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My neighbor in Omaha argued that a gravel base is a waste for a small patio, but my dad, who built patios for 30 years, swears by it.
After my neighbor saw me digging out for the 4-inch gravel layer under my new 10x12 flagstone patio and said 'that's just extra work and money for no reason, the sand will settle fine on its own,' I've been second-guessing the whole project, so what's the real deal here, is the gravel base actually essential or just an old-school habit?
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kaifox7mo ago
Man, I just spent a whole weekend moving gravel for my own patio, so I feel this lol. Your dad is 100% right on this one. That gravel base isn't just for fun, it keeps everything from turning into a wobbly mess when the ground freezes or gets soggy. The sand and stones will sink and shift without it, and you'll be re-leveling flagstones every year. My last patio turned into a trip hazard because I skipped the gravel, so I'm doing the extra work now. Listen to the guy with 30 years of experience, not the guy who probably just doesn't want to hear a shovel going next door.
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the_sam7mo ago
Watched my buddy skip the gravel layer on his walkway to save a weekend. Two winters later it looked like a roller coaster, every slab tilted a different way. He ended up jacking it all up and doing it over with the proper base, just like @kaifox said. The freeze-thaw cycle turns soft ground into jelly, and sand alone can't handle it. That extra day of digging and gravel is a pain, but it saves you from the real headache later.
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hollyg596mo ago
Dig deeper and add that gravel layer, seriously. @kaifox is spot on about the freeze-thaw wrecking everything. I used a full 4-inch base of crushed stone under my sand, tamped it down hard with a rented plate compactor. Two years in and not a single stone has moved, even after a really wet spring. What depth are you planning for the gravel?
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