Can I install concrete pavers myself?

Pavers may be the easiest patio surface to install yourself.

Pavers are set on sand or crushed concrete rather than bound with mortar. You can even lay pavers on top of your existing patio if it’s level and in good condition, so there’s no need to break up the old patio or excavate the ground.

Here’s an overview of the job:

• Settle on a style. Pavers come in dozens of shapes, sizes, colors and textures. Concrete is the most popular kind of paver, but they also come in marble, clay and travertine. Decide if you want a natural stone patio, a faux-stone look, an old-style cobblestone floor or a classic brick appearance. The most versatile size is 4-by-8-inches because they’re easiest for forming a variety of patterns.
  
• Get the proper permits, if required, from your city before starting the work.
  
• Design your patio. Decide where you will place the pavers, the size of the floor and how many pavers you’ll need.
  
• Unless you’re laying pavers over an existing patio, you’ll probably have to excavate the area. 

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What are the pros and cons of building a patio with concrete pavers?

Description: Concrete pavers, or paving stones, are concrete shapes in various colors and textures that interlock to form a patterned surface.

Benefits: Because these long-lasting pavers aren’t set in mortar (except around the perimeter of the patio), they can be removed and replaced if there’s a problem with a particular tile. Pavers come in an endless array of shapes, styles and finishes, and can mimic almost any kind of stone.

Drawbacks: Expect weeds to grow in the joints of your pavers; a regular spray of herbicide should keep them under control. Also, the same “efflorescence” that sometimes appears on poured concrete - whitish, water-soluble salt deposits - occasionally appear when the pavers are new. To remove, scour the spots with a stiff brush.

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What are some guidelines for a backyard playground?

Here are 18 ways to build or add on to your kids’ at-home playground in a way that will entice them to move from the couch in front of the TV to the great outdoors where they can exercise and socialize.

1. Add the unexpected, like rock walls, rope ladders and tunnels.

2. Go a little high-tech. Trick out a play set with everything from an intercom to solar panels to a telescopes.

3. Give them shelter. A structure with a roof or canvas awning allows kids to play outside even during a light rainfall. Stock the shelter with chalkboards and games so there’s plenty to do. Add solar-powered or low-voltage lighting, and the play house will be usable in the evenings, too.

4. Cover up. Likewise, placing an awning or a shade sail over the swing set and jungle gym will protect your children from sunburn. Even a big umbrella offers kids a place to cool off and get out of the sun for a while.

5. Revise the slide. Look for sliding boards with waves, scoops and spirals for an updated take on the original.

6. Consider the age of the children who will use your homemade playground. Toddlers love slides, while older kids like more challenging equipment, like monkey bars. Avoid equipment with openings that are just big enough for your child to squeeze through but might be difficult to escape, or with moving parts that could catch a child’s little fingers.

7. Mix it up. Including a variety of equipment, from slides to see-saws to ladders to open spaces for ball games, will keep kids engaged as they get older.

8. Don’t skimp on cost. The cheapest playground equipment probably won’t be the most durable or the safest. Play sets made from lightweight materials, smaller bolts and cheap accessories won’t endure constant use or the added weight your kids naturally put on as they get older.

9. Consider chemical-free. Redwood, for example, naturally resists insects and rot.

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How can I update my concrete patio’s look?

Do-it-yourselfers and contractors are dressing up concrete patios with acid stains in every color, with overlays that mimic the look of flagstone and other more expensive, natural materials, and with stamps that can be as unique as the homeowner who picks them out.

Some of the most popular ways to turn a drab slab into something fancy underfoot include:

• Stamped concrete. Patterns and textures are pressed into newly poured concrete before it’s fully dry. Combined with stains that add realistic color, stamped concrete can imitate the look of brick, cobblestones, flagstone, wood, pebbles or even seashells—at a fraction of the price. Plan to pay around $6 to $8 per square foot for stamped concrete with a single pattern and color, or more for elaborate designs. This is more a job for a contractor than a do-it-yourselfer.

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For more information and for all YOUR Home Improvement questions, visit our website at www.rosieonthehouse.com