Landscape Construction and Hardscape Installation
Assemblies and depths
A paver patio is a system: compacted subgrade (≈95% Standard Proctor), aggregate base compacted in 2–4 inch lifts, 1 inch of bedding sand, then pavers. Excavation depth = base + bedding + paver thickness - forgetting any layer is the classic error. Typical: 4–6 inch base for pedestrian use, more for vehicular; 2-3/8 inch pavers for walks, 3-1/8 inch for driveways. Edge restraint is structural, not decorative. Concrete walks are commonly 4 inches on compacted base; driveways 5–6 inches with reinforcement. Place control joints roughly every 8–12 ft on a 4-inch slab and isolate the slab from structures with expansion joints.
Retaining walls
Batter the wall back about 1 inch per foot of height, and always build drainage behind it: washed gravel, filter fabric, and a perforated outlet. Geogrid and footing depth follow the engineer and local frost depth.
Worked example
A 12 × 16 ft patio (192 SF) with 2-3/8 inch pavers, 1 inch sand, 6 inch base: excavation = (2.375 + 1 + 6) ÷ 12 ≈ 0.78 ft (9-3/8 inches). Base volume = 192 × 0.5 ft = 96 CF ÷ 27 = 3.6 CY; add 15% for compaction → ≈4.1 CY of aggregate.
Traps
Mixing units, skipping compaction lifts, and omitting drainage behind walls.