- Outdoor dining
- Comfortable seating
- A small fire pit
- Flower beds around the edges
- Easy access to the lawn
That helped us create a patio that felt comfortable rather than overcrowded.
Before ordering pavers, measure the space carefully and think about where furniture, pathways, planting areas, and lighting will go.
Choose a Paver Style That Works With Your Home
Once we visited a local supplier, the decision became much easier.
We chose warm earth tones that worked naturally with our home’s exterior and the existing landscaping.
The supplier also helped us look at different laying patterns and suggested options that worked with the shape of our backyard while reducing unnecessary material waste.
Seeing the actual materials in person gave us much more confidence than choosing from photographs.
Don’t Skip the Base Preparation
This was probably the least exciting part of the project—and one of the most important.
Before laying a single paver, we:
- Removed the grass.
- Excavated the area.
- Leveled the ground.
- Compacted the soil.
- Added crushed stone.
- Added bedding sand.
The foundation creates the stable surface underneath the pavers and helps reduce uneven settling over time.
Don’t rush this stage.
Beautiful pavers won’t fix a poorly prepared base.
Installing the Pavers
Once the base was ready, we could finally see the patio taking shape.
We worked row by row, carefully checking alignment and spacing as we went.
After all the pavers were in place, we swept polymeric sand into the joints and compacted the surface to help lock everything together.
That was the moment the project started looking less like construction and more like an actual backyard.
Add the Details That Make It Feel Like a Room
The pavers created the foundation, but the finishing touches made the space feel complete.
We added:
- Comfortable outdoor furniture
- Seasonal flowers in decorative planters
- Solar landscape lighting
- Mulched garden beds
- A small fire pit
Those details turned a simple patio into something that felt like an outdoor room.
And that’s really what we wanted from the beginning—not just a nicer-looking yard, but a space we’d actually use.
What We’d Do Differently
Even though we’re happy with the finished patio, there are a few things we’d change.
Buy Extra Pavers
We should have purchased a few additional pieces from the start instead of making another trip to the supplier later.
Having extras on hand can also be useful if you ever need to replace a damaged paver.
Spend More Time Leveling the Base
This is one step where extra time pays off.
A properly prepared and level foundation makes the actual paver installation much easier.
Plan Lighting Earlier
We installed the landscape lighting after working on the flower beds.
If we did it again, we’d plan the lighting before finishing those planting areas so we wouldn’t have to disturb anything later.
6 Things to Know Before Building a Paver Patio
If you’re considering a similar project, keep these lessons in mind:
1. Plan the layout first.
Know where furniture, planting beds, paths, and gathering areas will go.
2. Measure carefully.
Accurate measurements help prevent ordering too much—or too little—material.
3. See samples outdoors.
Natural light gives you a better idea of the actual color.
4. Take the base seriously.
A stable foundation is essential for a long-lasting patio.
5. Buy some extras.
Keep a few spare pavers for future repairs.
6. Think about drainage and landscaping early.
Lighting, flower beds, drainage, and the patio itself should work together rather than being treated as separate projects.
Is a Glen-Gery Paver Patio Worth It?
For us, absolutely.
What started as a backyard we barely used has become one of our favorite places at home.
We can have dinner outside, sit around the fire pit on a cool evening, or simply enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning.
The project took planning, preparation, and plenty of work, but the finished space has changed how we use our backyard.
The biggest lesson? Don’t think of a paver patio as simply a surface to walk on. Think of it as the foundation for the outdoor space you actually want to live in.
