I love how you oversize the area and fill it with crushed 3/4 gravel for the base, and then draw onto that flat base surface. It makes everything easier and takes off a lot of the pressure to get exact locations perfect before you start to dig. If you oversize the subbase that is no great loss. It's a small amount of extra material and digging for much greater flexibility in design.
Thank you. That is the most efficient way to keep the job rolling at a good pace. I always tell people that spending to much time setting up and figuring things out can be a waste. Just dig in and over excavate to account for slight shifting. You need to over excavate by a minimum of 8" on all sides to prevent the edges from sinking so going up to 12" around all sides, that is plenty of room to build with slight room for variation. Good on you for noticing that ✌
I have been doing about a dozen paver jobs a year since 1998.... I have experimented with many different base materials but have always used 1" mason sand for the bedding I really like this chipstone idea.... I have never used straight 3/4" for base (unless for retaining wall base) I usually use a mix of fines/gravel usually bluestone but sometimes native. I am going to seek out 1/4" next time just for ease of manipulation during screeding etc and like the water drainage improvement. I also usually use a conduit style pipe that is a little bendable in comparison to a rigid gas pipe you suggest.. Another great Idea.. Would save time instead of running the level parallel down each pipe when setting them. Anyhow... Absolutely great work and end results. I have yet to have any jobs that have gotten wavy or failed in well over 20 years I actually checked back on my first couple jobs and they are still as level within reason (maybe 1/4" tops) however I definitely like your ideas top to bottom. Again, great work from someone who has a very trained eye.... FYI I use the EXACT methods you do to layout... Looking forward to implementing your ideas. Thanks for the video I will checkout some more of yours. I only have a fraction of your subs but I will give you a mention on a video when I use your upgrade ideas.
Thanks for the great comment! I built quite a few patios and walkways on dense grade gravel / sand before switching over to this method and I agree that you can do a very good job with that method. But this way has proven to be far more effective in my opinion. I will never go back. At the end of the day, it is not only the method that gives a good result, it is doing it well. That's why your projects lasted so long, you did the method well. Good on you for that brother, we need more guys out there like that. But with this method done properly, it will last even longer simple because of the added drainage benefits. Water is the killer of any paver project. I will check out your channel for sure! Thanks again for the feedback! ✌
First, this looks amazing, I love how maticulous you guys are and how much care your took to get everything just right. Second, this was super informative. My project is super small by comparison, but seeing all the steps you did and all the details around the materials you used will help me do my little front patio right! Thank You!
Thank you very much! I’m glad you found it helpful, it has been fun making these videos and knowing it’s helping others is great! Good luck on your project and enjoy the process. It’s really cool building things like this, especially when you can step back at the end and feel the accomplishment of a job well done! ✌🏻
I was thinking the same thing, you can tell they care about the quality of their work! I’d hire you all if you were in my area!! Great video and excellent pointers. Thanks for posting
I agreed you ! Not use sand ,bec I found under step in patio and there are many red fire ants . They steals sand and makes hill her home . Thanks for sharing your shown video 👍👏 You are a wonderful and talent job .
I thought bedding sand was supposed to be sand so that when vibrated, it comes up into the grooves of the pavers, meeting the poly sand? Your plan makes more sense, that 1/4" is more solid and wont slip through the 3/4" stone, but what happens when you vibrate the pavers?
The traditional way of laying pavers is on 6" of compacted (Road Base) also known as (Dense Grade) or (Class 5) and leveled off with 1" of sand. This method has many common issues and problems that can occur. I use a backfill method called (Open Grade Base). It consists of 6-8" of 3/4" clean crushed stone and leveled off with 1-1.5" of 1/4"-3/8" clean crushed stone, also known as (Chip Stone) or (HPB - High Performance Bedding) or (PBS - Premium Bedding Stone). This method is far greater for laying pavers and helps prevent frost heaving during winter months because water drains right through it. Here is a video I made that explains the method in far more detail 👉ruclips.net/video/ChaJe3JqD6I/видео.html
Your videos & work are absolutely Beautiful, this is my first time putting down Pavers which are 16x16 with 2 inch in height ,it’s an 8x80 I now have just Dirt on the ground, which crushed concrete do I use? #57 3/4 or 1/4, Thank u for your Help
Thank you very much, I'm glad you like them and they are helping! Here is a link to a video that explains the method I use in detail 👉ruclips.net/video/ChaJe3JqD6I/видео.html
So I actually found out they are not (Gas) pipes, they are just regular galvanized steel water pipes. But they are 1" interior diameter which makes it about 1-3/8" exterior. Very strong and does not bend, gives you a nice flat screed. ✌
Question. How do u get the polymetric sand to the bottom of the pavers ( down the joint lines ) . Would tampping it be a option or just keep brushing it in. I think tampping it might make the pavers not level . I just feel that the sand won't get deep into the joints. Thx for the help
We use tampers / compactors to settle the sand. Here is a link to a video I made about how to install polymeric sand 👉ruclips.net/video/TXWJyBnVQ_g/видео.html
No you don't. You compact the pavers into this stone after you lay them and install the polymeric sand. If you use sand (which I do not recommend) yes, you should compact it before screeding.
I've been doing a massive project in my garden . I've started it last year and ive got a couple of month left. I've took loads of pics and videos. A cant wait for this to be finished. Awesome work lads
Beautiful work, great prep, love the wet look. About the net stone that water will wash away........to where, did you install French drains, what happens is the water stays right there traped by the soil around it that is more dense than the airy net stone. Can't really agree on using net stone instead of 0-3/4, then stone dust.
Thank you, but I disagree. Water permeates down through the subsoil. The only way it will be held up is by very dense clay, but even then it will very slowly permeate. I get a lot of comments with that same concern. Before I put a patio in that spot, what happen to the rain / surface water? It permeated down into the grass, through the top soil and into the subsoil. The only thing this open grade base method does is help the water permeate even quicker which is exactly what you want. I have installed so many patios, walkways and walls with this method. No call backs of it becoming a pool are… lol ✌🏻
Hey, seems like a fun crew to work on. I’m making a 12x14 patio myself rn first time to save money. I filled with 2a modified and have compacted both layers thus far. I lay a level on there after compacting and looks good with the small pitch that I want. Curious what you think about the synthetic pads rather than sand as my final layer before pavers? One reason I want that route is because I’m not fully confident in my leveling and screeding. So having that uniform flat layer I think it’ll be easier for me to assess level. Just curious, thanks and enjoy your content!
What is the diameter (outer) of the pipes? Or rather what is the thickness of the final bedding layer? Lastly its mention in the video the use of 1/4” angular crushed stone (for bedding) however there is reference to 3/8” for this layer (in the comments and in the video). Is it 1/4 or 3/8”.
The pipes are 1" interior and about 1-3/8" exterior. The chip stone we use for the bedding can be either 1/4" or 3/8". Some places in the country do not have 1/4" so if you can't find that, 3/8" will be just fine. Here is a link to another video I made which explains my backfill method in much more detail 👉ruclips.net/video/ChaJe3JqD6I/видео.html
I'm looking to lay pavers on my own and my understanding is to put down 4 inches of 3/4 inch crushed gravel and 1 inch of concrete sand. My question is: could I just put down 4 inches of HPC and then polymeric sand to cover the gaps between the pavers? Thanks!
Hope my question doesn't sound dump but I am laying in sidewalk to eventually go all the way around house! I've layed the base which is C6 and leveled! I did not see in your video where you used a tamper machine is it necessary or no? Also it may rain do I need to cover base my understanding is it gets hard not sure from water or tamping? Also the stone you used for top, you said 1/4 inch chip stone? I'm shopping at the Stone Store and I don't see that size or does it go under another name? Thanks for you reply! 😃
1” screed pipes? The 3/4 crushed gravel has no fines? I’m assuming you went 3” or did you go four inches? Compacting between the 2” lifts? I don’t remember seeing a plate compactor, maybe I need to watch it again? That would be a lot of hand tamping, Did you use a permeable material, non woven geo textile, for the ground or that was the purpose of the slope to provide drainage? I like your method over using a class 5 recycled road base for the base. Would you still use the 1/4” crushed for artificial grass or go with washed mason sand?
How would you screed the base for a 60 foot curved walkway that is 4 feet wide. The beginning and end points are out of sight of each other. When I originally did it I secured wooden strips to rebar pounded into the earth outside the base area. That way I could curve the wood to follow the cured path of the walk way. The plastic brick edging that I use has spread with the ice and now the spaces have really opened up between the bricks.
