Hi all,

In 2009 I installed a running bond brick paver patio below my 2nd floor deck. As a new homeowner who just wanted "the mud to stop coming into the house" I didn't really do this to any industry standard. It worked for about 3 years, then started sinking here and there, and this year I finally decide to do something about it.

I've pulled the brick up and piled in the corner, and scraped off the ~1" of gravel that was on the surface below. I'm now back to a mud pit, but ready to do this right. Thing is I don't have a great grasp on how to build the necessary retaining wall. Complicating matters, I had a wooden patio installed along the side of the brick portion, which itself is level, but I know I need to slope the paver patio 1/8" per foot away from the house. I have no idea how to marry the two surfaces together to avoid a tripping hazard.

So could someone hold my hand a bit, and walk me through what I need to do so far as foundations for the wall, how to handle the slope issue, point me to other resources, what type of materials, etc? The folks at my local home improvement store were no help, and I'd rather not pay someone else to do this when I know I can do it myself.

Attached are some pictures of the site as it is today.

Desired end state is a brick paver patio retained by a block wall that does not create a trip hazard at the entry door and has a safe transition to the wood patio. The design would last at least 20 years and allows for proper drainage of water.

If you need more information, please ask.

 

Very basic and simple, like any structure you have to have a solid foundation.

Pavers require a compacted base, depending on the local materials the ideal material is crushed limestone, it's a sharp 3/4" stone and with the "dust" when compacted allows drainage but is solid.

Need to excavate at least 8" (I over kill and do 10-12") laying down 2-3" of material and using a plate compactor between layers.

Once you are at your level then 1" of slag sand, using metal conduit, to set the final height and slope!

Lay stones, compact them into the sand, then add your polymeric sand, and your done.

A nice, satisfying summer project! And, do it right it will last many, many years, especially since its under a protective deck.

Which brings up another thought, had similar setup a few homes ago, make the patio just a bit bigger than deck so water dripping from edges hits pavers, will stay a lot cleaner!

 

Decent advice from Marq but I would change one thing:
I like to slope the base material away from the house such that the sand bed is 1" think over its entirety.

 

Wording wasn't correct, the intent was that the sand would be constant thickness!

 

Can't help much with the toe stub but there are 3 things I would do. (1) Make sure stepping area in front of door is flat. (2) Put sonotube footings under the 2nd floor deck supports so that wood support bottom is above patio grade . (3) Make sure there is good drainage where the patio meets the lawn. Good luck.

 

I've come a ways on the project since initial post thank you for your suggestions. I'm finishing up the details and realized I made a rookie mistake. The paver patio base is surrounded on 3 sides by a 2 or 3 course concrete block wall. Instructions I was using called for wrapping the wall in landscape fabric under the first course wrapping around the drain pipe and then terminating on top of the first course with the second course holding the fabric in place.

The mistake was that the top layer of bricks is a simple perpendicular pattern laid on the top course of the retaining wall. I realized today when stepping on the outside edge that the top block can shift since there isn't anything holding it down because I didn't add construction adhesive between the blocks; oops!

My plan to mitigate is:

1. Tilt the top block course up, cut back the fabric, and squeeze construction adhesive in to secure the top block to the next lower course.
2. Backfill to at least 1/2 the height of the top course and tamp the soil down to secure the block from moving out away from the patio.
3. Use construction adhesive to secure pavers to the top course.

Will this be sufficient to render this error safe from patio failure or creating an issue that could cause injury?

Or do I need to get my hands on a hammer drill and drive some kind of fastener/rod down through the courses? Or something else I haven't thought of?

 

A little confusion on the description between blocks (the vertical matl) and pavers (horizontal)

Yes you could have used adhesive on the vertical block but only 2 rows doesn't seem like it's going to be a concern.

Yes the horizontal pavers are lacking support so agree they should be cut back.

Make sure you use a good landscape block adhesive, construction adhesive will fail after it gets wet for extended time, learned that the hard way!

 

Marq1,

Using Gorilla Heavy Duty Construction Adhesive Ultimate, which states 100% waterproof and "all purpose" including landscaping. Do I need to send in a pinch hitter?

 

This is what I used and has held up well, better???

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Loctite-...3231/203266767

 

Hi all,

Patio has come together nicely but I've noticed when it rains the joint sand washes out on top of the pavers. Pic below. Is this a usual issue or is this something I just have to deal with and keep sweeping the sand back into the joints?

 

Are you using polymeric sand?

 

Not using polymeric sand. I'm using play sand. The polymeric required a 1/4" gap between the pavers which I didn't plan for so my gaps were substantially thinner.

Link to the specific sand: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Sakrete-50-...d-Sand/3055675

 

Then you will always have sand that leaks, Gaps in my pavers are well below 1/4" and the poly sand I have, Gator, works fine!