Excavate and Prepare the Base
At 0:18 in
Built this project for my mom, she previously had pretty dangerous wooden steps
What happens here
After removing the old steps, excavate the area according to your design plan. Dig down to the required depth, accounting for the height of the pavers, bedding sand, and a compacted sub-base of gravel. The depth will vary depending on your chosen materials and local frost lines to prevent future heaving. Lay down landscape fabric over the excavated area to act as a weed barrier and to prevent the base materials from mixing with the soil. Then, add and compact a layer of crushed gravel (e.g., 6-8 inches of 3/4-inch minus). Follow this with a 1-inch layer of bedding sand, carefully leveling it with a screed board and ensuring a slight slope (typically 1/4 inch per foot) for drainage away from the house.
Goal: Create a stable, level, and well-drained foundation for the new paver steps and landing.
Tools and materials
- Level — Ensuring proper grade and surface level
- Plate Compactor — Compacting the gravel sub-base for stability
- Screed Board — Leveling the bedding sand layer
- Shovel — Excavating soil and moving base materials
- String Line and Stakes — Establishing layout and guiding excavation/screeding
- Wheelbarrow — Transporting excavated soil and base materials
- Bedding Sand — Providing a smooth, level surface for pavers
- Crushed Gravel — Creating a stable, well-draining sub-base
- Landscape Fabric — Preventing weed growth and separating base layers from soil