I have a very small patch of dirt (maybe 6 ft. X 4 ft.) that I'd like to put
a few paver down on. Can I level off the dirt and simply place the pavers
directly on the dirt or should I put some gravel down first? Thanks.

Remi wrote:
I have a very small patch of dirt (maybe 6 ft. X 4 ft.) that I'd like
to put a few paver down on. Can I level off the dirt and simply place
the pavers directly on the dirt or should I put some gravel down
first? Thanks.

Sure you can put them down on the dirt, but that is not likely to last
very long and it is likely to end up being muddy.

Like all things, you need a foundation. That means digging out like 6
inches, adding four inches of appropriate gravel and then two inches of
sand.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia 's Muire duit

"Remi" writes:

I have a very small patch of dirt (maybe 6 ft. X 4 ft.) that I'd like to put
a few paver down on. Can I level off the dirt and simply place the pavers
directly on the dirt or should I put some gravel down first? Thanks.

The normal routine is 4 inches of rock dust, 2 inches of sand then pavers.

If you put the pavers on dirt and you don't like them that way,
you can pick them up and set them again.

If your soil is soft and muddy the pavers will sink.

On Tue, 27 Feb 2007 20:42:12 -0500, "Joseph Meehan"
wrote:

Remi wrote:
I have a very small patch of dirt (maybe 6 ft. X 4 ft.) that I'd like
to put a few paver down on. Can I level off the dirt and simply place
the pavers directly on the dirt or should I put some gravel down
first? Thanks.

Sure you can put them down on the dirt, but that is not likely to last
very long and it is likely to end up being muddy.

Like all things, you need a foundation. That means digging out like 6
inches, adding four inches of appropriate gravel and then two inches of
sand.


And don't forget to put weed barrier or landscape cloth between the
excavated dirt and the gravel. And most importantly - compact the
gravel every couple of inches.

The difference will be a job that lasts for decades - or a job that
starts to look shabby after the first hard rain.

Jim
[The manufacturer of your pavers is bound to have a website- or the
retailer should be able to give you some DIY literature.]

On Feb 27, 10:55 pm, Dan Espen
wrote:
"Remi" writes:
I have a very small patch of dirt (maybe 6 ft. X 4 ft.) that I'd like to put
a few paver down on. Can I level off the dirt and simply place the pavers
directly on the dirt or should I put some gravel down first? Thanks.

The normal routine is 4 inches of rock dust, 2 inches of sand then pavers.

If you put the pavers on dirt and you don't like them that way,
you can pick them up and set them again.

If your soil is soft and muddy the pavers will sink.


A simple internet search will yield lots of websites with info on how
to lay pavers.

Remi wrote:
I have a very small patch of dirt (maybe 6 ft. X 4 ft.) that I'd like to put
a few paver down on. Can I level off the dirt and simply place the pavers
directly on the dirt or should I put some gravel down first? Thanks.


We used pavers - or stepping stones - with river rock for some areas
that don't grow vegetation very well. Thick ones, close to 2", come in
round or square shapes, various sizes. Just flatten the soil and make
sure it slopes the right way if next to the house or a walk. Lay down
landscape cloth, put down the pavers, lay the rock in around the pavers.
An edging is a good idea, to keep the rock out of the grass. River
rock stays in place so you can clean it off with a leaf blower if
needed. There is very little, if any, weed growth unless soil washes
into the stone and stays on top of the landscape cloth. Cloth (not
plastic tarps) allows rain to drain through into the soil. We have an
area next to our patio done this way and keep our grill there.

There are small groundcovers that can be planted between pavers, and you
would not use the landscape cloth in that application. Check with a
local nursery.

On Wed, 28 Feb 2007 00:00:28 GMT, "Remi" wrote:

I have a very small patch of dirt (maybe 6 ft. X 4 ft.) that I'd like to put
a few paver down on. Can I level off the dirt and simply place the pavers
directly on the dirt or should I put some gravel down first? Thanks.

Depends on what you're trying to accomplish. You can to a flagstone
walkway with grass growing between the stones just by dropping flat
rocks in the dirt, and lifting and re-setting them every few years.
If you're trying for a more formal weed-free dry pavement, you need
to arrange for drainage, and put down some combination of gravel,
crushed rock, and/or sand.

Speaking of which, is there some industry standard terminology
when you're talking about this stuff? Because different people
seem to mean different things when they say "gravel", and
"crushed rock".

Goedjn writes:

Speaking of which, is there some industry standard terminology
when you're talking about this stuff? Because different people
seem to mean different things when they say "gravel", and
"crushed rock".

I think not. It's not the same stuff.
You can use gravel, crushed rock, probably lots of other stuff.
It just has to drain and lock together.

wrote:

I have a very small patch of dirt (maybe 6 ft. X 4 ft.) that I'd like to
put
a few paver down on. Can I level off the dirt and simply place the pavers
directly on the dirt or should I put some gravel down first? Thanks.

If you want to slam it in, have it become uneven quickly, and overrun with
weeds, just slam it in. If you want it to be right, and to look good for a
long time, use the right stuff for a bed, compact it, and do it right.

No sense doing it again every few months, or having pavers sink and rise and
be unsafe.

Steve

PS: "stuff" is the technical term for the proper fill as recommended by the
seller of the pavers. It can be called sand, gravel, or more correctly,
"stuff."

"Goedjn" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 28 Feb 2007 00:00:28 GMT, "Remi" wrote:

Speaking of which, is there some industry standard terminology
when you're talking about this stuff? Because different people
seem to mean different things when they say "gravel", and
"crushed rock".


There are many different products out there and each has its own place.
some gravel consists of small round stones. This is really good if you want
space between the stones if for example you are making a French drain.

Other kinds of gravel can be crushed rock with irregular edges. If you have
a layer of this it will pack in but still allow water to drain well.

Then there is road base. The best kind is made with a mixture of crushed
rock and sand with a little clay blended in so when it compacts it is quite
like concrete.

My neighbor made the mistake of dumping a load of the pea gravel in front of
their house where they park. Since the stones are rounded they shift all
over the place.

Your best bet is to talk to the people at the local quarries. They can give
you an idea of their products and their best uses.

On Feb 28, 12:49 pm, Dan Espen
wrote:
Goedjn writes:
Speaking of which, is there some industry standard terminology
when you're talking about this stuff? Because different people
seem to mean different things when they say "gravel", and
"crushed rock".

I think not. It's not the same stuff.
You can use gravel, crushed rock, probably lots of other stuff.
It just has to drain and lock together.


Here in NJ, the term gravel is used to mean stone mixed with some sand
that is taken from the earth directly in that form. The stones are
mostly smoother, rounded types, as found individually in nature.
It's also available as washed gravel, which gives you the rocks minus
any sand. Crushed rock is just that. It's smaller rocks made by
crushing much larger ones. The resulting rocks are not round or
smooth, but more random in shape, with sharper edges.