re: Who has experience laying paver patio?

Another question- how much is daily rental of the gasoline powered tamper?

For 100-150sq ft patio would I kill my body using a steel tamper mounted to dowel to tamp crushed rock? I'd have to set pavers with rubber mallet.

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West side of the Heights

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Actually, there is an odd sand layer going right through that area...one of only two in the Houston area (the other being around West Mount Houston). If you're sitting upon that Heights Sand, then you're golden (it becomes a "perched water table" during winter, but since your project will be non-load bearing, it doesn't matter). Just dig a 1 foot hole where you want to do this.

Loose sand (1 foot or more) = Pavers should do fine. Do it!

Clay = dig out 4" of clay, backfill with sand, and pour concrete on top of sand using a wire mesh reinforcement. I'd advise against pavers, period. I like the look of pavers as much as anyone, but Houston clay is just the wrong environment for long-term enjoyment of pavers.

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What do you think based on potential for movement? More crushed gravel? Say 6 inches instead of 4?

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If clay/gumbo, then it's certain to shift...even with crushed gravel under it. Seriously, Houston clays peg out the scale for shrink-swell potential....the worst in the nation (worse than Louisiana). Just look at how many slab repair companies are in the Yellow Pages. Our really wet winters followed by extremely dry summers exacerbate this.

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Do you think I'm better off paying professional?

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There's no such thing as a true "professional" in houston when it comes to hands-on type work. You will do a better job yourself than most any so-called "professional" in Houston.

ive seen it done with a limestone base, and then sand.

one of these is a must:

My pops did one with yellow brick. Only downside was that he used the sweep and mist method to get the mortar in the joints and forgot to seal the brick first. The brick absorbed the mortar in their pores and left a quarter inch layer hardened on top. This guy had to spend a week with a grinder correcting dad's mistake, getting that layer off the surface. The other formed section was subsequently sealed before sweeping in the dry mortar and he misted it in with no problemos.

Pop's patio is about the size of the one in your pic, tamped the dirt with a hand tamper instead of using a machine. Ultimate trap and lat workout.

That's bloody funny right there!

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I probably won't be much good Sunday, maybe depending on how early I'm in bed. If you want to do one I'm game, nothing to it

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No I'm good. Was just messing with you. Sunday is gonna suck.

Bumping this.

A lot of good information in here. I'm looking to do the same in the next couple of weekends. My area is aboout 10 x 25. Looking for any advice on:

- How hard is it going ot be to cut stones/pavers with a curve? I know it would be a lot easier to just lay them straight, but a lot of the ones I've been looking at online look pretty nice with a few curves in them. What tools will I need to make this easiest?
-How deep do I need to excavate to start? I've seen some websites talk about 6-8 inches and that seems pretty damn deep and I don't remember digging nearly that deep when I built one with my dad some 15 or so years ago.

Thanks.