This autumn, a popular backyard hardscape will be a redwood pergola over a brick paver or a composite redwood deck to provide some shade and some sun for your backyard BBQ patio area.
Building the Brick Paver Patio
This could be a weekend DIY project if you have the tools, time and know-how. If it’s just you and your partner, you can break this down into two weekend projects, one for the paver patio and the next to build the pergola.
For the paver patio, you’ll need a spade, a steel forked rake, hammer and chisel or grinder, a hand tamper, a rubber mallet, a push broom, plastic edging, bricks, gravel, sand and foot-long landscaping spikes.
Instead of the plastic edging, you could choose 6” X 6” x 8’ pressure-treated timbers, which Southern Landscape Supply usually has on hand. Remember, the brick paver patio is only as strong as its borders.
Once you decide the size, call Southern Landscape Supply for the sand and gravel, and follow these five steps.
#1 — Build the Base
Locate, mark and stake out the four corners, dig down 8 inches. Then, spread the gravel, rake it smooth and tamp it down so that it’s level — use either a power tamper or by hand.
#2 — Install the Edging
Measure and cut the plastic edging or pressure-treated timbers to form the outer edge of your patio. If using the timbers, you could lay a concrete footing and lag bolts. With the plastic edge, use the 12” landscape spikes straight into the ground.
#3 — Pour on the Sand
Pour enough sand for a one-inch layer, rake and level with a 2” X 4.”
#4 — Lay the Pavers
Begin laying the pavers at the border. Using your preconceived pattern, continue to tap the bricks in place with a rubber mallet. It might be necessary to cut some bricks with a grinder or hammer and chisel.
#5 — Fill the Joints
Use a push broom to spread sand over the bricks to fill the joints. Spray a mist over the bricks until it is soaked and repeat until the sand fills the gaps. Then, tamp the bricks until the patio is set.
A Pergola for Your Backyard BBQ Space
Building the Pergola is much more complicated. Follow the instructions in this HGTV article, How to Build a Pergola. Call (770) 205-9393 or use the Southern Landscape Supply contact form to order all your landscape supplies.