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There are plenty of fantastic landscaping ideas for small yards out there. We think one of the best ideas is to lay pavers or paving stones. A new path, patio or driveway is a great way to add real value to your space without breaking the bank. At Hirepool, we’re pros for laying pavers and paving stones in NZ. You could say that’s why we have a dedicated Paths, Patios and Driveways Hub.
But how do you lay pavers step-by-step? What do you put down before you lay pavers? And what’s the right equipment to hire to get the job done? There are many questions surrounding laying pavers and paving stones, that sometimes put DIYers off doing the job themselves. However, when you break it down and use the right gear, including a plate compactor, this job can be done in a day. This how-to guide will break the process down into plain English so you can do it yourself. Let’s get started!
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High Demand Product: We suggest making a booking for this item in advance.
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High Demand Product: We suggest making a booking for this item in advance.
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High Demand Product: We suggest making a booking for this item in advance.
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High Demand Product: We suggest making a booking for this item in advance.
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High Demand Product: We suggest making a booking for this item in advance.
As you can see, there’s a pretty sizable list of gear you need to lay paving stones and pavers. One way to save money on the upfront cost of buying gear is to hire equipment from Hirepool. Whether you need a concrete saw, concrete mixer or compactor to hire, we’ve got you sorted. For most people, laying paving stones and pavers in NZ is not a job that’s done every weekend. So, it makes sense to hire instead of buying the required tools. All the materials needed to lay pavers or paving stones are available to buy at your local outdoor store.
There’s nothing like relaxing on a hot summer's day under the shade with friends and family on your patio. There are many reasons why pavers and paving stones in NZ are so popular. In fact, they’re so popular, that Kiwis choose to use this method for their driveways in some cases too.
We wouldn’t be writing this how-to guide if we didn’t think a weekend DIYer could do this job. With the right equipment hire, laying pavers or paving stones is a job you can easily knock on the head in a day, depending on how big the space is that you’re working with. Getting on the tools yourself is also a great way to save money you would’ve spent on a contractor.
There are many options for laying a path, patio or driveway. Depending on your taste, you may prefer a certain style, shape or pattern of pavers. Although paving stone trends may change over the years, whichever you choose, you can be sure that your new path or patio will have a smart and sophisticated look. For more inspiration, read our blog that explores 10 DIY ideas for a better backyard.
Not all pavers and paving stones are created equal. In saying that, if you spend the money to get a good quality option, you can rest assured that they will stand the test of time. Some popular types of pavers include:
Because of their durability, pavers and paving stones are commonly used for driveways or areas with high foot traffic. For more advice to do with driveways, read our guide called driveway DIY, what you should know.
Depending on where you’re located in New Zealand, you may need to follow your local council’s regulations for laying a new driveway, patio or pathway. It’s also worth noting that if you need to dig down to make room for your new pavers or paving stones, you should check the council plans for your property. That way, you’ll avoid hitting a pipe or any wires.
Top tip: If you’re needed to demolish an old concrete pathway to make way for your new pavers, we’ve got the gear to help you get the job done at Hirepool. We have a wide variety of concrete breakers and concrete saws to make light work of demo work.
As with many DIY and home renovation jobs, there are several techniques and ways to lay paver and paving stones. Sometimes you will need to dig down to make room for your new pathway or patio. In other cases, you won’t. If you do, you’ll want to start with digging to make room for base course. To do this, use a tape measure to measure the area you’ll be working with, and then mark the area with spray paint.
After that, dig down to your required depth with a shovel. Be sure to measure how deep you go so you don’t go too far. Some people may need to dig as deep as 10 inches to allow enough room. Generally, you want to allow four inches for the base course, an inch for paving sand and then, of course, room for your pavers. You may consider hiring a mini excavator if you have a large space to dig. Read our guide that answers the question, what excavator do you need for your job for advice.
If you are placing pavers in a stepping stone style, take time to measure things out beforehand, ensuring a comfortable stepping pace and distance for each step. Place and position the stepping pavers, to ensure you are comfortable with the distance between each step, then carefully remove and mark the position with spray paint if needed before digging down.
Second on the list of things to do is to measure your pavers or paving stones. Generally, what you’ll want to do is times the length and width of the space you’re working with to find out the square footage. Then, use a handy online paving calculator to help you calculate how many pavers you need.
You may also need to cut some of them to fit with a concrete cutter or concrete saw. To do this, measure your pavers accordingly with a straight edge and a pencil. Then you’ll want to cut cleanly.
Next up, it’s time to spread your base course into the area where you’ll be laying pavers. Base course is usually readily available at your local landscape supplies business. If you don’t have a trailer already, hire one from Hirepool to get the job done. How much base course you need will depend on the height you’re after for your new pavers. Once you’ve spread out your base course, use a plate compactor to compress it. This will create a solid foundation for the following steps. For advice on how to do this, read our guide that covers plate compactor tips and tricks.
Now you’ll want to lay bedding sand on the top of your base course. Bedding sand will help to ensure your pavers or paving stones don’t move around over time. Once again, there’s no one right answer regarding how much bedding sand you need to apply.
How much you need to use will depend on the type of pavers or paving stones you’re working with. However, you’ll usually want to apply a couple of inches of bedding sand. Use a straight edge to spread out the bedding sand evenly.
Step five, and it’s time to set up some string line. To do this, hammer nails or something similar into the ground around your work area. The string line is so that you have a guide for the height of your pavers. And the height of your pavers, of course, depends on the type of pavers you are laying and your personal preference.
Now for the moment of truth. One at a time, lay down your pavers or paving stones. There are many patterns when it comes to pavers, so there’s no one set technique to do this. Sometimes, you may want to leave a gap between your pavers for grout.
In other situations, you may want to have the pavers hard up against each other. If they are meant to be hard up against each other, use a mallet to push the pavers up against each other and into the bedding sand. Don’t hit too hard, though, as you don't want to break them. You’ll also want to use a spirit level as you go to check that your stones are nice and flat and in line with the string line.
Not all pavers or paving stones will require it. However, some new pathways or patios will need you to add an edging of concrete around the edges. This edging of concrete is to keep everything in place and to create a nice, tidy and even border. To do this, dig a well around your new pavers. Then, mix concrete and fill the well in. If you don’t want to use concrete, there are also options for plastic paver edging. If you do go with plastic, just cover the new edging with dirt.
If not using concrete edging, you should still create a secure border to keep your pavers in place. Haunching the edges locks the pavers into place to prevent them loosening or dislodging from their intended position. To do this, dig a trench along the edge of the paving deeper than the bedding sand and base.
Top tip: Concrete can be dangerous, and there’s a real art to it. For advice, read our guides on how to mix concrete perfectly every time and how to pour concrete.
Lastly, you’ll want to lay down some pave set. This is to stop your pavers from moving around and to prevent you from tripping on the gaps. If you’ve used grout, you may not need to apply pave set. However, in most cases, it’s recommended you do. As you lay pave set, make sure it gets in between all the pavers.
Then, use a leaf blower to gently blow the pave set from the surface of the pavers. You want the pave set to stay in the gaps between the pavers, so be careful. Once you’ve used a leaf blower, gently hose your new pavers so that the remaining pave set sets. If you need advice when it comes to leaf blowers, read our how on how to use a leaf blower. Image source
That’s all there is to it! Generally, you can lay new pavers or paving stones in a day. Just make sure to check the weather ahead of time. For any gear you need to carry out this job, including a concrete cutter, concrete mixer or plate compactor for hire, view our range of equipment online. You can book on our website and pick it up from your local Hirepool branch. For more advice, head over to our Paths, Patios and Driveways Hub.
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