Carisa Scarpa's backyard before the Pavestone Paradise makeover.
Carisa Scarpa’s backyard before the makeover is a blank slate with lots of potential.
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Carissa Scarpa of Beaufort, S.C., was the enthusiastic winner of our annual Backyard Paradise contest, sponsored by Pavestone. She lives with her fiancé, Matt McVey, who is a pilot in the Marine Corps.

Matt’s been stationed all over the U.S., as well as overseas, so the couple is thrilled that they are finally able to be together. Their wedding is set for October, and winning the contest means they can host the reception in their backyard rather than renting a venue.

Carissa didn’t expect to win the contest, so she and Matt had purchased a gazebo, which they hoped could be incorporated into the design of their backyard paradise.

Contest winner Carissa Scarpa with her fiancé, Matt McVey, and Danny Lipford.

They also envisioned going out into the yard, away from the house, to a separate outdoor entertaining space.

Andy Morton from Pavestone took all of their ideas to heart and presented a design that excited everyone.


Laying the Paver Patio

First things first, we called 811 to identify the underground utilities and turned on the sprinklers to find the lines. Then we marked the footprint of the paver patio and serpentine pathway.

To remove the grass, we rented a sod cutter, so the sod could be lifted out in manageable pieces. To move the bulk of the dirt we rented a skid steer tractor and then used shovels to fine-tune the grade to the proper depth.

We used a plate compactor to compact the soil to prevent settling. All this machinery intrigued Carissa, and she had to try them out for herself.

Once the soil was compacted, we spread the base material evenly and compacted it as well.

We laid 1-inch thick steel pipes on top of the base material to act as guides for leveling the sand. After pouring 1 inch of sand on top of the base material, we used a 2×4 as a screed on top of the pipes to level the sand to a consistent thickness. We removed the pipes and filled in the void left behind. Finally, we laid the pavers on top of the sand in a herringbone pattern, being careful not to step on the sand.

To secure the border of the patio, we poured concrete halfway up the thickness of the pavers around the outer edge of the patio. After the concrete set, we covered it back up with sod. Then we swept paver sand into the joints between the pavers to fill them.

Watch Tips for Laying a Paver Patio for more info.


Building a Fire Pit and Corner Bench

Carissa’s new backyard paradise features a spacious 400-square-foot paver patio, and a winding path of pavers connects it to the house. Under the gazebo, a coffee table made of stone and concrete provides a hub for conversation. In one corner a custom gas grill enclosure guarantees that guests will be well fed, while the opposite corner boasts spacious bench seating and a stone fire pit to chase away the chill on cool evenings.

Pavestone provided color-coded plans, which Andy calls “LEGOs for adults,” that makes building the fire pit and corner bench easy enough for a novice. We stacked the stones according to plan and applied adhesive to lock the stones in place.

Last but not least, we filled the planting beds and add solar-powered landscape lights from Lamps Plus.

Check out the time-lapse videos of the crew building the fire pit and 90-degree corner bench.

Watch How to build a Backyard Fire Pit from a Kit for more info.

The Today's Homeowner and Pavestone crews celebrate the completion of the project.
The Today’s Homeowner and Pavestone crews celebrate the completion of the project.

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Ask Danny Lipford: How to Change the Color of Concrete

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Editorial Contributors
avatar for Danny Lipford

Danny Lipford

Founder

Danny Lipford is a home improvement expert and television personality who started his remodeling business, Lipford Construction, at the age of 21 in Mobile, Alabama. He gained national recognition as the host of the nationally syndicated television show, Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford, which started as a small cable show in Mobile. Danny's expertise in home improvement has also led him to be a contributor to popular magazines and websites and the go-to source for advice on everything related to the home. He has made over 200 national television appearances and served as the home improvement expert for CBS's The Early Show and The Weather Channel for over a decade. Danny is also the founder of 3 Echoes Content Studio, TodaysHomeowner.com, and Checking In With Chelsea, a décor and lifestyle blog.

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