Patios are where most of us go when enjoying that special moment outside. Most patios are concrete poured slabs. This is not bad in itself, but there are alternatives to concrete.
Paver patios are a centuries old patio style. Now we call them interlocking concrete pavers. A thousand years ago they used real stone, they still do but costs leave out flagstone patios for many of us.
Making sure all paver work is installed by certified people is high on my list of importance. I’ve seen many disasters in other people installing a paver patio or paver driveway. There is a right way and a wrong way to install. On the most part however paver installation is very easy if you follow the proper steps.
1. Excavate soil 7-8″ below finish grade. ( The soil you excavate has to go somewhere. Ask questions like. Can I use in the landscape? Do I haul it away? Does a neighbor want it? For a typical 300′
patio you can count of removing a little over 6 yards or 50-60 full wheelbarrows of soil.
2.Install fabric cloth over the excavated area. This insures no merging of soil with the 3/4″ minus gravel you install next.
3. Install 4″ compacted 3/4″ minus gravel for patios and 6″ for driveways and spa areas. Compact in 2″ lifts. Make sure you consider drainage of approx. 2″ per 8′, except for spas.
4. Screed with 1″ concrete sand not mason sand. Best to use a 1″ galvanized pipes and make sure you consider drainage.
5. Start installing pavers
6. Secure edges with a product like snap edge with spikes 1-2′ on center.
This is a pretty simplistic overview of paver installation, but you can get the major idea.
Our interlocking concrete paver installers are certified with ICPI.
Our retaining wall installers are certified with NCMA.
Serving the Portland Vancouver area with award winning, certified landscaping service.

Sort of pulled the title from the Beatles, but I thought it worked.
This job has a little of every thing for those that want the high end of landscaping. This December 2009, we received a grand award from WALP for residential construction over $50,000.00

We built or installed the following:
A cobble paver driveway approx. 2500′
A koi pond
Planting
Irrigation including spray and drip
Boulder wall
Gravel pathways
Cultured stone work
Serving Vancouver and Portland with outdoor living in mind.
Landscape Industry Certified

We are thrilled to receive a Grand Award from the Washington Association Of Landscape Professionals for the Kelly Residence in the Vancouver area, Washington. The award was given at the 2009 Enviromental Landscape Award ceremony 1-18-2010. The title of the Grand Award was for residential construction over $50,000.00. I want to thank my employees for a job very well done. It was a pleasure to work with Mr. Kelly and want to thank him for doing such a fantastic job on maintenance and letting us enter his landscape for the awards. Vanessa Nagel had a big part to play with most of the landscape design and she deserves praise also. Scott Andrews one of my employees, designed and implemented the Koi pond and front area landscaping.
The job included a new interlocking concrete paver driveway, a beautiful koi pond, low voltage lighting, irrigation, gravel pathways, rock wall, dry creek, soil preparation and planting.

Where quality counts in residential landscape contractors Woody’s is there for you.

Project: Private residence,
Vancouver, Washington
Landscaping: Woody’s Custom Landscaping, Vancouver, Washington

The homeowners wanted a serene environment for their home nestled in the Pacific Northwest. Woody’s installed about 3,000 square feet of cobble paver driveway, including a raised concrete curb to add definition. Gravel pathways encircle the house and meander through native plantings. In the center planting area, they built a 5-foot-deep koi pond and installed native plants to match the natural feel of the river in the backyard. Plantings include many plantings of shade perennials and shade shrubs.
Installation included a low voltage lighting system to make it even for enticing in the evening hours.
This home was featured in Total Landscape Care, a national magazine the month of October 2009.
Please enjoy a video of the entire front yard landscaping.

The difference between high quality and stamped concrete is really not that much.they normally cost about the same per sq. foot if the stamped concrete is installed properly. Some advantages pavers have is, interlocking concrete pavers don’t crack or break which is a big plus for pavers. Pavers do offer a few more options as far as the (look) goes. Consider a interlocking concrete paver driveway. You may be pleasantly surprised.

Stone pavers have been used for thousands of years as major roads. The Roman Empire had many thoroughfares, that were indeed roads for their commerce as well as armies.
People ask all the time if interlocking concrete pavers will hold up for their driveways. Of course they will. It will last as long as to the quality of how it was installed.
One sure way to know if it is getting installed correctly, is by making sure certified people are doing the installing. Many companies have a certified person on staff, but frequently they are management and not in the field doing the installing.
At Woody’s we have 4 ICPI certified technicians. Two are usually put on each paver install we construct.
We are proud of the fact we are Mutual Materials Preferred Contractors. You can rest assured that in Vancouver and the Portland metro area we are both certified ICPI and NCMA which is certification for retaining walls. We don’t give our clients the minimum, we give maximum.

We have over 45 videos for you to enjoy and find the look that you really want. Just go on our web site.
For certified and award winning landscaping Woody’s Custom Landscaping, Inc.

This job when the soft scape gets installed will be absolutely fantastic. With the combination of the paver entry and mossy boulders, how can you go wrong for a dramatic first site to behold as you drive into the property. The pavers are a Mutual Materials product called Paleo. The color is summit. The boulders are getting hard to find because of the moss. We did find them however.
The front yard landscape design is by Hana Adamko.
When quality counts.
When service is a must.
Woody’s Custom Landscaping Inc. 360-687-1882

Below is another example of a paver entrance, but it is a paver driveway. The materials are from Mutual Materials. The pattern is herringbone, with cobble pavers.