type of stone. So, I had to go out and order a couple of strips of that.

A third problem you might face is that some gravel companies require a minimum amount for deliveries. So, I ended up with a lot of leftover crushed stone and sand. Luckily for me, someone needed the extra material, which meant that I didn't have a problem getting rid of the extras. Finally, I also had to go to the store and grab five bags of stone dust to apply on top of the sand. This gave the right heights for the stones to be level.

Editor's Note: Click here to read Part 2 of this two-part series. View the photo album.