Warning: my neighbor's "just lay the pavers on sand" tip cost me 40 bucks and a weekend

Sean Stone · 2026-10-19T17:25:04.090245+00:00

My neighbor Rick told me I could skip the 4 inch gravel base under my patio pavers and just lay them on sand to save money. I did it on a 10x12 foot pad in my backyard in Akron and by July the pavers had sunk and shifted every which way after two good rainstorms. Prying them up and hauling in 2 yards of crushed stone took me a full Saturday and about $180 at the supply yard. If you're thinking of skipping the base layer, don't. Has anyone found a faster way to pull up sunken pavers without wrecking the edges?

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Warning: my neighbor's "just lay the pavers on sand" tip cost me 40 bucks and a weekend | Backyard Renovations - Thought Shares