Replacing wood deck with pavers
by
Ken33622115
I have a wood deck at ground level (no footers, it's laying right on the ground). It's old and rotting and needs to be replaced. I'm thinking of replacing with pavers and wondering how I prep for this. I haven't removed the deck yet, but from what I can tell there is 3-4 inches of pea gravel under it. When I remove the deck can I use that pea gravel as a base for the pavers? The pea gravel seems to be mixed with dirt. It may not have been that way originally but after x years its not just pea gravel. If not what can I do with it? the deck is 300 sq ft. so there's about 4 cubic yards of pea gravel.
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Pea gravel is good for drainage, but is isn't good for stability. I would suggest a crushed rock (1/4" or 3/8" minus - has sand) to build a stable base. You can always mix the pea gravel into the crushed rock so it isn't wasted. There is a polymerized sand mix (available at home stores) that that can be placed between the pavers to lock them in place.
Cover the pea gravel with crushed rock or more gravel larger than pea sized, layer with sand compress and lay the pavers, cover with more sand such as polymerized sand, sweep and it should be ready to go.