# Looking for inexpensive patio advice



## fabian (Dec 29, 2008)

how is everyone doing? I'm in my first home and my backyard is nothing but grass. Eventually I was thinking of getting stamped concrete. But I don't see that happening this year. So I was thinking just making an inexpensive patio ground. Maybe flagstone. Or bricks or something. I don't know the going rate for the materials this is why I'm turning to diychatroom. My plans were to make about 400 sq ft. Dig the grass out. Compacted the dirt then throw the weed blocker paper and then just throw down the stone/brick or whatever is. Cheap. My yard is clay 12 deep. Lots of water. Drainage isn't the best. Which material for a inexpensive job. I'm also not looking to bang this out in a weekend. I wanna do it cheap but right. This way I can have family and friends over on a somewhat patio and not grass.


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## Ron6519 (Mar 28, 2007)

There's not too much that qualifies as, cheap but right. You add the soil type you have and it further complicates the job.
About the cheapest patio material I know of is the 12"x12" patio blocks. The base in your case will be critical as you don't want water pooling in this depression. This might require either proper drainage channels or a series of piers that punch through the clay to a more compatible drainage material.
Can you post hole dig through the clay?
Ron


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## fabian (Dec 29, 2008)

Ron6519 said:


> There's not too much that qualifies as, cheap but right. You add the soil type you have and it further complicates the job.
> About the cheapest patio material I know of is the 12"x12" patio blocks. The base in your case will be critical as you don't want water pooling in this depression. This might require either proper drainage channels or a series of piers that punch through the clay to a more compatible drainage material.
> Can you post hole dig through the clay?
> Ron


thanks ron for the reply, ill look into that patio blocks and see what the rate is for them. also what do you mean by post hole dig through the clay


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

You use a post hole digger to dig thru the clay
Once you hit material that will drain then you fill the hole w/gravel to allow draining

But if you have 12' deep of clay I think you would need a back hoe


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## fabian (Dec 29, 2008)

Scuba_Dave said:


> You use a post hole digger to dig thru the clay
> Once you hit material that will drain then you fill the hole w/gravel to allow draining
> 
> But if you have 12' deep of clay I think you would need a back hoe


Sorry for not quite understanding but your saying dig a hole? Or dig the whole patio area? Keep digging untill the clay runs out then fill with gravel for draining. But do this the whole 450sq ft patio? My one section of my yard is very wet. Last time we saw rain was sat (heavy rain) and my one section is still puddly soaked.


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

As Ron said, you may need to dig channels under where the patio will go for drainage & fill with gravel. Then this would tie into the drainage hole down thru the clay


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## fabian (Dec 29, 2008)

Scuba_Dave said:


> As Ron said, you may need to dig channels under where the patio will go for drainage & fill with gravel. Then this would tie into the drainage hole down thru the clay


Channel as in like a 8 inch wide by 8 foot long and direct the water away? Sorry but I'm not fully understanding. Any sample pics?


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