On Sun, 4 Apr 2010 13:30:32 -0400, "cshenk" wrote:

"Jim Elbrecht" wrote

On second look- they might not be what we call pavers, as they are
most commonly put over a porous base of crushed stone and fines. From

Hi Jim, educate me? I get the crushed stone but what is 'fines'?

Might be regional, sometimes called screenings, I think.-- It looks
almost like concrete with messy little bits of stone mixed in. I
get mine where I get my pavers. [about $15 for a 1/2ton scoop of it]

It packs to nearly the consistency of concrete, but is still somewhat
porous.

FWIW- Some folks mix the fines and #2 stone. I prefer
a *machine* compacted soil base,
landscape cloth,
4" #2 stone- *machine* compacted,
landscape cloth,
2" fines- machine compacted.
Then I lay my pavers one at a time with a 4-5lb deadblow hammer, using
another 1/2" or so of fines to 'set' them.

*Not* the way to do it if you're trying to make a living at it- but
the patio I built 5 yrs ago is still nearly perfect. And we've had
some weather here in NY over the past 5 years.

Jim