On long stretches, I use a string line to find the elevation change. Once I find that, I set my pipes to the string line (a pavers height below it. You can set the pipes at different angles to match the curve of your walkway. I would also recommend pitching the walkway sideways to make sure no water sits on it. And that damn plastic edging always fails… use concrete on the edge.
@@TheChristianHardscaper thank you for your answer. Can you tell me how you would do the concrete brick edging? I thought of doing that but I worried that freezing would crack and lift the concrete. Would you dig a trench and put a base of gravel and then pour the concrete on top of that? Would you lay rebar to reinforce the concrete?
I would definitely recommend using concrete. If you want to add rebar, it would certainly help with its strength. When excavating the walkway, you should be at least 6 inches further than where the edge of the pavers will be on each side. That being said, you will want to make a small trench outside the paver edge and slope the concrete towards 1 inch below the top of the paver.
I am in the middle of doing a 320sq ft patio and retaining wall at my home. I cannot find anywhere locally here in TN 3/4" stone, only #57, and nobody carries that HPB or 1/4" stone. The closest I can find to 1/4" is 3/8" bagged gravel which is expensive. Will #57 and concrete sand work OK? I really appreciate your videos and have watched many of them and am modeling much of how I'm approaching this project from your work. I'm even going to use Easyjoint (which I've already purchased) instead of polymeric sand.
Thanks for the feedback and I'm glad my videos helped you! So most regions call the 3/4 stone I use (#57) so you are good there. As far as the bedding material, the 1/4 inch stone is very hard to find, I actually haven't used it in over a year... I use 3/8 inch, clean, crushed stone which is mainly 1/4 inch stones but with quite a few bigger pieces mixed in. I would recommend calling around for (3/8" clean, crushed stone) before you go with concrete sand. If you can't find that anywhere, you have 2 options in my opinion... 1- Use 3/8 inch (pea stone) which is rounded but will work... or 2- use concrete sand but you have to cover the 57 stone with geotextile fabric before spreading out the sand or else it will migrate down into the 57 stone, causing the pavers to sink in the future. So if you have to use sand, just make sure you have fabric under it. Good luck! ✌
@@TheChristianHardscaper Thank you so much for the helpful reply. I will call around as you suggest, and thanks for the alternatives. If I can't find 3/8", I will go with the small pea gravel.
In my area a lot of contractors use a mix of 3/4 stone and stone dust as a paver base and then a sand screed layer. Is that base still permeable? Is straight 3/4 stone preferred over this type of base? I was also wondering about compaction, I noticed you don’t pack the subsoil or rock. Could that cause a problem in settlement?
Prior to 3 years ago, that is how I installed pavers as well. We called that material "Dense Grade" and used "Mason Sand" for our bedding sand. We switched to this permeable "Open Grade" base technique for every install since. There are so many Pro's to this method than there is Con's... The most important thing is that 3/4 inch clean stone is proven to be 98% compacted once raked out.... I have a few videos on my channel talking about it and showing why, Check them out!
@@TwistysGunShow The sub base was compacted, you would need to go check out my backfill video of this project ✌ Here is a link to that video, if you are interested...👉ruclips.net/video/NmCwCQvAnF0/видео.html
@@markadler8968 The sub base was compacted, you would need to go check out my backfill video of this project ✌ Here is a link to that video, if you are interested...👉ruclips.net/video/NmCwCQvAnF0/видео.html
Great work. So I’m in the process of installing modern style slabs so there will be openings between slabs of several inches. Sand will not be an option as it’ll wash away. Was planning on putting 1/4” limestone on fabric, then paver bases before laying pavers spaced out. I’m in NY so susceptible to freezing/thawing. People tell me to use sand under bases. What do you suggest???
I always use 3/8" crushed / 1/4" crushed, clean stone for my bedding material. I would use it in between the slabs as well. I stopped using sand over 4 years ago. I have a couple videos on my base method as well as a better video about screeding this stone. Here is a video on my backfilled method👉ruclips.net/video/PdwAeN6BfWQ/видео.html Here is a video on screeding for a patio (more in depth than this one)👉ruclips.net/video/Y5l7xLCZeyk/видео.html
Do you think 1/4 clean stone is also good in artic weather were frost moves objects? In finland everybody still uses stonedust or sand. Im thinking to use that clean one! So many videos seen now about this! Thank you!
Yes, I absolutely do. I operate in Massachusetts where there is many freeze / thaw cycles during the winter and that is where this method works the best. Here is a link to another video I made that explains my base prep method in much more detail 👉ruclips.net/video/ChaJe3JqD6I/видео.html
@@TheChristianHardscaper and another questing. Or yards soil has been changed to the base rock and then filled mostly with clean stone and someplaces with 0-1,2 inch stone with dust. Do I still need plastic underneath?
Hi! Thank you for the detailed video. Would you be able to share where I can purchase the second bedding layer 1/4 crushed stone aggregate? I’m from the greater Boston area so any recommendations would be helpful for my DIY project for my first home.
Glad you liked it! The only supplier of this particular stone that I know of in Massachusetts is “Landscape Depot” they have multiple locations. Not sure exactly where you are but they have a location in Framingham Ma. A comparable product would be ( 3/8 inch crushed pea stone ) a little bigger than this chip stone but it will get the job done 👍🏻
@@TheChristianHardscaper I'm not sure where y'all are at but in the Carolinas we can go straight to the nearest rock quarry and get what you need pretty cheap . Used to drive my pickup right up to the pile and the Loader man would fill it up . Hopefully you guys can do that as well , it'll save you some bucks for sure.
I use 1-1.5 inches of chip stone under the pavers and 6-8 inches of 3/4 clean crushed stone under the chip stone. But yes, if you can’t find the crushed chip stone, pea stone is a fine alternative. ✌🏻
Yes, limestone is fine. Different regions will have different types of aggregate, we have mostly granite and bluestone for crushed aggregate here in Massachusetts. If limestone is what you have, that will do. ✌
@@nickolilbj I know a lot of people use concrete sand for their bedding material but I dont think it is a very good idea for pavers or natural stone. The dust particles in it restrict water flow. The clean, crushed stone allows water to drain quicker than any other bedding material. But as I said in this video, if you cant find it or a comparable crushed pea stone, mason sand is the next best alternative. However if you use open grade base, you will need a layer of fabric installed over the stone before the sand so that it does not migrate.
Hi thanks for great video.but do the pavers not move with just being on your type of base.surely you need a mortar mix to secure them.thanking you in advance,kindest regards tim
Thanks Tim, We lay the pavers right on top of this screeded stone and use concrete around the outer edges of the pavers for our edge restraint to lock it all in together
Yes, we will pour a concrete slab just a touch bigger than the size of the hot tub. Then we lay our pavers around it but at the same height. The slab should only have to be 4-5 inches thick as long as you put some steel reinforcement in it. Once the hot tub is installed, you will only see the outer edge. ✌
The pipes are a little over 5 ft apart in this video but you can set them as far apart as you can with what you are screeding with. And yes, an 1/8 pitch is when the bubble just touches the line✌🏻
Thanks, it is called “ Geotextile stabilization fabric “ it’s made of woven plastic and it is permeable. The most important thing in my opinion. It really helps stabilize the base as well as prevent the subsoil from mixing in with the crushed rock. ✌🏻
@@TheChristianHardscaper thanks for the quick reply. As few more questions: are you using a plate compactor on the pavers? Are you compacting them after or before the concrete edging? Finishing off with sand? Thanks for the channel videos!
You can do it either way. Plate compactor or hand tamper. If you use a plate compactor, you should use a pad so it doesn't crack any pavers. And the best way to do it is concrete and polymeric sand at the same time. After you spread the concrete, do the sand. That way you can fix any concrete that may shift. With that being said, I have done poly sand after concrete many times, sometimes you just have to...
@@TheChristianHardscaper yes it was and I like your way to explain things I actually looking for an advise as I’m doing a project by myself I already made a mistake, so before going ahead I would like an opinion from a professional like you . Can I Call you via WhatsApp and show you the project and take five minutes of your time at some point ? I’m happy then to make videos of the job and sharing your details in those videos as thanks 🙏 What do you think?
I’m sorry, I don’t have What’s App… any question in particular? I have a lot of videos explaining different things, maybe one of those will answer your questions..?
