Grade and Compact Soil
8:41
39:20
114.7K views
At 8:41 in
Contractor Wanted $10K (I Did It Myself For $2,500)
What happens here
After excavating the area, use a landscaping rake to spread and roughly level the existing soil within the patio footprint. The wide profile of the landscaping rake helps distribute soil, filling low spots and removing high spots. Once the soil is relatively dry, compact it using a plate compactor. For best results, wet the soil first to aid compaction and then run the plate compactor over the entire area. Repeat the wetting and compacting process at least twice to ensure a stable, well-compacted base.
Goal: Create a stable and uniform sub-base for the patio.
Tools and materials
- Ear Protection — Protecting ears from loud noise of compactor
- Garden Hose with Nozzle — Wetting the soil for compaction
- Landscaping Rake — Spreading and leveling the excavated soil
- Plate Compactor — Compacting the soil and subsequent base layers
- Respirator Mask — Protecting lungs from dust during compaction