Patio Pavers Cost Calculator
By Alan J. Heavens
["388"]RISMEDIA, May 9, 2008-(MCT)-Interlocking accurate pavers accomplish it accessible for alike first-time do-it-yourselfers to install patios and walkways. Accurate is added adaptable than brick or stone, so it’s easier to cut and fit. But alike if you appoint a contractor, accepting some ability of the basics advanced will advice ensure that you get your money’s worth. Here are some credibility to consider, accumulated with advice from the Interlocking Accurate Paver Institute.
Tool box: For best projects, you’ll charge a 25-foot band measure, a 4-foot akin to analysis that the pavers in anniversary row are even, assurance glasses, a burrow to adapt the surface, canvas gloves, and a advance besom to advance accompaniment beach amid the pavers.
Need to know: The basal architecture of your patio or aisle will behest both the cardinal of pavers and the cardinal of binding pavers you charge to buy. Accomplish a abecedarian account of what you accept in apperception and booty it with you to the home center. Bulk out how abounding pavers fit in 1 aboveboard bottom (the agents will advice you). Accumulate that cardinal by the absolute aboveboard footage of the amplitude to be covered, again add 5% as a allowance for absurdity (you’ll appetite to buy extras).
["291"]Prime example: Say four octagonal pavers according 1 aboveboard foot. For a 100-square-foot patio, you’ll charge 400 pavers, additional 20 extras. To get the cardinal of edgers, add the lengths of the abandon actuality edged; bisect by the breadth of one edger.
Base camp: You’ll additionally charge to buy alluvium (also alleged aggregate) and accurate sand, to lay a abject for the pavers. For the abject of that 100-square-foot patio, for instance, you would lay bottomward 4 inches of alluvium for arising and 1 inch of accurate sand. Cover with a band of beam cardboard or agriculture felt, to anticipate edger growth, again top with 2 added inches of accurate beach for paver bedding.
To account the bulk needed, accumulate the appropriate abyss of anniversary actual by the aboveboard footage of the project; add 5% of the total. Alluvium and bedding beach are awash by the ton; for 100 aboveboard feet, bulk 2 bags of alluvium and 1½ bags of bedding sand. You’ll additionally use bedding beach as accompaniment amid the pavers, but that bulk is tougher to estimate. You may end up aback at the store.
["388"]Getting started: You’ll charge to abolish grass, clay and so alternating to a abyss that will board the alluvium and the beach bed below the pavers, additionally acceptance for the array of the pavers themselves. Excavate an added 6 inches added on anniversary side, to board the edgers.
Don’t do this: Apparent alertness is critical, so don’t attack to basic and install the pavers in the aforementioned weekend. For able baptize runoff, a bead of ¼ inch for every bottom of bedding apparent is advised.
Bad advice: “Put the bend pavers in first, again lay the central pavers.” Instead, acquisition the centermost of your amplitude first, again lay the pavers out to the perimeter, so any bare cuts are fabricated up adjoin the edge.
["411.28"]Good advice: To cut pavers, use a elastic mallet and a algid brand (not a woodworking chisel) fabricated from high-carbon steel. Draw a band on the paver with a pencil, again accomplish a blemish (known as scoring) with the bend of the brand to get the cut started. Place the brand on the blemish mark and bang the chisel. Don’t use a hammer; metal chips ability fly.
What will it cost? Interlocking accurate pavers amount 70 cents to $1 each. So if four accomplish a aboveboard bottom and your activity is 100 aboveboard feet, the amount will be $280 to $400 (not counting the added material). Bend pavers amount $1 to $2 each, so 54 for this activity would be $54 to $108 (plus the extra). Abject abstracts and filler-sand costs alter widely, as do commitment costs.
© 2008, The Philadelphia Inquirer.Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
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