Going on 4 years and almost 100 installs. Best method I have ever used and will not go back! No settling, and it is due to the base being a very permeable material. No water sits under the pavers because it is free to flow into the subsoils beneath the base stone. The bedding stone I use is far more stable than sand and is less likely to migrate into the base than sand would be. I recommend this method to anyone for any hardscape project. ✌🏻
It is called ( Geotextile Stabilization fabric ) It is woven plastic (which is permeable for water to travel through ) that separates the soil from the stone. It also helps stabilize the base stone and prevents sinking / shifting.
One inch 3/4”clean. Then geotextile fabric. Then how much 3/4” clean on top of fabric?Then 1 1/4” (steel pipe outer diameter) of 1/4”crushed clean? Then pavers?
Is there a reason why a person wouldn’t instead first use 1 1/2” - 2” of angular rock (angular basalt rock i think they also use to reffer to it?) , at a little thicker depth? It seems to compact really well with a compactor as it locks. My thought is the larger voids is even better to drain the rain water and storm water runoff from our street. Is it because it is more difficult to shovel and grade smooth (because I’ve discovered this personally! 😂)? What im try8ng to figure out is when i will put down the geofabric and the 3/4” angular clean gravel? Im also confused as to when i add another then then layer just below the paver. I got poly sand ready because i thought i needed that to kind of like glue down the pavers a bit and keep them spaced just right - my pavers are going right up against the City asphalt roadway, and then behind the nicer looking paver blocks will be Truegrid commercial paver grids filled with 3/4” clean, for even better drainage (until they may get mucked up with leaves and other organics that is - for that reason paver blocks are probably superior to keep a driveway the cleanest long term, and looks beter - just expensive for entire large driveway that can handle commercial sized autos like a school bus - long story).
It's really a blast watching your content. It got me so motivated, in fact, that I started on my own paver patio. I'm wondering if I can use screed rails to lay the class II paver base (not chipstone or stand) out properly. Otherwise, I'm not sure how I can get the surface both uniformly level and the right slope. Thanks.
Some people do use the rails for the base material. I just rake it out and check it with the rails on top and correct what needs to be corrected. Good luck with your project! ✌
I am in the Pacific Northwest and our local source for gravel products only offer Seal Rock (granite) that is free of dust and is small angular pieces. Would this be considered HPB?
If the stone is considered 3/8 of inch or less, then yes. It is all about the size of the stone. The base stone we use is 3/4 of an inch or less. Then we top it with the HPB ( 3/8 of an inch or less clean (free of dust), crushed (angular) stone) and granite is one of the strongest types of stone, so that's a plus!
I did not see you shoot any grades. I assume you did it off line. Since you are adjusting the pitch with the pipes, did you lay the 3/4” crushed gravel level all over? Also, is that pitch 1/8”/ft or 1/8” over the length of the pipe?
We grade the base stone with the same pitch as we need the pipes. 1/8 pitch means 1/8 of an inch per foot. 1 inch per 8 ft. this patio was 20 ft wide, so we had 2.5 - 3 inches of slope from the high side to the low side. ✌
Literally all of the landscape supply places here where I live all have fines in their rock. Is it the end of world if that's all I can use? I'm in Arizona by the way
That's crazy man, I get that response from a good amount of people. It is very surprising to me. I feel like 3/4 inch clean, crushed stone is a very common building material. They use it in concrete and under concrete all the time. But if you can't find any clean stone for the base, just use gravel with fines mixed in. With you being in Arizona, you don't have to prep the base for freeze / thaw issues like we do here in Massachusetts.
@@TheChristianHardscaper should I then stick with the normal mason sand base after as well? I ask for 1/4 clean stone for my bedding and they always look at me funny because that apparently isn't a thing here either
1/4 inch crushed clean stone is pretty hard to find sometimes. Look for 3/8 inch crushed clean stone, that will be a fine alternative. Some call it crushed pea stone. If you cant find that, than mason sand for your bedding material is fine as long as you use gravel with fines in it. Long story short, A clean crushed stone base needs a clean crushed stone bedding. A gravel base with fines, needs a mason sand bedding. In your climate, both will work well.
I would backfill and screed with the same materials but in a little different way to make sure it is strong enough for vehicle traffic. Like excavate deeper, add geogrid to the base stone and compact with a heavy reversible compactor. But basically the same concept...✌
Is there any reason someone would use 2.5 feet thick of screed and another half foot of gravel under patio stones. this was a very large area surrounding most of the backyard around a large house. (Just digging the area out would be grueling because there is no way to get a machine back there.) I don't do patio stones to often but I thought it was pretty crazy. Maybe some kind of drainage reason?
That seems like a pretty crazy base.... sometimes people use what they have or what cost the cheapest. Not sure why in your situation, but if you get down 1-12 inches and you are on a decent sub grade, just compact, lay stabilization fabric and backfill with the 3/4 inch clean crushed stone to your desired height. ✌
@@TheChristianHardscaper at what slope would you lay down Geo grid on the crushed stone? I have a slight decline and bc of the tree roots I cannot install railroad ties for a retaining wall
You can lay it at any slope necessary really. It will help stabilize the base in your situation but if there is a significant grade change, some kind of retaining wall is recommended ✌🏻
Was looking for a video that explained the use of pipes and best gravel to use. THANK YOU! Did you put 1 inch sand on top of fabric that's under the gravel?
Glad it helped! I do not put any sand in my backfill material. Here is a link to another video I made on my base prep method that explains it in more detail 👉ruclips.net/video/ChaJe3JqD6I/видео.html
Went to the stone yard today and not sure if they sold me the right stuff. Its a small angular down to dust. I don't want it to hold water or settle to a lower height of the garage concrete I'm leveling to.
It might be stone dust…. How big are the actual stone pieces? Stone dust is usually 1/4 or less with the dust still in it. Not sure what to say…. If it seems really dusty, it probably isn’t very permeable and may shift easier. But hard to tell without seeing it…
@@TheChristianHardscaper thank you for your help. It does seem to drain well as I did a Shadowbox kind of thing for a test. Of course it settled about 3/8 inch. I called them up and asked for concrete sand but she says everybody calls it different they have what they call manufactured, masonry and natural. They sold me what they call screening. Want to make sure I do it right. I really don't want to pull up 3,000 bricks. LOL
I hear you on not wanting to pull them up.... lol. If it seems to compact a lot with water, you should compact it before screeding. You can do that by spreading out the material inside the screed pipes slightly higher than the desired height, then use a tamper or compactor to tighten the material up. Then you can screed it, that way you pre compacted the material and will have much less possibility for any sunken areas.
@@TheChristianHardscaper excellent. That's what I thought. I just haven't seen anybody else do that on youtube. Sounds like the preferred material is something with at least a little bit of sediment in it to help pack? Especially being a driveway
@@kranerwheatens Driveways are definitely different than patios. Compaction is key. But also keep in mind that if you use a clear stone for your base and use a stone dust for bedding material, the dust and fines can easily migrate into the base stone.... The most important thing about my backfill technique is that there is no dust or fines in either the base material or the bedding material. This allows water to travel freely through, unlike dense grade, sand and stone dust..... If you are using sand or stone dust for a bedding material over open grade (clear) stone, you will need to lay fabric over the stone before installing the sand / stone dust. Otherwise, all that material will migrate into the open gaps that the clear stone naturally has. My bedding stone has next to no dust in it. So my base stone and bedding stone is clear of all dust and fines. Then the geotextile fabric I use under the base rock keeps the soil from migrating into the stone.
Don't roast me for my comment/question, but when you remove the PVC pipe it leaves an area unfilled. Then when it's shown again it's smoothed out. Do you just fill in that void? That part is always skipped.
No problem with that question at all. Once we remove the pipes, we fill the void with a shovel and smooth it out with a 16 inch hand float (like they use in concrete. Not sure why I didn’t include that in this video but I go over it in more depth with this video right here 👉🏻How To Screed For A Paver Walkway (DIY) ruclips.net/video/69R0yfzsd24/видео.html
Okay, now I'm marathon watching and it's nearing midnight. My gosh this is good info. I am officially subscribed and now I'm hitting the bell. I know great info when I see it. I love guys with talent like you have. My dad was a builder and my uncle was a mason. This stuff is in my blood. Funny for a nephrology clinical educator lol!! What's better than improving your property and doing it outside??
😂✌ That's awesome! thank you for the feedback! The construction industry is the main heartbeat of the country, we need more people out there doing it. Outdoor projects really do increase property value as well as make your outdoors more inviting. I have always enjoyed residential landscape construction. ✌
Your the first not to use what we call crush-n-run as the 1st base. Is this because it doesn’t drain well enough? And you use the 57’s clean stone instead?
