Lay stone patio pavers

With their rugged good looks and durable surface that enhance a yard as well as a patio, stone pavers are an attractive addition to a home. Stone pavers offer a nice contrast and transition to a manicured lawn and provide years of outdoor living. Whether you decide to lay the material yourself or hire a contractor, you’ll find the best selection of stonework at a landscaping service or lawn and garden center.

A landscaping service will charge $1,112 to lay stone pavers in a 10-foot-by-12-foot patio. That includes labor and material. You can buy the materials for $470, which include the pavers, gravel and sand, and do the job yourself, saving 58 percent.

This is not a job for the faint of heart, because the weight of the pavers makes the project very physical and time-consuming. There are several phases of the project. They include removing any sod or lawn, then laying out the design of the pavers and installing guide boards to mark the layout. Then a layer of gravel is laid and leveled and compacted with a plate compactor (you can rent one at a rental center) to provide a firm and level base. Next, a layer of sand is added and compacted and the pavers are set in place following the layout design. When the pavers are aligned and even, sand is spread between the joints to act as grout and secure them.

To find more DIY project costs and to post comments and questions, visit www.diyornot.com on your laptop, tablet or smartphone.

Pro Cost -- DIY Cost -- Pro time -- DIY Time -- DIY Savings -- Percent Saved

$1,112 -- $470 -- 23.7 -- 40.0 -- $642 -- 58 Percent

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