Base material: (check with local supplier) should be 3/4” or 1/2” gravel including particle sizes down to fine dust. 1” depth of compacted base weighs approximately 1200 lbs. Per 100 sq.ft. (9.3 sq. Meters). Always add 5-10% for edges and miscellaneous areas.

Sand: (coarse concrete sand or other suitable bedding material) 1” depth, approximately 900 lbs. Per 100 sq. Ft. Figure extra 5% for jointing sand.

Pavers: Do not forget to factor any soldier course (bordering) pavers in your calculations. You will need to know how many linear feet of project perimeter.

PAVE EDGE: steel spikes (10” length x 3/8” diameter)

Tools needed:

Rental: (Look in Yellow Pages for local contractor)

1. INSTALLATION
First, measure area you intend to pave. Determine square footage by multiplying (length x width= square footage); add 5% for breakage and cutting. Measure lineal feet of open edges, those not up against a permanent structure such as a house, etc. This will indicate lineal footage of PAVE EDGE required. Draw a plan on a piece of paper showing all important dimensions. Take this plan to your supplier, so that he can help you determine the proper amount of materials needed to complete your project.

Using the 3-4-5 triangle method to determine a perpendicular line, measure parallel lines from the perpendicular line to establish a boundary. Place stakes every 4 to 6 feet and at the corners. These stakes should be 8” outside of the planned edge of the pavers.
NOTE: You can check to make sure an area is square by making sure both sets of cross corners measure the exact same distance.

2. EXCAVATION
NOTE: Before any digging call your local utility companies to locate any underground lines.

Using a flat shovel, cut evenly to remove sod/dirt to a depth of at least 71/8” (18cm) to allow room for 23/8” (6cm) paver, 3/4” (20m) compacted sand, minimum of 2” (5cm) compacted crushed stone base (more if soil is very soft). If the house is of new construction, there might be potential for settling next to the foundation. We suggest you increase base thickness to 6” (15cm) or total excavation of 9” (23cm) within 2 feet (1 meter) of new foundation. Excavation should be 6” (15cm) wider on sides where PAVE EDGE - Edge Restraint is to be used.

3. BASE PREPARATION
This is very important. The more time and effort you put into the preparation of the base, the better the project and the longer it will last. Use either 3/4” (19mm) or 1/2” (13mm) graded base material that includes sizes down to fine dust. This material is easier to compact and will give a tight close knit surface.

Method of Compaction:

First, run your plate compactor over the excavated soil (make sure no soil gets stuck to the bottom of the plate tamper).
Each pass should overlap the previous one by about 4”. Now, spread your gravel base material out evenly in about 2” layers. If material is dry and dusty, use a garden hose to thoroughly wet it down (do not get too wet); this helps make the gravel faster to compact and easier to rake. Starting around the outer perimeter, start with the plate compactor and again overlap each pass about 4” working towards the center. You should make at least two complete overlapping passes for each layer. Use your hard tooth garden rake to rake out any unevenness.Try spreading material with the rake turned upside down (teeth pointing up).

When finished with the base, it should be very smooth and flat. If you were to put a straight edge flat on the surface, there should be no more than 3/8” (1cm maximum) gap anywhere along the straight edge and the base.

Slope and Grade:

Slope and Grade are important to ensure proper run-off. It is best to plan at least a 1/4” (6mm) per foot drop, but try not to exceed 1/2” (12mm) per foot.

4. SAND SETTING BED
NOTE: It is important to keep your sand dry. Always keep your sand covered in case of rain.

Do not attempt to level any area or surface irregularities with the sand bedding. This will result in an uneven surface and unwanted settling.

Lay your screed guides (1” (25mm) electrical conduit, 1” strips of wood or other suitable rigid 1” guide) 4’ to 6’ apart and parallel. Work from side to side; moving your screed guides, screed 10’ sections of sand. You will use your 6 ft. to 8 ft. long 2”x 6” screeding board to loosely spread the sand and to strike off any excess. DO NOT walk on or work from your screeded sand. Do not worry about voids that screed guides have left after you have removed them. You will lightly fill them with sand and trowel them smooth as you are laying the pavers.

5. LAYING THE PAVERS (Instructions for Small Areas Only)
Starting from a permanent edge such as a house, driveway, or a piece of PAVE EDGE , lay your first paver starting from either side (as you start laying pavers, work from right to left, then left to right and so on, one to two rows of pavers at a time). Set the pavers lightly onto the sand never press them or hammer them in. Be sure to allow 6” (15cm) to install PAVE EDGE on open sides later. If you are starting with PAVE EDGE as a starting point (read # 7 now), every 4 feet or so run a string line across the front of the laying edge. If there are some pavers lagging behind, go back about 3 rows of pavers and using a small pry bar, wedge between the pavers and pry the pavers forward until they are in line again. Do not worry too much about gaps at this point; you should try to spread the wide gaps between a couple of rows of pavers; they should even out during tamping later. Many different laying patterns are possible, but herringbone provides the best surface interlock.