That is exactly why, the system I use is specifically used for permeable paver applications but has proven to be better in all paver applications ( in my opinion) especially here in MA where there is many freeze / thaw cycles. We want the water to drain into the sub soil ASAP….. I stopped using crusher -r- run / sand 4 years ago when I gave this system a shot ✌🏻
Beautiful work! If we wanted to put paver patio, but the said patio is currently pea gravel, what do you recommend to put on top or around to stabilize it for sand and pavers eventually? Just sand? Special type of sand? Thank you in advance!
Thanks! If you live in a “freeze / thaw” climate, I would recommend excavating the entire area down 8-10 inches so that you are able to install a new base material that will hold up to the elements better than pea gravel. If you live in a climate that does not freeze in the winter, I would just recommend covering the pea gravel with geotextile landscape fabric and cover with chip stone ( 3/8 inch clean crushed stone ) to lay the pavers on to. I do not use sand anymore, only clean crushed stone for my base material ✌🏻
@@TheChristianHardscaper Thank you so much for taking the time to reply! We live in Texas. I appreciate the advice. I think we can do the second option, climate is mild through the winter for the most part. It took us so much time to dig in preparation for the pea gravel, we would like to avoid that if at all possible😁.
@@krisfg5647 no problem at all, and I totally agree with not digging it up if you don't have too. Living in Texas, you will be all set with laying fabric over the gravel with the bedding stone on top of that and your all set to lay pavers! ✌
It’s an awesome trade man, very fulfilling. And as far as starting, it’s just like anything else… you just got to send it. If you really want to learn, do everything you can to get a job in the field, then learn everything you can. Knowing this work will always keep money in your pocket 👍🏻
Yes, I use a dead blow hammer to set the pipes at the correct pitch. If it ends up being a little less chip stone, its not a problem. But if it seems like the 3/4 is to high and you keep hammering, then the best thing to do is pick up the pipes and remove some stone to correct the pitch of the 3/4. ✌
If that’s what you have, you can. But I still recommend the 3/4 clean crushed stone simply because it locks together tighter than pea stone. That being said, I think clean pea gravel is better than regular crushed gravel with sand and stone dust still in it..✌🏻
Good info! I have a bunch of brock paver panels for a super small patio (60Sq ft). I figure I'll tamp the mulch/dirt, put an inch of paver sand (because i already bought it) then the pads, with pavers on top. After seeing your video I wish I would have just gone with the 3/8 stone. Any thoughts on those paver panels?
The paver panels are definitely very helpful with stabilization, even on sand. Just make sure the sand is compacted before you screed it. Meaning, spread the sand higher than it needs to be, compact it tight, then screed it. That will make sure the sand is firmly set before you lay the panels. ✌🏻
I live in Texas and all I can find is 3/8 crushed limestone or road base is your 3/8 base made from lime stone . What kind of rock is your stones made of
LABURAZO MAN, SALUDOS DESDE ARGENTINA, TIENEN MUCHISIMA MAQUINARIA USTEDES, NOSOTROS SOMOS PODEROSOS PERO NO TENEMOS HERRAMIENTAS DE CALIDAD AL ALCANCE DE LA MANO
"Pitch" is how sloped the grade is to account for water run off. Every patio / walkway we do is installed with a slight pitch for surface water to run off and drain so that there is no puddles in the middle of your install. ✌
I love how you oversize the area and fill it with crushed 3/4 gravel for the base, and then draw onto that flat base surface. It makes everything easier and takes off a lot of the pressure to get exact locations perfect before you start to dig. If you oversize the subbase that is no great loss. It's a small amount of extra material and digging for much greater flexibility in design.
Thank you. That is the most efficient way to keep the job rolling at a good pace. I always tell people that spending to much time setting up and figuring things out can be a waste. Just dig in and over excavate to account for slight shifting. You need to over excavate by a minimum of 8" on all sides to prevent the edges from sinking so going up to 12" around all sides, that is plenty of room to build with slight room for variation. Good on you for noticing that ✌
Aayyyyyy no four corners finally a RUclips patio video that the person actually knew what they were doing when laying the patio.
🤣✌ I hear you man, the paver video game is weak on RUclips....
right to the point and covered everything in order for someone to get the ball rolling. great video and thanks for the help.
I love that band "A Perfect Circle"!!!!!
Nothing like the smell of a freshly pressure washed pave patio!
I totally agree! ✌🏻
You guys are Pro! Congratulations, excellent Job.
Thanks!
No problem, thank you! ✌
I have been doing about a dozen paver jobs a year since 1998.... I have experimented with many different base materials but have always used 1" mason sand for the bedding I really like this chipstone idea.... I have never used straight 3/4" for base (unless for retaining wall base) I usually use a mix of fines/gravel usually bluestone but sometimes native. I am going to seek out 1/4" next time just for ease of manipulation during screeding etc and like the water drainage improvement. I also usually use a conduit style pipe that is a little bendable in comparison to a rigid gas pipe you suggest.. Another great Idea.. Would save time instead of running the level parallel down each pipe when setting them. Anyhow... Absolutely great work and end results. I have yet to have any jobs that have gotten wavy or failed in well over 20 years I actually checked back on my first couple jobs and they are still as level within reason (maybe 1/4" tops) however I definitely like your ideas top to bottom. Again, great work from someone who has a very trained eye.... FYI I use the EXACT methods you do to layout... Looking forward to implementing your ideas. Thanks for the video I will checkout some more of yours. I only have a fraction of your subs but I will give you a mention on a video when I use your upgrade ideas.
Thanks for the great comment! I built quite a few patios and walkways on dense grade gravel / sand before switching over to this method and I agree that you can do a very good job with that method. But this way has proven to be far more effective in my opinion. I will never go back. At the end of the day, it is not only the method that gives a good result, it is doing it well. That's why your projects lasted so long, you did the method well. Good on you for that brother, we need more guys out there like that. But with this method done properly, it will last even longer simple because of the added drainage benefits. Water is the killer of any paver project. I will check out your channel for sure! Thanks again for the feedback! ✌
@@TheChristianHardscaper I'm sold... I will try it next patio.
Great video. Thank you for your efforts.
Craftsmanship like yours is hard to find these days. Respect...God bless!
No problem, thanks for the support ✌🏻
First, this looks amazing, I love how maticulous you guys are and how much care your took to get everything just right. Second, this was super informative. My project is super small by comparison, but seeing all the steps you did and all the details around the materials you used will help me do my little front patio right! Thank You!
Thank you very much! I’m glad you found it helpful, it has been fun making these videos and knowing it’s helping others is great! Good luck on your project and enjoy the process. It’s really cool building things like this, especially when you can step back at the end and feel the accomplishment of a job well done! ✌🏻
I was thinking the same thing, you can tell they care about the quality of their work! I’d hire you all if you were in my area!! Great video and excellent pointers. Thanks for posting
I wish everyone worked like these guys do, no matter what your job is
@Scott _____ my grandpa told me if a jobs worth doing, it's worth doing right.
Best channel on pavers I've come across. Great job fellas. 👍👍👍
Thanks again, I’m glad you like it!
I agreed you ! Not use sand ,bec I found under step in patio and there are many red fire ants . They steals sand and makes hill her home . Thanks for sharing your shown video 👍👏 You are a wonderful and talent job .
The ants definitely love living underneath patios that were laid on sand, great point! Thanks for the support! ✌🏻
Thanks bro. I adapted an aluminum ladder section for screed and level.
No problem, That sounds like a great idea! I would never have though of that, good move brother ✌
It's funny another business in my business decided to try this out we both had great success and I have made the switch to doing this
That’s awesome to hear man! Once I tried it, I have never gone back to gravel and sand…. ✌🏻
Beautiful work 🎉
Thank you ✌
I thought bedding sand was supposed to be sand so that when vibrated, it comes up into the grooves of the pavers, meeting the poly sand?
Your plan makes more sense, that 1/4" is more solid and wont slip through the 3/4" stone, but what happens when you vibrate the pavers?
The traditional way of laying pavers is on 6" of compacted (Road Base) also known as (Dense Grade) or (Class 5) and leveled off with 1" of sand. This method has many common issues and problems that can occur. I use a backfill method called (Open Grade Base). It consists of 6-8" of 3/4" clean crushed stone and leveled off with 1-1.5" of 1/4"-3/8" clean crushed stone, also known as (Chip Stone) or (HPB - High Performance Bedding) or (PBS - Premium Bedding Stone). This method is far greater for laying pavers and helps prevent frost heaving during winter months because water drains right through it.
