How to Set Large Pavers

Excavate the area of the planned paver project. Remove the soil to a depth equal to the thickness of the pavers plus one inch for a base in walkways or patios or two inches for driveways. Leave the subsoil below the excavation as undisturbed as possible.

Fill in the sand base for the paver project. Fill walkways or patios with one inch and driveways two inches of sand, respectively. Pack the sand with a vibrating plate tamper. Make multiple passes over the sand until footprints are not visible in the sand.

Place the pavers on the sand in the predetermined pattern. Cut the large pavers with a masonry saw and chisel. Make shallow cuts in the paver with the saw and then use the chisel and hammer to split the paver along the cut lines. For harder pavers, brick-type material, use a brick cutter with a diamond blade that also employs water for cooling the blade. These tools are commonly rented for this kind of project.

Recruit some help for moving the large pavers. Lifting the larger pavers alone can cause back or other injuries. Use metal rods or bars as levers to move the pavers once placed.

Use a rubber mallet to set each stone into the sand. Use a straight board laid across the surface to determine low or high spots. Use the mallet to drive the high pavers deeper into the sand to create a level surface..

Spread sand over the top of the pavers. Use a broom to move the sand around the paver surface. The sand fills the cracks to seal the area between the pavers.