Nicolock Paver Installation Instructions
- 1). Measure the area where you want to install the patio. Mark off the border of the patio by pounding four wood stakes into the ground to designate each of the four corners. Tie a string along the outside of the stakes.
- 2). Excavate the building area inside the border you marked off. The excavation area should be 6 to 8 inches deep into the ground.
- 3). Use the plate compactor to compact the soil down tightly. Once compacted, set a level on top of the soil and check to see that your slope runs away from your house.
- 4). Add a 4-inch layer of gravel on top of the compacted soil. Compact this gravel layer down with the plate compactor, and check the level once again to ensure the slope runs away from your house.
- 5). Install the the edge material. Line the edging around the border inside the excavation area, and secure the edging by hammering the metal stakes down through the slots in the edging and into the ground.
- 6). Add a 1-inch layer of sand on top of the compacted gravel layer. Use a two-by-four to level the sand by leaning over and dragging the two-by-four across the sand surface several times until the layer of sand is smooth and even all the way across.
- 7). Set the Nicolock pavers in place one at a time. Begin in any corner you choose and set the pavers according the the design you're looking for. Leave about 1/8-inch of space between each of the pavers as you set them, and tap each paver into place with a rubber mallet. For every three pavers you set, place the level across the pavers to check and ensure your slope is flat or running slightly away from your home. Add more sand if necessary.
- 8). Once all the Nicolock pavers have been set on the sand bed, pour polymetric sand between the cracks of the pavers. Use a broom to spread the sand around thoroughly. Spray a thin mist of water onto the sand, and let the water dry before stepping onto the new patio.