Paving stones are a great way to create a patio or walkway in your project.  If you do not like the look of poured concrete, paving stones can give you endless options when it comes designing your project.  Best of all, if any of the paving stones get damaged, they can easily be replaced, unlike poured concrete.

Paver stones can be installed in many ways.  Most patios and walkways incorporate a soldier course around the perimeter of the project to help define it.  A soldier course is a different colored block, differently shaped block or a block installed in a different direction used to contrast the look of the main paving stones.

Each paving stone can also be installed in different ways.  The way the stones are laid out can create an exciting and unusual pattern in the project.  Usually the more difficult the design, the more aesthetically appealing the project will be.  Paving stones are versatile and easy to work with.  Since each stone has to be individually placed, it is easier to give the project attention to detail.

Some tips for installing paving stones.

The most important thing to keep in mind when installing paving stones is your base.  Compaction plays one of the most critical roles in the success or failure of the project.  Another thing to keep in mind when installing paving stones is drainage.  You will want to have some slight drop in your project so that you do not have standing water on your paver stones. An excellent way to check your level is through the use of a laser transit.

One of the most common mistakes that are made during the installation of paving stones is sloppy block cutting.  Having uniform gaps around your project as well as having straight cut lines will make the quality of your project stand out.

The best way to make sure that your cuts are uniform is by making your cuts last.  If you are doing curves in your project, you can draw them out with chalk first.  When you make your cuts, you can keep your cut line flowing neatly through all of the paver stones.  If you try to cut each block separately, chances are the cuts will not line up correctly and you will have a sloppy looking project.