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To install a paver stones walkway on level ground: call Dig Safe, lay out the walk with a slight pitch away from the house, dig out the soil, compact the subgrade, build a crushed stone base in thin compacted layers, set the edge restraint, screed a thin layer of bedding sand, lay the pavers, cut the edges, then compact and fill the joints with sand. The base is most of the work and almost all of the result.
In Massachusetts, a paver walkway lives through repeated freezing and thawing, snow shovels and spring rain. Walks that sink or heave almost always have a thin, poorly compacted or wet base. The pavers themselves rarely fail.
This guide covers building a walkway with pavers on fairly level ground. For a hillside, see a paver walkway on a slope. For layout, width and pattern choices, see how to design a paver walkway.
Materials and tools
The same list applies to a brick paver walkway installation:
- Pavers or paving brick (plus extra for cuts and future repairs)
- Crushed stone base material that compacts (often sold as processed gravel or dense-graded base)
- Woven geotextile fabric, for clay or wet soil
- Concrete sand for the bedding layer
- Edge restraint: plastic or aluminum edging with spikes, or a concrete edge
- Jointing sand or polymeric sand
- Plate compactor, screed rails and a straight board, string lines, a long level, a rubber mallet
- A wet masonry saw, eye and hearing protection and a dust mask
Step by step
1. Call Dig Safe
Massachusetts law requires notice before digging. Dig Safe asks for at least 72 hours' notice, not counting weekends and holidays, so utility lines can be marked. See digsafe.com.
2. Lay out the walk and set the grade
Most front walks are built wide enough for two people side by side, roughly three to four feet; a garden path can be narrower. Mark the edges with paint or string. Set string lines for the finished height, with a slight pitch so water runs off the walk and away from the house. Check that the finished walk will sit below the door threshold and meet steps and driveway cleanly.
3. Excavate
Dig deep enough for the base, the bedding sand and the paver thickness. Dig deeper on clay, wet ground or old fill, and dig a little wider than the walk so the base extends past the edges. The paver maker's install guide and the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute list base depths for walkways by soil type.
4. Prepare the subgrade
Compact the exposed soil. On clay or soft ground, lay geotextile fabric so the base stone does not sink into the soil over time.
5. Build the base in layers
Spread crushed stone in thin layers, dampen it lightly and compact each layer with a plate compactor. Check against the string lines as you go. The top of the base should follow the same pitch as the finished walk.
6. Set the edge restraint
Restraint keeps pavers from creeping outward. Many installers set it on one side before laying and on the other after the field is in; it must sit on the base, not on soil.
7. Screed the bedding sand
Spread a thin, even layer of concrete sand over screed rails and pull a straight board across to level it. Do not compact the screeded sand or walk on it. Fill the rail grooves as you remove them.
8. Lay the pavers
Start at a straight edge or a fixed point such as the bottom step. Set each paver straight down against its neighbor rather than sliding it into the sand. Work from the pavers you have already laid, not on the sand. Pull pavers from several pallets as you go to blend color. Check joint lines with a string every few rows.
9. Cut the edges
Cut pieces at the outer edges, not in the middle. Avoid slivers; adjust the layout so edge pieces are at least a third of a paver. Cut with a wet saw and wear a mask, since cutting concrete and stone makes silica dust.
10. Compact and fill the joints
Finish the edge restraint, then run the plate compactor over the pavers (with a protective pad on textured or colored pavers). Sweep jointing sand or polymeric sand into the joints and compact again, repeating until the joints are full. Follow the maker's directions exactly for polymeric sand, which has to be applied dry and wetted the right way.
Why base depth matters in Massachusetts
When water in the soil under a walk freezes, it expands and pushes up. A deep, free-draining crushed stone base keeps water away from the pavers and spreads the load, so the walk moves less and settles back evenly. Walkway guides written for warm southern states often show thinner bases than our winters call for. If in doubt, go deeper and compact in more layers, not fewer.
Common paver walkway base mistakes
- Too thin. The single most common cause of sinking and heaving.
- Not compacted in layers. A thick layer compacted once settles later.
- No fabric on clay. The base mixes into the soil and the walk sinks.
- Too much bedding sand. A thick sand layer shifts and ruts. Keep it thin and even.
- Base stops at the paver edge. The edge pavers then have nothing under the restraint and roll outward.
- Pitched toward the house. Water collects at the foundation and freezes on the walk.
After the walk is in
Top up joint sand when it washes out. Sealing is optional; if you seal, wait until the joints have settled and use a product with grip if the walk gets wet. In winter, use a plastic shovel on textured pavers and follow the paver maker's guidance on deicers; see ice melt on pavers. If joints keep washing out, see paver joint sand failure.
When to call a pro
A straight walk on level, well-drained ground is a fair DIY project if you rent a plate compactor and are patient with the base. Call a contractor if the walk needs steps, crosses a slope or wet ground, ties into front steps or a driveway, or has to match existing pavers.
Gerrior Masonry is a family-owned, fully insured hardscape and masonry company in Woburn, MA, with over 30 years in the trade, and our work is guaranteed. See finished work on our walkway projects page and read about our walkways and stairs. For cost, see the stone walkway cost guide.
"I hired Gerrior Masonry & Landscape of Woburn this past Spring (2015) to rebuild my crumbling front steps and walkway. … They showed up every day and did amazing work." Kristine B. (Yelp)
Common questions
How deep should I dig for a paver walkway?
Deep enough for a compacted crushed stone base, a thin bed of sand and the paver. Go deeper on clay or wet soil. The paver maker's guide lists base depth by soil type.
Do I need landscape fabric under pavers?
Under the base on clay or soft soil, yes; a woven geotextile keeps the base from sinking. It is not a weed barrier and does not go between the sand and pavers.
Can I use regular sand in the paver joints?
Yes, fine jointing sand works but washes out over time. Polymeric sand stays put better when it is installed correctly.
Should I compact the bedding sand before laying pavers?
No. Screed it flat and leave it loose. The pavers are compacted into it after they are laid.
Planning a new paver walkway? Call Gerrior Masonry at (781) 933-4157 or request a free estimate.
A family-owned masonry and hardscape company at 245 Salem St, Woburn, MA, in business for over 30 years. See our hardscaping work.
