Paver patio

A paver patio is a hard surface made of separate pieces laid tight together rather than one slab of poured concrete. The pieces can be manufactured concrete pavers, clay brick, or natural stone, set in a pattern over a base of compacted gravel and sand.

The reason to choose pavers over poured concrete is repair and movement. A slab cracks in one ugly line across the whole surface; a paver patio flexes with frost heave, and a damaged unit lifts out and gets replaced in minutes. The look is also warmer and more varied.

The part that decides whether it lasts is the part nobody sees: the base. Skimp on excavation and compaction and the prettiest pavers will dip and rock within a year. A small patio is a doable DIY; the base work is where most of the effort honestly goes.