Anyone done a brick/paver floor or driveway?

[...dave]

That's pretty much it... i hate paying people to do jobs, because they're never done to my satisfaction... i know there's no way i can pour a 40 x 150 ft parking area on my own, so i'm looking for other options... I've seen some paver setups that look great, and with the way concrete prices are going up, it seems like it could be a competitive option that could be done on my own... Any thoughts?

i know there'd be a whole lot of site prep to trench out the ground, lay in sand and compact it, then level it, then lay the bricks... but honestly, i'd rather spend a few weeks breaking my back than a few months trying to get my money back from some sleazeball.

Any other options? i currently have gravel, and since i often end up working on my cars outside, it's not working for me.

Also, is it possible for the DIY'er to buy paving bricks in bulk? i've spent 45 minutes online, and have only found, in order of frequency:
Google Adspam sites/ bogus "portal"s
Places that want me to call them to arrange a professional installation
Places that want me to contact them for a quote (Daddy always told me, if you have to ask, you can't afford it)

Is the fix in? Meaning, is this the kind of run-around i'm going to get when i try to buy them in person as well?

Finally, would this be a practical solution to flooring a pole barn? My plan is to build a highly over-engineered 24 x 25 carport, and floor, enclose, and wire it later on as funds permit.

Cheers,

...dave

 

[bmwpower]

I always thought pavers were pricey. Doing a large area will cost some cash. Then again, if you subtract the cost of a concrete floor, it might not be that bad.

 

[mister honey]

We have a couple of places here in Cincinnati that sell bulk pavers; one is Reading Rock.

I've done a 700 sq. ft. patio & walks three times in the last 24 years!
Installed by the book and they just won't stay flat enough to suit me.

I'd plan on some long term maintenance, like pulling them up & re-leveling every 8-10 years. I've seen some driveways that also became wavy over time.

Mike

 

[nova65ss]

I got a price on some pavers the other day for a patio. 10-15 bucks a square foot, not cheap. I wouldn't want to do it myself either lots and lots of bent over rough work. I'll be paying someone for sure.

Jimmy

 

[PAToyota]

Yes, you can do it on your own. It isn't rocket science. But like any masonry, your back is not going to love you for it... The first ten won't seem that heavy, but you're talking several thousand individual pavers to lay... You're going to feel it!

Here is some information to start with: http://www.icpi.org/homeowners/yourself.cfm

As far as buying in bulk, check out your local masonry suppliers. They'll sell something like Belgard, EP Henry, Wausau, Versa-Lok, Keystone... You can go to those websites and they'll probably give you the names of the suppliers in your area. Dealing with contractor suppliers isn't quite like going into Lowes or Home Depot. Do your research and know what you basically want. They'll answer specific questions, but don't expect them to sit down with you for an afternoon and hold your hand through the whole process. Some are more "crusty" than others.

Concrete flatwork has its own pitfalls and requires a bit more expertise to do - you have one chance to get it right - but the cost of DIY concrete is less than DIY pavers and will go much faster and save your back.

 

[Gregdoo]

I like the look and am considering the same thing. A neighbor lays them professionally, so I'm hoping to buy them through him for the price break. Having seen a lot of these installations in Germany, besides having a strong back, it seems the primary consideration is the prep work, using the correct materials and the compaction of the base material. My German landlord constructed a paver driveway, and after 20 years, it still looked great, without any noticable dips or lifts.

The nice thing is that if you ever need to run wires or water under the driveway, you can pull the pavers, lay the plumbing and then reset the pavers.

I haven't gotten to the point of serious planning yet, so don't know what the wholesale pricing is of the pavers.

Good luck!

 

[...dave]

Thanks for the tips. i wouldn't be getting anything fancy- plain old bricks would be just fine- so i think i can bring the cost for the actual pavers in under $4/square. Another advantage that it seems to have is that, as long as i do something very simple, i should be able to do a portion at a time, again as funds and time allow. Though, the downside of that is that i'd have to rent the earth-moving equipment multiple times. i donno, maybe i'll give it a shot...

...dave

 

[...dave]

Thanks for the tips. i wouldn't be getting anything fancy- plain old bricks would be just fine- so i think i can bring the cost for the actual pavers in under $4/square. Another advantage that it seems to have is that, as long as i do something very simple, i should be able to do a portion at a time, again as funds and time allow. Though, the downside of that is that i'd have to rent the earth-moving equipment multiple times. i donno, maybe i'll give it a shot...

...dave