patio sub-base, compacting soil backfill


  #1  
Old 09-02-14, 08:44 AM
K
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Virginia, USA
Posts: 196
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
patio sub-base, compacting soil backfill

Building a paver patio with a 2'High X 4'Wide X 4"Deep area of soil backfill. It rained cats and dogs as soon as I finished leveling the soil and tamping the last layer of soil backfill. Now that the little soil backfill area is mushy what is the next best step? Let it dry and re-tamp? I can do that and then put weed screen over the top and add an extra couple inches of gravel in place of the soil but just not confident in the solution.
 
  #2  
Old 09-02-14, 09:12 AM
P
Group Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: NC, USA
Posts: 27,657
Received 2,153 Upvotes on 1,928 Posts
That is the situation I always try very hard to avoid and will push hard to at least get the compacted gravel base in before letting it get wet. How deep is the mud layer? Depending on the soil and how well it's compacted it might not be too deep and you can wait for it to dry out.

I have done paver patios in areas where the ground never did solidify. I ended up excavating deeper and did layers of landscape fabric with 4" of compacted crusher run stone. It did firm up and after 5 years the oldest where I've done that is still solid with no cracking or movement.
 
  #3  
Old 09-02-14, 09:27 AM
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: USA
Posts: 5,650
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
If the base is actually muddy, it many not even the the right material with the excess of fines.

Normally, pavers are set on a 1" inform thickness of uncompacted, screeded sand that is placed on a 4"-6" compacted base, that will be stable with high moisture.

If you just compact any old type of soil, it will not be stable.

Dick
 
  #4  
Old 09-02-14, 10:04 AM
K
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Virginia, USA
Posts: 196
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Thanks both. It is primarily undisturbed soil so I think I will remove some of the backfill and just build it up with crusher since it is such a small area.

Thanks again!
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description: