We’re making some big changes to the yard of Homeowners Billy Kavula and Brenda Martens in Mobile, Alabama, including building a paver driveway and walkway and improving the look of an existing concrete patio by cleaning and staining it.
Read our guide on the top inexpensive patio coverings.
Paver Driveway and Walk
Before we could begin laying the Pavestone pavers, we first removed 4” of dirt and filled it with crushed limestone to act as a base for the pavers. After the base had been leveled, a motorized plate compactor was used to compress it.
Next came a 1” layer of Pavestone Paver Sand, which was leveled using parallel pipes as a guide and a straight 2×4 for the screed board.
After the base was ready, the straight paver border was installed first using a string for alignment. Four different size pavers were then laid in a random pattern to fill in the driveway and walk.
A garden hose was used to layout the curved edges, and a motorized concrete saw cut the curves in the pavers. Quikrete Fast-Setting Concrete Mix was poured around the outside of the pavers to secure them in place.
Push brooms were used to distribute the sand on top of the pavers, followed by a plate compactor to force the sand down deep in the seams.
Watch Tips for Laying a Paver Patio to find out more.
Concrete Patio Facelift
The first step in improving the look of the patio in the backyard was to clean the concrete thoroughly using a 50/50 mixture of Quikrete Cleaner, Etcher & Degreaser (No. 8675-34) and water. Be sure to wear protective clothing, safety glasses, and impervious rubber gloves when using concrete cleaner.
Pour or spray the concrete cleaner on the surface, and allow it to work for one minute before scrubbing. Water is then used to rinse off the cleaner.
After it was dry, the patio was stained with Quikrete Terra Cotta Translucent Concrete Stain (No. 7215-15) using a brush and roller to apply it.
When the concrete stain was dry, Quikrete High Gloss Sealer (No. 8800-06) was applied to further seal and protect the surface.
Watch How to Acid Stain a Concrete Porch or Patio to find out more.
Other Tips from This Episode
Simple Solutions with Joe Truini:
Stepped Container Garden
To make a stepped container display rack; buy two precut, pressure treated stair stringers and attach 2x4s at the top and bottom to hold them together. Position the top of the stringers against a fence or wall and place containers on each step. (Watch Video)
Best New Products with Jodi Marks:
EGO Power+ String Trimmer
The EGO Power+ String Trimmer is powered by a 56-volt, lithium-ion battery for performance that rivals gas models. The 12” cutting diameter makes fast work of trimming jobs. The EGO Power+ String Trimmer is available at The Home Depot. (Watch Video)
Ask Danny Lipford:
Safe Driveway Weed Removal
Salt can be used to kill weeds in a gravel walk or driveway, but it will sterilize the ground for years to come, so use it sparingly. Another option is to pour boiling water over the weeds. If there aren’t many, the best bet is to pull weeds out by hand. (Watch Video)
