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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For answers to all YOUR Landscape, Garden and Home Improvement questions, visit our website Rosieonthehouse.com

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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For more information and for answers to all YOUR Home Improvement, Landscape and Gardening questions, visit our website: www.rosieonthehouse.com

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.

Read more...

For more information and for answers to all YOUR Home Improvement, Landscape and Gardening questions, visit our website: www.rosieonthehouse.com

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