Here is a video I made that explains the method in far more detail 👉ruclips.net/video/ChaJe3JqD6I/видео.html
I use a concrete rake for gravel. Best thing I have used. Nice work!
I see a lot of people use them, never tried it... maybe someday ✌
Your videos & work are absolutely Beautiful, this is my first time putting down Pavers which are 16x16 with 2 inch in height ,it’s an 8x80 I now have just Dirt on the ground, which crushed concrete do I use? #57 3/4 or 1/4, Thank u for your Help
Thank you very much, I'm glad you like them and they are helping! Here is a link to a video that explains the method I use in detail 👉ruclips.net/video/ChaJe3JqD6I/видео.html
@@TheChristianHardscaper Thank u so much for the link, it shows & explains exactly what I need to do my project, your a huge help.
@@DHSFEMAMy pleasure, I'm glad it gave you some more info! Good luck with the project!
You remind me of Ben Aflac sir. Thank you for the video
🤣 I get that on here every once and a while... Thanks for the comment! ✌
Man! That is nice and flat! Awesome job! Might try a patio myself....
Thank you! It just takes some basic understanding of the concept and confidence to give it a try. ✌
Great video!
Very great video man
Thanks ✌
What are the exact specifications for the HDPE gas pipes you are recommending?
So I actually found out they are not (Gas) pipes, they are just regular galvanized steel water pipes. But they are 1" interior diameter which makes it about 1-3/8" exterior. Very strong and does not bend, gives you a nice flat screed. ✌
@@TheChristianHardscaper And these are standard 10 foot pipe lengths?
@@persistentone3448 Correct
I ❤you because you are a professional guy I wish you are living in California
Thank you, California is far from here...... 🤣✌
Awesome work👍🏼
Thanks ✌️
nice work im sure mine will turn out great after your videos ! thanks!
Thank you and good luck with your project, I'm sure it will come out great! ✌
Question. How do u get the polymetric sand to the bottom of the pavers ( down the joint lines ) . Would tampping it be a option or just keep brushing it in. I think tampping it might make the pavers not level . I just feel that the sand won't get deep into the joints.
Thx for the help
We use tampers / compactors to settle the sand. Here is a link to a video I made about how to install polymeric sand 👉ruclips.net/video/TXWJyBnVQ_g/видео.html
Awesome video
So you don't have to compact this 1/4 inch crushed stone base before screeding? What about if using sand? Would you compact the sand before screeding?
No you don't. You compact the pavers into this stone after you lay them and install the polymeric sand. If you use sand (which I do not recommend) yes, you should compact it before screeding.
I've been doing a massive project in my garden . I've started it last year and ive got a couple of month left. I've took loads of pics and videos. A cant wait for this to be finished. Awesome work lads
Thanks man! Good luck with wrapping up your project ✌
Beautiful work, great prep, love the wet look. About the net stone that water will wash away........to where, did you install French drains, what happens is the water stays right there traped by the soil around it that is more dense than the airy net stone. Can't really agree on using net stone instead of 0-3/4, then stone dust.
Thank you, but I disagree. Water permeates down through the subsoil. The only way it will be held up is by very dense clay, but even then it will very slowly permeate. I get a lot of comments with that same concern. Before I put a patio in that spot, what happen to the rain / surface water? It permeated down into the grass, through the top soil and into the subsoil. The only thing this open grade base method does is help the water permeate even quicker which is exactly what you want. I have installed so many patios, walkways and walls with this method. No call backs of it becoming a pool are… lol ✌🏻
Hey, seems like a fun crew to work on. I’m making a 12x14 patio myself rn first time to save money. I filled with 2a modified and have compacted both layers thus far. I lay a level on there after compacting and looks good with the small pitch that I want. Curious what you think about the synthetic pads rather than sand as my final layer before pavers? One reason I want that route is because I’m not fully confident in my leveling and screeding. So having that uniform flat layer I think it’ll be easier for me to assess level. Just curious, thanks and enjoy your content!
I can only get 5/8ths and 3/8ths crushed stone will that work as well?
Yes, I screed with 3/8" every once in a while when I can't get the 1/4". That will be fine
What is the diameter (outer) of the pipes? Or rather what is the thickness of the final bedding layer?
Lastly its mention in the video the use of 1/4” angular crushed stone (for bedding) however there is reference to 3/8” for this layer (in the comments and in the video). Is it 1/4 or 3/8”.
The pipes are 1" interior and about 1-3/8" exterior. The chip stone we use for the bedding can be either 1/4" or 3/8". Some places in the country do not have 1/4" so if you can't find that, 3/8" will be just fine.
Here is a link to another video I made which explains my backfill method in much more detail 👉ruclips.net/video/ChaJe3JqD6I/видео.html
I'm looking to lay pavers on my own and my understanding is to put down 4 inches of 3/4 inch crushed gravel and 1 inch of concrete sand. My question is: could I just put down 4 inches of HPC and then polymeric sand to cover the gaps between the pavers? Thanks!
Here is a video I made on how to prepare the base for pavers in more detail 👉ruclips.net/video/ChaJe3JqD6I/видео.html
Would you be against pea stone for basic firepit ?
Nope, pea stone will work just fine for something like that
I understood everything you did! Keep up the good work!
Glad to hear it, Thank you ! ✌
Hope my question doesn't sound dump but I am laying in sidewalk to eventually go all the way around house! I've layed the base which is C6 and leveled! I did not see in your video where you used a tamper machine is it necessary or no? Also it may rain do I need to cover base my understanding is it gets hard not sure from water or tamping? Also the stone you used for top, you said 1/4 inch chip stone? I'm shopping at the Stone Store and I don't see that size or does it go under another name? Thanks for you reply! 😃
Wow! You guys do outstanding work, & are truly skilled. Gorgeous result...
Thank you very much!
1” screed pipes? The 3/4 crushed gravel has no fines? I’m assuming you went 3” or did you go four inches? Compacting between the 2” lifts? I don’t remember seeing a plate compactor, maybe I need to watch it again? That would be a lot of hand tamping, Did you use a permeable material, non woven geo textile, for the ground or that was the purpose of the slope to provide drainage? I like your method over using a class 5 recycled road base for the base. Would you still use the 1/4” crushed for artificial grass or go with washed mason sand?
Check out this video of how I backfilled for this project right here 👉ruclips.net/video/NmCwCQvAnF0/видео.html
Amazing work 👏 hats off
Thank you ✌🏻
How would you screed the base for a 60 foot curved walkway that is 4 feet wide. The beginning and end points are out of sight of each other. When I originally did it I secured wooden strips to rebar pounded into the earth outside the base area. That way I could curve the wood to follow the cured path of the walk way. The plastic brick edging that I use has spread with the ice and now the spaces have really opened up between the bricks.
On long stretches, I use a string line to find the elevation change. Once I find that, I set my pipes to the string line (a pavers height below it. You can set the pipes at different angles to match the curve of your walkway. I would also recommend pitching the walkway sideways to make sure no water sits on it. And that damn plastic edging always fails… use concrete on the edge.
@@TheChristianHardscaper thank you for your answer. Can you tell me how you would do the concrete brick edging? I thought of doing that but I worried that freezing would crack and lift the concrete. Would you dig a trench and put a base of gravel and then pour the concrete on top of that? Would you lay rebar to reinforce the concrete?
I would definitely recommend using concrete. If you want to add rebar, it would certainly help with its strength. When excavating the walkway, you should be at least 6 inches further than where the edge of the pavers will be on each side. That being said, you will want to make a small trench outside the paver edge and slope the concrete towards 1 inch below the top of the paver.
Well done .
I am in the middle of doing a 320sq ft patio and retaining wall at my home. I cannot find anywhere locally here in TN 3/4" stone, only #57, and nobody carries that HPB or 1/4" stone. The closest I can find to 1/4" is 3/8" bagged gravel which is expensive. Will #57 and concrete sand work OK? I really appreciate your videos and have watched many of them and am modeling much of how I'm approaching this project from your work. I'm even going to use Easyjoint (which I've already purchased) instead of polymeric sand.
