Hi,

I’m looking to install pavers for a patio measuring 12x20. 12’ away from the house.
The pavers are 2 3/8” thick and are 3 different shapes.

I’ve read that the slope should be 1” per 4’.
question
If I dig down 7.5” near the house, does that mean I need to be 10.5” deep 12’ out?

Also, since the slope of my yard is more than 1” per 4’, how can the pavers be the same level as the grass 12’ out?

One other question please…
how much gap should there be between my back foot wooden threshold and the top of the pavers? Is a 1” gap sufficient?

Thanks much!
Barry

 

1/4 per foot is the max, so yes, 3" over 12'.

The 1" gap is fine, would not go less!

 

You can do it a couple ways. You can excavate so the bottom of your dig follows the final grade but that's sorta fussy and difficult when going Grrr and making a big hole. I tend to dig with the bottom being mostly level to sorta the final slope. As I add the stone base and compact I start dialing in the proper slope. I definitely have the final slope established by the time I get to the top of the compacted stone base.

I consider 1/4" per foot to be the minimum or target for a outdoor paver patio. With the texture in the block's surface and possible imperfections during installation I want all water to run off the patio and not puddle. I've pushed it to 1/2" per foot in some instances and only Engineering minded people notice the slope and muggles don't have a clue.

1" per foot is too much slope for a patio so the patio cannot match your yard's slope. You will need to do some grading of your yard to make the elevations work. Don't despair. When the grass grows back and the patio looks great you'll forget about the extra work.

"how much gap should there be between my back foot wooden threshold and the top of the pavers? Is a 1” gap sufficient?"
What is a "back foot"? Is your back door shaped like a foot? I wanna see a picture!

I would not want the wood threshold touching the pavers. I would follow the rules for a maximum step height of 7 3/4". So, the top of your threshold should be no more than 7 3/4" above the top surface of your paver patio. It can be less but not more. Then I'd like to see the most distance possible between wood and the patio to help prevent rot.

 

Ok so not sure where ‘foot’ came from but I’ve got my slope and it ends up that 12’ away from the house at 1/4” per foot slope, the pavers will end up 4” above the grass.

I’ve got 1” gap for between the top of the pavers and the wooden threshold and really don’t want to dig another 4” to make the step higher and meet the grass at the same height.

Thanks for the reply.

 

This is 8.5” below threshold.

12’ out with 3” slope over those 12 feet.

Footer… 5.5” below current dirt level.

 

So if I want the pavers at the same level as the lawn, 12’ out…. I’d have to dig down another 4”. That would put the bottom about 1.5 “ above the footer.

Is it unwise to do this?

That would leave about a 5” step from the pavers to the threshold

 

So as long as the "step" is under the nominal height, about 7.5" , you can do what you want.

I would think regardless of what height you have you will want to support that threshold with a course of block!

Level with the lawn is a arbitrary dimension, especially with growing grass, personally I would want the patio higher so that you never get water flowing from the yard onto the patio!