- 1). Lay ropes on the ground to mark the edges of the site. For a straight course from the curb to your garage, use measuring tape to space the ropes at least 10 feet apart for a single car, and 16 to 22 feet apart to fit two cars. If you want to lay a half circle driveway, the outer edges must be 75 feet apart and the width of the driveway must be at least 10 to 15 feet in order for drivers to navigate through the driveway with ease.
- 2). Dig out the grass and 12 inches of top soil from the land within the ropes using a shovel or excavator machine. Mark every foot of length from the end of the driveway by the house to the end at the street. Begin at the end closest to the house and use the shovel to dig the subsoil down 1/8 inch deeper with every marked foot of length. Drive a stake into the ground at every foot. Run strings from stake to stake, lowering the level of each section's string by 1/8 inch. Maintain your incline by keeping the trench at the same depth from each string.
- 3). Go over the dirt with a vibrating compactor machine to stabilize the surface.
- 4). Pour two 4-inch layers of 3/4-inch aggregate in the site. Spread them evenly with a rake and run the compactor over the entire site between each layer.
- 5). Fit strips of metal or PVC edging restraints against the inner borders. Hammer 12-inch nail spikes through pre-cut slots along the bottom to fasten the restraints to the ground.
- 6). Cover the aggregate with a 1-inch bed of sharp grit sand. Spread it smooth by dragging a long, straight board across the surface.
- 7). Set the first section of pavers beginning at the center of one end of the driveway. Lay pavers flush against the edging restraints and adjacent pavers in a planned pattern like herringbone or basket-weave. Cut end pavers to fit with a splitter or masonry saw.
- 8). Pour polymeric paving sand over the completed surface. Lay a rubber mat over the driveway in small sections at a time and run the compactor over the mat to pack the sand into each joint. Brush off remaining sand with a broom, and sprinkle the surface with a hose so the sand hardens.
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