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TikTok's Affordable Patio DIY Can Save Some Serious Cash
By EMILY MENDEZ
A patio is a lovely upgrade to your outdoor space, where you can enjoy barbecues and sunsets. As professional installation can cost $3,900, you might want to build it yourself.
TikTok user @serenaajoyce shared how she built a patio for less than $800, taking just six days to complete it. Before proceeding, check with your local city if you need a permit.
Stake off the site you chose for the patio, and get a utility expert to mark the buried gas, plumbing, sewer, and electrical lines. Then, buy your concrete, brick, or stone pavers.
With hand shovels, dig about 8 inches deep to remove soil from the site. If the patio is near your house, slope the site away from it by creating a 1-inch drop about every 4 feet.
Next, level the site with a rake and put down landscape fabric to suppress weed growth. Then, fill the site with gravel, which you can have delivered to you for about $65 per yard.
Add a 1-inch layer of patio or paver sand over the gravel. Beginning on one side of the patio, lay your pavers evenly, flush, and tightly fitted together.
Use a broom to cover the pavers with jointing sand and push it between the pavers, locking them in place. Finally, spray your patio down with a garden hose.