This blog post will assist you in ensuring that your new patio is built on solid, level bases.
You may also utilize gravel as a paver base since it serves the same purpose as paver base. While gravel is coarser and binds more firmly than paver base, they are both utilized to build a substantial layer on top of your landscape cloth, which is then covered with sand.
Is Paver Base The Same as Gravel?
In a nutshell, yes it is. Paver base, on the other hand, isn’t the aesthetically beautiful gravel you use for your driveway or pot plants. It’s a coarser aggregate composed mostly of local rock (coarse gravel is made from whatever rock is readily available).
It’s sort of like a rock garden. It’s also known as road-bed gravel, or sometimes crusher rock. The size of the largest pieces (in inches) is referred to as “¾ minus gravel,” although you may get bigger 1 ¼ inch gravel if desired.
Obviously, a rough-looking stone will be less expensive than decorative gravel. However, one of its biggest advantages is that it is unfinished. The sharp edges and odd shapes combine to form a stable foundation (smooth gravel won’t).
You may also choose between reclaimed gravel, which is a cost-effective and environmentally beneficial alternative, often produced from crushed-up used concrete. Another option to paver base gravel is builders’ sand.
Some home contractors claim that you don’t need to put gravel under pavers, and for simple projects, you may simply lay them straight on the ground. This sounds like a high-risk endeavor to us: how can you be sure the ground will stay firm and level?
Before laying the slabs, you should use a gravel paver base. You may be jeopardizing your ground’s natural drainage patterns (or lack thereof) if you don’t use gravel.
What Size Gravel Should I Use?
Paver base gravel comes in three sizes: fine, medium, and coarse. The type of gravel you use depends on the project you’re working on; for example, a fire pit will require something different from your driveway.
Gravel with a fine grain is ideal for builders’ sand because it’s near to it and has sandy or well-drained soil. It compresses into a solid foundation, so we don’t recommend it unless you already have excellent drainage since it drains poorly.
It’s only suitable for less intensive usage: it’s perfect for use in the home garden (under your fire pit, barbecue, or garden furniture, for example), but it’s not appropriate for driveways or parking lots. The pebbles should be about ⅜ of an inch thick.
Sand makes a good all-around material, since it’s both strong and drains properly. It compresses nicely but still allows water to pass through it. It can handle some traffic (for example, the weight of a regular automobile), although due to its versatility, it is also used for lighter household duties such as cleaning the patio or driveway.
The popular gravel in this mix is composed of pieces up to ¾ of an inch (hence the “¾ minus gravel” name).
If you have heavier-duty needs, play it safe and order coarse gravel. This is by far the best and safest choice if you have poor drainage (for instance, clay soil has little drainage) or want to create a driveway for multiple vehicles.
If you live in an area that receives a lot of rain, we recommend using coarse gravel underneath your paver bricks. The prevalent sizes are 1 and-a-half inches: you may acquire bigger ones but super-heavy gravel is not often used for yard paving projects.
So, before you place your order, consider your projects, the sort of soil you have, and how you’ll be utilizing the paved surface.
How Thick Should The Gravel Layer Be?
Again, this is based on your application, as a high-traffic driveway will require stronger foundations than a low-footfall walkway. And (yes, we’re saying it a lot), different soils react differently, and you may need to make up for poor natural drainage.
The paver base may be topped with a gravel surface or, as we’ll discuss in further detail later, can be built up of loose stones. Here are the basic guidelines for gravel layers.
At least 4 inches of gravel or crushed stone should be placed on the bottom, followed by another inch of sand. We’ve always used at least 6 inches for the gravel layer: yes, it’s a little more difficult to dig, but we think it’s worth it for the added peace of mind.
Some builders require digging down a foot for driveways, ensuring that you have one solid and sturdy paver base layer.
Of course, the actual installation of pavers is only one part of the job. The soil on which you live and the climate in your region have a lot to do with paver placement. If you have clay soil or reside in one of the wetter states, consider building a deeper drainage layer.
It’s essential to overcompensate for drainage, even if you live in a wet or temperate climate.
A burst water main, flash flood, or unanticipated runoff might occur at any moment, so it’s critical to be prepared (sorry if this doesn’t sound particularly fun; nevertheless, we want to avoid any future issues).
Once you’ve decided on the depth of gravel required, it’s a simple calculation (depth times surface area) to determine how much paver gravel you’ll need.
Our normal rule is to tack on 10% as a contingency – you may need it, and if you don’t, gravel seldom goes to waste in the active gardener’s environment.
The Anatomy of a Patio Base
We’ve discussed layers beneath your paver stones, but what exactly are they, and what value do each layer provide to the structure? Here’s how your new driveway or garden dining area is built from the dirt up.
Use a landscaping fabric to cover the soil and make your excavation level, then plant the first layer of anything is usually a landscape fabric. This might be a plastic membrane or a woven cloth, and it’s used to keep your building safe from plants growing up.
The topsoil layer, which must be porous to allow drainage, should be made of a heavier-duty substance than you would use for light gardening chores.
Then there’s the gravel layer, which is the thickest part. Gravel is truly ideal for your paver base since it is strong and long-lasting, compresses to form a durable layer, and is excellent for drainage. Choose your gravel according to the type of soil you’re working with.
We put a layer of coarse sand on top of the gravel. This provides a level, smooth surface over the gravel that can be used as a bed for your pavers. This layer should be an inch thick, according to most builders. It should be moistened and tamped down to create a firm layer for laying the last pavers.
Finally, we reach the best bit: the choice of pavers, which come in a variety of colors and textures.
We should also note that there is a new option for a gravel base: plastic paver panels instead of gravel. Some builders, on the other hand, don’t use this conventional anatomy and replace the gravel layer with plastic paver panels.
They’re made of a plastic that’s insulating and has drainage grooves, so they’re great for regions prone to hard frosts. As a result, your layers will be as follows: dirt, fabric, sand, paver panel, paver.
Conclusion Paver Base
In the context of laying a patio, gravel may be utilized as a base with equal effectiveness. Gravel, like other types of paver bases, can be used to cover the top of your landscape fabric before the sand layer and pavers are placed on top.
The main distinction between gravel and paver base is that the sharper edges of paver base make it easier to connect than gravel when packed down under the sand and pavers. If you tamp down the gravel firmly enough, this does not negate its usefulness.