Set the pavers hand tight, but
DO NOT use a hammer to adjust the pavers or set them. If you are doing the project over a couple of days, cover the entire area with plastic overnight if rain is expected. Do not lay pavers over the 6” (15cm) extended base area where PAVE EDGE is to be set later.

6. CUTTING THE PAVERS
If any pavers need to be cut, mark the cuts with a crayon or chalk and cut with a masonry saw or splitter.

On sides where PAVE EDGE is to be installed later you can place the edging after laying the pavers to reduce the amount of cutting. Allow for up to 1/4” (6mm) gap between the cut paver and the PAVE EDGE or permanent structure. You will fill this with sand later. You should use a diamond blade mason saw, or a PAVERSPLITTER.

7. PAVE EDGE Installation
PAVE EDGE not only holds the Pavers, but the sand as well.

A. BEFORE SAND SCREEDING

Snap chalk line on base material before you screed sand if you are going to start laying your pavers from a PAVE EDGE line first. Spike edging so that the chalk line remains visible. Spike every 2 feet with 10” (25cm) x 3 /8” (1cm) diameter steel landscape spike (available at most building supply stores).

B. (AFTER PAVERS HAVE BEEN LAID)

Once you have completed the laying of pavers on the sand, you may finish placing the PAVE EDGE restraints. First, using a trowel, cut straight down the side of the pavers into the sand down to the base and pull back the sand. Be careful not to scrape up the base material.

Then placing the edging flat onto the base, push the PAVE EDGE frost heave lip under the sand (between the bedding sand and the gravel base), using a hammer to tap against the back of the PAVE EDGE until the edging is tight to the pavers. Now, spike the edging approximately every 2 ft. Pound the spikes in until the head of the spike is touching the edging (be careful not to drive the spike through the edging.

C. USING PAVE EDGE RIGID FOR RADIUS AREAS

Using a hacksaw, kerf cut the backside of the PAVE EDGE Rigid to make either inside or an outside radius. This will require either a straight cut or a V-shaped cut.

The sharper the radius, the more frequent the cuts; but we normally suggest every 6 to 8 inches. For walks and patios, spike every 12 to 18 inches along a radius.

D. USING PAVE EDGE FLEXIBLE FOR RADIUS AREAS
NOTE: Not available at all locations.

PAVE EDGE FLEXIBLE allows for easy radius work. Space back supports about 6-8 inches apart. For walks and patios, we suggest spiking at least every other back support.

E. JOINING SECTIONS OF PAVE EDGE

Should you need a longer continuous section of PAVE EDGE than available, connect sections with a 5” length of 3/4” round PVC pipe by inserting it into the inner cavity as shown. Connector pipe should be available upon request from your PAVE EDGE supplier.

8. THE FINAL STEP
Assuming that you have now laid all your pavers, placed and spiked all your PAVE EDGE, you are now ready for the last step.
NOTE: During this step the pavers will settle in about 1/4" lower during compaction (only if 1" loose screeded sand has been used). This should be their final height.

A. Sweep off any debris or loose sand that may be on the pavers.

B. Using a vibratory plate compactor, 3 HP to 5 HP, you should make at least two passes over the pavers.
Starting around the perimeter and working inward, overlap each pass 2 to 4 inches. Make the second pass at a 45 angle to your first. The first pass of the compactor will accomplish the following:

C. Repeat Step B if pavers are not yet level and flat.

D. Using a DRY medium or coarse washed sand for the joints, spread a thin uniform layer of jointing sand over the surface. Use a stiff bristle street broom and sweep back and forth over the entire pavement until sand has stopped falling into joints.

E. Now, alternating between tamping and sweeping, continue to work the material into the joint. If when you make a pass with the plate compactor no more joints open up, you are then finished. It is important that you completely fill the joints with sand. How many passes this process takes is mostly dependant on how dry the joint sand is. This process can be accomplished in as few as 2-3 passes with compactor and broom or in excess of 10+ if you have damp sand.

F. Sweep Off all excess sand and backfill edges with top soil and sod or seed. (Be sure to water freshly screeded or sodded areas regularly).

Congratulations! - YOU have now installed a maintenance free pavement for your patio or walkway. Your efforts are now permanent for you to enjoy for a long time to come.

IMPORTANT PLEASE READ:

This guide has been provided to you by your PAVE EDGE supplier as a quality guide for the installation of your WALKWAY or PATIO.
Please follow the instructions carefully.
NOTE: If you are planning a more ambitious project such as a driveway, we urge you to get more specific information as to the proper base preparation. We recommend that you use our inexpensive training videos on CD’s and VHS to properly prepare you for any large paver project.