DIY Block Paving

Create a diagram of the area including trees and other existing features. Use a pencil and paper to draw various paths for the walk or shapes for a patio. Choose your preferred layout and measure the paving site with a tape measure, adding 3 inches to each side for edging. Pin garden stakes in the ground at each corner and stretch a string around the stakes to mark out the site.

Excavate 8 to 12 inches from the marked-out area with a shovel, depending on whether the pavement is for foot traffic or vehicles. Stabilize lose dirt at the bottom by tamping it with a tamper until it feels hard and resists pressure.

Fill the hole with 3/4-inch crushed rocks and tamp them. Hold a measuring stick vertically in the foundation and continue adding rocks until you have a 5- to 9-inch thick base.

Fit PVC, metal, timber or other strong edging material against the inner perimeter of the hole, and hammer spikes through the slots.

Pour a 1-inch thick bed of grit sand over the aggregate and pull a wood board over the surface to smooth the sand.

Drop the first paving block on the sand starting at one end. Do not slide the blocks over the sand. Butt the side of the next block beside the first according to your planned design, and drop it into place so the joints are as unobtrusive as possible. Lay down a wooden board over the first section and walk across it, applying equal pressure to make adjacent blocks even. Continue setting the blocks in small sections at a time, making them even as you go.

Pack fine sand down between each block with a stiff push broom. Spray the surface with a hose to weigh the sand down and pack more in until each crack is full.

Roll penetrating sealant over the pavement with a rolling brush to repel water and preserve the color.