6 easy steps to laying pavers

Looking at paving an area around your home? Or maybe you want a beautiful walkway from the road to your door? If so, here's a simple DIY guide for your next paving project.

With any paving project, whatever materials you're using, the most important things are to lay a firm foundation and keep the surface level. Plan the layout before you start, to avoid awkward cuts or poor alignment with features such as a door or path. Allow for a 10-millimetre (half-inch) joint between slabs. If you're laying irregular-sized slabs, draw a plan.

1. Mark out the area to be paved with stakes and string. Drive stakes into the earth to the depth that you need to dig out (depending on the kind of surface you're laying). Mark stakes with the proposed depth of hardcore (crushed bricks and broken stone), mortar sub-base (if there is one) and paving slabs or bricks.
2. All paving materials need a good base of hardcore, about 10 centimetres (four inches) deep. A metric ton covers an area of about six square metres (64 square feet). Spread it in the excavated area, and ram it down using an earth rammer (also called a tamper) or, for large areas, a plate vibrator.
3. Spread a 10 millimetre (half inch) layer of ballast or sand to fill the gaps, and tamp down. Use a string line to ensure that the surface is smooth and flat, with a slight fall away from any building for drainage.

1. For mortar, buy a pre-mixed bag or combine six parts sand to one part cement and add water (with a little dishwashing liquid) a bit at a time until the mortar is like a stiff cake mix. Spread a 35 to 40 millimetre (1 1/2 inch) layer over the sand.
2. Position the pavers — a small area at a time — then tamp down with a piece of lumber and a club hammer (small sledgehammer) until the mortar bed is just 25 millimetres (one inch) deep, and the slabs are level and firm. Make any cuts using an angle grinder with a masonry cutting disc; wear gloves and goggles.
3. Wait two days before pointing the gaps between slabs with a dry mortar mix of one part cement to two parts sharp sand, using a pointing trowel to get a neat finish.

It's as simple as that! Now it's time to get started on your next project!