Thanks for the feedback and I'm glad my videos helped you! So most regions call the 3/4 stone I use (#57) so you are good there. As far as the bedding material, the 1/4 inch stone is very hard to find, I actually haven't used it in over a year... I use 3/8 inch, clean, crushed stone which is mainly 1/4 inch stones but with quite a few bigger pieces mixed in. I would recommend calling around for (3/8" clean, crushed stone) before you go with concrete sand. If you can't find that anywhere, you have 2 options in my opinion...
1- Use 3/8 inch (pea stone) which is rounded but will work...
or
2- use concrete sand but you have to cover the 57 stone with geotextile fabric before spreading out the sand or else it will migrate down into the 57 stone, causing the pavers to sink in the future. So if you have to use sand, just make sure you have fabric under it.
Good luck! ✌
@@TheChristianHardscaper Thank you so much for the helpful reply. I will call around as you suggest, and thanks for the alternatives. If I can't find 3/8", I will go with the small pea gravel.
No problem at all, good luck!
great job bro!
Thanks man! ✌
In my area a lot of contractors use a mix of 3/4 stone and stone dust as a paver base and then a sand screed layer. Is that base still permeable? Is straight 3/4 stone preferred over this type of base? I was also wondering about compaction, I noticed you don’t pack the subsoil or rock. Could that cause a problem in settlement?
Prior to 3 years ago, that is how I installed pavers as well. We called that material "Dense Grade" and used "Mason Sand" for our bedding sand. We switched to this permeable "Open Grade" base technique for every install since. There are so many Pro's to this method than there is Con's... The most important thing is that 3/4 inch clean stone is proven to be 98% compacted once raked out.... I have a few videos on my channel talking about it and showing why, Check them out!
This guy is a novice at best. ALL pavers require the substrate to be compacted.
If you did that where I live in Canada it wouldn't last a year especially without compacting the sub base
@@TwistysGunShow The sub base was compacted, you would need to go check out my backfill video of this project ✌
Here is a link to that video, if you are interested...👉ruclips.net/video/NmCwCQvAnF0/видео.html
@@markadler8968 The sub base was compacted, you would need to go check out my backfill video of this project ✌
Here is a link to that video, if you are interested...👉ruclips.net/video/NmCwCQvAnF0/видео.html
Great work. So I’m in the process of installing modern style slabs so there will be openings between slabs of several inches. Sand will not be an option as it’ll wash away. Was planning on putting 1/4” limestone on fabric, then paver bases before laying pavers spaced out. I’m in NY so susceptible to freezing/thawing. People tell me to use sand under bases. What do you suggest???
I always use 3/8" crushed / 1/4" crushed, clean stone for my bedding material. I would use it in between the slabs as well. I stopped using sand over 4 years ago. I have a couple videos on my base method as well as a better video about screeding this stone.
Here is a video on my backfilled method👉ruclips.net/video/PdwAeN6BfWQ/видео.html
Here is a video on screeding for a patio (more in depth than this one)👉ruclips.net/video/Y5l7xLCZeyk/видео.html
Do you think 1/4 clean stone is also good in artic weather were frost moves objects? In finland everybody still uses stonedust or sand. Im thinking to use that clean one! So many videos seen now about this! Thank you!
Yes, I absolutely do. I operate in Massachusetts where there is many freeze / thaw cycles during the winter and that is where this method works the best. Here is a link to another video I made that explains my base prep method in much more detail 👉ruclips.net/video/ChaJe3JqD6I/видео.html
@@TheChristianHardscaper great! Doesnit have to be water washed or is filtered clean stone good enough?
@@TheChristianHardscaper and another questing. Or yards soil has been changed to the base rock and then filled mostly with clean stone and someplaces with 0-1,2 inch stone with dust. Do I still need plastic underneath?
Hi! Thank you for the detailed video. Would you be able to share where I can purchase the second bedding layer 1/4 crushed stone aggregate? I’m from the greater Boston area so any recommendations would be helpful for my DIY project for my first home.
Glad you liked it! The only supplier of this particular stone that I know of in Massachusetts is “Landscape Depot” they have multiple locations. Not sure exactly where you are but they have a location in Framingham Ma. A comparable product would be ( 3/8 inch crushed pea stone ) a little bigger than this chip stone but it will get the job done 👍🏻
Pavestone bagged pavesand from Home Depot consists of this type of base.
@@TheChristianHardscaper I'm not sure where y'all are at but in the Carolinas we can go straight to the nearest rock quarry and get what you need pretty cheap . Used to drive my pickup right up to the pile and the Loader man would fill it up . Hopefully you guys can do that as well , it'll save you some bucks for sure.
I notice you use only chipstone under the pavers. Is blue pea stone fine to use under the pavers?
I use 1-1.5 inches of chip stone under the pavers and 6-8 inches of 3/4 clean crushed stone under the chip stone. But yes, if you can’t find the crushed chip stone, pea stone is a fine alternative. ✌🏻
Where I am we don’t have that material, would crushed limestone be an acceptable material?
Yes, limestone is fine. Different regions will have different types of aggregate, we have mostly granite and bluestone for crushed aggregate here in Massachusetts. If limestone is what you have, that will do. ✌
How about crushed concrete?
@@nickolilbj I know a lot of people use concrete sand for their bedding material but I dont think it is a very good idea for pavers or natural stone. The dust particles in it restrict water flow. The clean, crushed stone allows water to drain quicker than any other bedding material. But as I said in this video, if you cant find it or a comparable crushed pea stone, mason sand is the next best alternative. However if you use open grade base, you will need a layer of fabric installed over the stone before the sand so that it does not migrate.
Hi thanks for great video.but do the pavers not move with just being on your type of base.surely you need a mortar mix to secure them.thanking you in advance,kindest regards tim
Thanks Tim, We lay the pavers right on top of this screeded stone and use concrete around the outer edges of the pavers for our edge restraint to lock it all in together
@@TheChristianHardscaper thanks matey.would that also work on a drive for cars
@@TheTimutube It certainly would, but the base install needs to be done a bit different to hold vehicular traffic. ✌
What’s the best way to prepare my patio for above ground hot tub? Slab?
Yes, we will pour a concrete slab just a touch bigger than the size of the hot tub. Then we lay our pavers around it but at the same height. The slab should only have to be 4-5 inches thick as long as you put some steel reinforcement in it. Once the hot tub is installed, you will only see the outer edge. ✌
@@TheChristianHardscaper Thanks!
How is the base smoothed? How do you avoid little dips of bump etc. or can that be smoothed over a bit with the 1/4 layer. Thanks!
It gets really smooth just by screeding and when you lay the pavers, you compact them into the stone level with each other.
how thick is your layer of 3/4 stone and how thick the layer of screening? Thanks
6-8 inches of base rock, 1-1.5 inches of bedding stone.
Beautiful work, please explain to me what one eighth of a pitch means please. Sheffield UK
1/8 pitch is when the bubble on a level just touches the line on either side. It means 1" pitch for every 8' of length
How far apart are the pipes set, 4 feet? 1/8 pitch is the edge of the bubble just touching the line?
The pipes are a little over 5 ft apart in this video but you can set them as far apart as you can with what you are screeding with. And yes, an 1/8 pitch is when the bubble just touches the line✌🏻
@@TheChristianHardscaper 1/8 pitch means 1/8" per foot?
correct, about 1 inch every 8 feet.
When you say 1/8 of a pitch, is that 1/8" per foot?
Correct, 1/8 pitch is 1/8 inch slope per foot or 1 inch per 8 feet.
Good Job! Just wondering why you lay the black builder film under the crushed rock? Is it permable material?
Thanks, it is called “ Geotextile stabilization fabric “ it’s made of woven plastic and it is permeable. The most important thing in my opinion. It really helps stabilize the base as well as prevent the subsoil from mixing in with the crushed rock. ✌🏻
Are you compacting that 1/4” chip stone?
Nope, you don’t have to compact the chip stone. You compact the pavers into the chip stone after ✌🏻
@@TheChristianHardscaper thanks for the quick reply. As few more questions: are you using a plate compactor on the pavers? Are you compacting them after or before the concrete edging? Finishing off with sand? Thanks for the channel videos!
You can do it either way. Plate compactor or hand tamper. If you use a plate compactor, you should use a pad so it doesn't crack any pavers. And the best way to do it is concrete and polymeric sand at the same time. After you spread the concrete, do the sand. That way you can fix any concrete that may shift. With that being said, I have done poly sand after concrete many times, sometimes you just have to...
That’s beautifully done 🤩
Thank you! ✌
@@TheChristianHardscaper you’re welcome ☺️
Thank You 🙏🏼
✌
Amazing
Love the description of the materials used and the sizes
Thanks
Thank you, I’m glad it was helpful! 👍🏻
@@TheChristianHardscaper yes it was and I like your way to explain things
I actually looking for an advise as I’m doing a project by myself I already made a mistake, so before going ahead I would like an opinion from a professional like you . Can I Call you via WhatsApp and show you the project and take five minutes of your time at some point ?
I’m happy then to make videos of the job and sharing your details in those videos as thanks 🙏
What do you think?
I’m sorry, I don’t have What’s App… any question in particular? I have a lot of videos explaining different things, maybe one of those will answer your questions..?
@@TheChristianHardscaper yes thanks
I watched few more and I think I nailed the solution
Thanks for your videos
Very professional
@@giuseppemanzoli-chef Awesome, glad you figured out the solution. Thanks again for the feedback! ✌
What size is on tha gas pipe in mm.?
Is it. 1 1/4 ?
They are 1 inch interior and 1 - 1/4 inch exterior pipes
How long have you been using this base and subbase material? Any settling issues?
Also why no sand on top of 3/4? Not as strong?
Going on 4 years and almost 100 installs. Best method I have ever used and will not go back! No settling, and it is due to the base being a very permeable material. No water sits under the pavers because it is free to flow into the subsoils beneath the base stone. The bedding stone I use is far more stable than sand and is less likely to migrate into the base than sand would be. I recommend this method to anyone for any hardscape project. ✌🏻
@@TheChristianHardscaper Thanks for your reply. Will start on the next one with this process
Also what is the sheet you lay under the stone and what is its purpose?
It is called ( Geotextile Stabilization fabric ) It is woven plastic (which is permeable for water to travel through ) that separates the soil from the stone. It also helps stabilize the base stone and prevents sinking / shifting.
One inch 3/4”clean. Then geotextile fabric. Then how much 3/4” clean on top of fabric?Then 1 1/4” (steel pipe outer diameter) of 1/4”crushed clean? Then pavers?
You are right on the money! We use 6-10 inches of 3/4 clean on the majority of installs and up to 15 inches in vey bad soil conditions like clay…. 👍🏻
are you compacting the 3/4 base.... Would it even hold compaction ? or is geotextile enough to lock it ...assuming non woven permeable?
@@macleanclassics think you need to compact every 4” lift, depending on weight of the plate, but don’t trust me.
Is there a reason why a person wouldn’t instead first use 1 1/2” - 2” of angular rock (angular basalt rock i think they also use to reffer to it?) , at a little thicker depth? It seems to compact really well with a compactor as it locks. My thought is the larger voids is even better to drain the rain water and storm water runoff from our street. Is it because it is more difficult to shovel and grade smooth (because I’ve discovered this personally! 😂)? What im try8ng to figure out is when i will put down the geofabric and the 3/4” angular clean gravel? Im also confused as to when i add another then then layer just below the paver. I got poly sand ready because i thought i needed that to kind of like glue down the pavers a bit and keep them spaced just right - my pavers are going right up against the City asphalt roadway, and then behind the nicer looking paver blocks will be Truegrid commercial paver grids filled with 3/4” clean, for even better drainage (until they may get mucked up with leaves and other organics that is - for that reason paver blocks are probably superior to keep a driveway the cleanest long term, and looks beter - just expensive for entire large driveway that can handle commercial sized autos like a school bus - long story).
@@TheChristianHardscaperdoesnt answer the question about the fabric though?
It's really a blast watching your content. It got me so motivated, in fact, that I started on my own paver patio. I'm wondering if I can use screed rails to lay the class II paver base (not chipstone or stand) out properly. Otherwise, I'm not sure how I can get the surface both uniformly level and the right slope. Thanks.
Some people do use the rails for the base material. I just rake it out and check it with the rails on top and correct what needs to be corrected. Good luck with your project! ✌
@@TheChristianHardscaper Thanks for the response.
I am in the Pacific Northwest and our local source for gravel products only offer Seal Rock (granite) that is free of dust and is small angular pieces. Would this be considered HPB?
If the stone is considered 3/8 of inch or less, then yes. It is all about the size of the stone. The base stone we use is 3/4 of an inch or less. Then we top it with the HPB ( 3/8 of an inch or less clean (free of dust), crushed (angular) stone) and granite is one of the strongest types of stone, so that's a plus!
@@TheChristianHardscaper Thank you so much!
I did not see you shoot any grades. I assume you did it off line. Since you are adjusting the pitch with the pipes, did you lay the 3/4” crushed gravel level all over? Also, is that pitch 1/8”/ft or 1/8” over the length of the pipe?
We grade the base stone with the same pitch as we need the pipes. 1/8 pitch means 1/8 of an inch per foot. 1 inch per 8 ft. this patio was 20 ft wide, so we had 2.5 - 3 inches of slope from the high side to the low side. ✌
Literally all of the landscape supply places here where I live all have fines in their rock. Is it the end of world if that's all I can use? I'm in Arizona by the way
That's crazy man, I get that response from a good amount of people. It is very surprising to me. I feel like 3/4 inch clean, crushed stone is a very common building material. They use it in concrete and under concrete all the time. But if you can't find any clean stone for the base, just use gravel with fines mixed in. With you being in Arizona, you don't have to prep the base for freeze / thaw issues like we do here in Massachusetts.
@@TheChristianHardscaper should I then stick with the normal mason sand base after as well? I ask for 1/4 clean stone for my bedding and they always look at me funny because that apparently isn't a thing here either
1/4 inch crushed clean stone is pretty hard to find sometimes. Look for 3/8 inch crushed clean stone, that will be a fine alternative. Some call it crushed pea stone. If you cant find that, than mason sand for your bedding material is fine as long as you use gravel with fines in it.
Long story short, A clean crushed stone base needs a clean crushed stone bedding. A gravel base with fines, needs a mason sand bedding. In your climate, both will work well.
@@TheChristianHardscaper awesome, thank you so much for the info! Your videos have been incredibly informative
No problem, thank you! ✌
Is this compacted enough to drive a car on once flags are down?
I would backfill and screed with the same materials but in a little different way to make sure it is strong enough for vehicle traffic. Like excavate deeper, add geogrid to the base stone and compact with a heavy reversible compactor. But basically the same concept...✌
@@TheChristianHardscaper Thank you.
Great Video ! What is that black plastic that you used under the 3/4 stone?
Thank you, it is a plastic geotextile stabilization fabric which is also permeable so that water can drain into the sub soil. ✌
The top layer is it 1 1/4 or 1/4 aggregate
1/4 inch - 3/8 inch clean, crushed bluestone (any aggregate at this size works, here its bluestone)
Is there any reason someone would use 2.5 feet thick of screed and another half foot of gravel under patio stones. this was a very large area surrounding most of the backyard around a large house. (Just digging the area out would be grueling because there is no way to get a machine back there.) I don't do patio stones to often but I thought it was pretty crazy. Maybe some kind of drainage reason?
That seems like a pretty crazy base.... sometimes people use what they have or what cost the cheapest. Not sure why in your situation, but if you get down 1-12 inches and you are on a decent sub grade, just compact, lay stabilization fabric and backfill with the 3/4 inch clean crushed stone to your desired height. ✌
@@TheChristianHardscaper at what slope would you lay down Geo grid on the crushed stone? I have a slight decline and bc of the tree roots I cannot install railroad ties for a retaining wall
You can lay it at any slope necessary really. It will help stabilize the base in your situation but if there is a significant grade change, some kind of retaining wall is recommended ✌🏻
@@TheChristianHardscaper thanks for your reply! I have a sloped area where I keep livestock that mulch gets washed away with heavy rains. Thanks
Was looking for a video that explained the use of pipes and best gravel to use. THANK YOU!
Did you put 1 inch sand on top of fabric that's under the gravel?
Glad it helped! I do not put any sand in my backfill material. Here is a link to another video I made on my base prep method that explains it in more detail 👉ruclips.net/video/ChaJe3JqD6I/видео.html
Went to the stone yard today and not sure if they sold me the right stuff. Its a small angular down to dust. I don't want it to hold water or settle to a lower height of the garage concrete I'm leveling to.
