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My new patio pavers started sinking after just 3 weeks because I skipped the gravel base layer

I figured a few inches of sand would be fine for that 12x10 section behind the shed, but now half the stones are tilted and one cracked when the lawnmower rolled over it, anyone else learn this lesson the hard way with a specific base material they swear by now?
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3 Comments
sage_green
Three weeks, that's rough. I did the same thing behind my garage with a 16x8 pad last summer. I figured a solid 4 inches of packed sand would hold up just fine. Nope, within a month two of the stones were tilted and a third one split right down the middle when I dragged a wheelbarrow over it. I ended up ripping the whole thing out and putting down 6 inches of crushed limestone, then a 2 inch sand layer on top of that. That setup's been solid for a year now, even with my truck parked on it to load firewood. The gravel base makes all the difference, cheaping out on it is a mistake you only make once.
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laura_schmidt82
Yeah the gravel base is non negotiable lol, I learned that after my first paver path sank in a month.
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seth_singh20
Heard crushed concrete works just as good as limestone for way less money.
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