I finally got my new patio stones level after two full days of work

The problem was a hidden dip in the ground right in the middle of the area. I'd tamp the base down, lay the stones, and they'd always rock. I ended up pulling up about fifteen stones, adding and removing gravel for hours. My neighbor walked by and just said, 'That looks like a real puzzle.' Has anyone else found a better way to spot these low spots before you start laying?

4 comments

4 Comments

robertlane3mo ago

Oh man, that is the worst feeling. I did the exact same thing last summer. I spent a whole morning laying a section only to find a soft spot that made every stone wobble. I ended up using a long, straight 2x4 and a level to check the whole base area before I put a single stone down. You drag it across the gravel and the low spots are super obvious because the board rocks. It saves so much headache on the back end. Your neighbor calling it a puzzle is too perfect, that's exactly what it turns into.

jade_jenkins3mo ago

Yeah that 2x4 trick is solid, but @robertlane you gotta use a screed board instead. The flat edge gives you a way better read on the grade than a wobbly 2x4. It's the difference between close enough and actually flat.

the_lisa3mo ago

So you used a 2x4 like robertlane mentioned, but did you wet the gravel down before you started checking it? I found out the hard way that dry gravel can hide dips because it's so loose, but once you tamp it wet it settles totally different and shows all the real problems.

kimr741mo agoMost Upvoted

My uncle's patio has been perfect for ten years and he never wets the gravel first.