It might be stone dust…. How big are the actual stone pieces? Stone dust is usually 1/4 or less with the dust still in it. Not sure what to say…. If it seems really dusty, it probably isn’t very permeable and may shift easier. But hard to tell without seeing it…
@@TheChristianHardscaper thank you for your help. It does seem to drain well as I did a Shadowbox kind of thing for a test. Of course it settled about 3/8 inch. I called them up and asked for concrete sand but she says everybody calls it different they have what they call manufactured, masonry and natural. They sold me what they call screening. Want to make sure I do it right. I really don't want to pull up 3,000 bricks. LOL
I hear you on not wanting to pull them up.... lol. If it seems to compact a lot with water, you should compact it before screeding. You can do that by spreading out the material inside the screed pipes slightly higher than the desired height, then use a tamper or compactor to tighten the material up. Then you can screed it, that way you pre compacted the material and will have much less possibility for any sunken areas.
@@TheChristianHardscaper excellent. That's what I thought. I just haven't seen anybody else do that on youtube. Sounds like the preferred material is something with at least a little bit of sediment in it to help pack? Especially being a driveway
@@kranerwheatens Driveways are definitely different than patios. Compaction is key. But also keep in mind that if you use a clear stone for your base and use a stone dust for bedding material, the dust and fines can easily migrate into the base stone....
The most important thing about my backfill technique is that there is no dust or fines in either the base material or the bedding material. This allows water to travel freely through, unlike dense grade, sand and stone dust..... If you are using sand or stone dust for a bedding material over open grade (clear) stone, you will need to lay fabric over the stone before installing the sand / stone dust. Otherwise, all that material will migrate into the open gaps that the clear stone naturally has.
My bedding stone has next to no dust in it. So my base stone and bedding stone is clear of all dust and fines. Then the geotextile fabric I use under the base rock keeps the soil from migrating into the stone.
Looks like great work. I'm about to lay the sand bedding for my patio. Question--should the sand and/or the base be dry for the screeding process?
Thanks, the sand does not need to be completely dry
@@TheChristianHardscaper thanks
Don't roast me for my comment/question, but when you remove the PVC pipe it leaves an area unfilled. Then when it's shown again it's smoothed out. Do you just fill in that void? That part is always skipped.
No problem with that question at all. Once we remove the pipes, we fill the void with a shovel and smooth it out with a 16 inch hand float (like they use in concrete.
Not sure why I didn’t include that in this video but I go over it in more depth with this video right here 👉🏻How To Screed For A Paver Walkway (DIY)
ruclips.net/video/69R0yfzsd24/видео.html
Okay, now I'm marathon watching and it's nearing midnight. My gosh this is good info. I am officially subscribed and now I'm hitting the bell. I know great info when I see it. I love guys with talent like you have. My dad was a builder and my uncle was a mason. This stuff is in my blood. Funny for a nephrology clinical educator lol!! What's better than improving your property and doing it outside??
😂✌ That's awesome! thank you for the feedback! The construction industry is the main heartbeat of the country, we need more people out there doing it. Outdoor projects really do increase property value as well as make your outdoors more inviting. I have always enjoyed residential landscape construction. ✌
Do you use a plate compactor?
Yes I do, just not at this stage of the process. ✌
Your the first not to use what we call crush-n-run as the 1st base. Is this because it doesn’t drain well enough? And you use the 57’s clean stone instead?
That is exactly why, the system I use is specifically used for permeable paver applications but has proven to be better in all paver applications ( in my opinion) especially here in MA where there is many freeze / thaw cycles. We want the water to drain into the sub soil ASAP….. I stopped using crusher -r- run / sand 4 years ago when I gave this system a shot ✌🏻
@@TheChristianHardscaper thank you we have many here in NC I can’t wait to give this a try on our backyard patio and front walkway! Love the content
Nice! Good luck with your walkway and patio, this system will not fail you. Thanks for the support!
What is that black stuff on the top?
If you are talking about the bedding stone that I am leveling off, it is 3/8 inch or less clean, crushed bluestone.
Beautiful work! If we wanted to put paver patio, but the said patio is currently pea gravel, what do you recommend to put on top or around to stabilize it for sand and pavers eventually? Just sand? Special type of sand? Thank you in advance!
Thanks! If you live in a “freeze / thaw” climate, I would recommend excavating the entire area down 8-10 inches so that you are able to install a new base material that will hold up to the elements better than pea gravel. If you live in a climate that does not freeze in the winter, I would just recommend covering the pea gravel with geotextile landscape fabric and cover with chip stone ( 3/8 inch clean crushed stone ) to lay the pavers on to. I do not use sand anymore, only clean crushed stone for my base material ✌🏻
@@TheChristianHardscaper Thank you so much for taking the time to reply! We live in Texas. I appreciate the advice. I think we can do the second option, climate is mild through the winter for the most part. It took us so much time to dig in preparation for the pea gravel, we would like to avoid that if at all possible😁.
@@krisfg5647 no problem at all, and I totally agree with not digging it up if you don't have too. Living in Texas, you will be all set with laying fabric over the gravel with the bedding stone on top of that and your all set to lay pavers! ✌
I really want to learn this trade. Stone work has always intrigued me. How would one start?
It’s an awesome trade man, very fulfilling. And as far as starting, it’s just like anything else… you just got to send it. If you really want to learn, do everything you can to get a job in the field, then learn everything you can. Knowing this work will always keep money in your pocket 👍🏻
Get youself a hamerr
I learned stonework by just getting a job at a landscape company
That’s the best 1st step brother 👍🏻
I didn't see exactly how you set the height of the pipe? Are you just knocking the pipe deeper into the 3/4" gravel until it's 1/8th pitch lower?
Yes, I use a dead blow hammer to set the pipes at the correct pitch. If it ends up being a little less chip stone, its not a problem. But if it seems like the 3/4 is to high and you keep hammering, then the best thing to do is pick up the pipes and remove some stone to correct the pitch of the 3/4. ✌
What do you think about pea gravel as a base?
If that’s what you have, you can. But I still recommend the 3/4 clean crushed stone simply because it locks together tighter than pea stone. That being said, I think clean pea gravel is better than regular crushed gravel with sand and stone dust still in it..✌🏻
You don't have to pack it down with with a tamper?
Only the base material, check out the video before this one in the playlist that it is in.
obviously is not a easy task to complete is a lot heavy labor involved but look beatifull nice work 👍👍👍👍
Thank you 👍
Great video. Here in Ottawa, Ontario. The bedding stone is referred to as PBS.
Thanks man! And that’s good to know, what does “PBS” stand for?
@@TheChristianHardscaper Premium Bedding Stone
That makes a lot of sense now… 🤣👍🏻 I’m going to start calling it that down here and see if it sticks. I like that ✌🏻
How close is your business to Corpus Christi, Tx.
I am in Massachusetts, so not very close....LOL ✌
looks awesome!
Thanks!
Would you recommend the same base for Artificial Turf? if not, what?
Yes, you could certainly use this for artificial turf.
Do you compact the 3/4 base or the 1/4 stone??
I compact the first layer of 3/4. Everything else is rake smooth and your all set with this open grade base method ✌🏻
@@TheChristianHardscaper thanks
Good info! I have a bunch of brock paver panels for a super small patio (60Sq ft). I figure I'll tamp the mulch/dirt, put an inch of paver sand (because i already bought it) then the pads, with pavers on top. After seeing your video I wish I would have just gone with the 3/8 stone. Any thoughts on those paver panels?
The paver panels are definitely very helpful with stabilization, even on sand. Just make sure the sand is compacted before you screed it. Meaning, spread the sand higher than it needs to be, compact it tight, then screed it. That will make sure the sand is firmly set before you lay the panels. ✌🏻
Hi. Big fan here :)…I’m considering #78 wash stone for screeding. How do you feel about that? 3/4” base, and #78 wash stone on top. Thanks!
Sweet! The #78 washed stone should work great, Good luck with your project!
Thanks man!
I live in Texas and all I can find is 3/8 crushed limestone or road base is your 3/8 base made from lime stone . What kind of rock is your stones made of
We have a lot of granite and bluestone here in Massachusetts. Limestone will work just fine though ✌
How deep is your 3/4 inch base
About 6 inches 👍🏻
Good idea about using gas pipes!
They work awesome ✌🏻
LABURAZO MAN, SALUDOS DESDE ARGENTINA, TIENEN MUCHISIMA MAQUINARIA USTEDES, NOSOTROS SOMOS PODEROSOS PERO NO TENEMOS HERRAMIENTAS DE CALIDAD AL ALCANCE DE LA MANO
Thank you
What is a pitch
"Pitch" is how sloped the grade is to account for water run off. Every patio / walkway we do is installed with a slight pitch for surface water to run off and drain so that there is no puddles in the middle of your install. ✌