How much does a paver patio cost in Nashville?

The price follows the square footage, the paver you choose and how easy the spot is to reach. A patio a machine can drive to costs less to build than one where stone goes through a side gate, and steps, seat walls, borders and curves add cutting time. A real estimate starts with measuring the yard.

Are brick pavers cheaper than concrete pavers?

Usually not. Clay brick pavers generally cost more per square foot than concrete pavers, though the base, edging and labor underneath are about the same. Brick keeps its color because it is fired through the whole unit, while concrete pavers come in more sizes and finishes. Ask for both prices on the same plan.

What is the most popular paver pattern?

Herringbone is the most popular for a reason: it looks sharp and locks together tightly, so it holds up on patios and driveways alike. Running bond is simpler and reads more modern, and basketweave suits an older brick house. A contrasting border around any pattern gives the patio a finished edge.

How big should a patio be for a table and chairs?

Bigger than most people expect. A dining table needs room for the chairs to slide back and for someone to walk behind them, so a patio for a table of six is usually at least 12 by 12 feet. Add more if a grill, a fire pit or lounge chairs will share the space.

Are pavers better than a concrete slab for a patio?

For most patios, yes. A slab cracks and the crack stays, while pavers flex over a compacted stone base and a settled section can be lifted and relaid with the same units. Pavers also give you color, pattern and shape choices that a plain slab doesn’t. A slab is quicker to pour and costs less.

Can you put pavers over an existing concrete patio?

Sometimes, if the old slab is sound, level and drains away from the house. Thin pavers can be set over it, but the patio rises an inch or two, which can create a step at the back door. A cracked or sunken slab is better broken out and replaced with a proper stone base.

Paver Patios in Nashville, TN | Nashville Outdoor Works

What kind of patio do you want?

Start with how you’ll use it. A dining patio needs room for a table with the chairs pushed back, which is more space than most people guess. A patio built around a fire pit is usually round or has a curved edge. A small landing outside the back door might just connect the steps to a path. Tell us what happens on it and we’ll size it from there.

Patterns, colors and borders

Herringbone is the strongest-looking pattern and the one that holds up best under a car, so it shows up on driveways as well as patios. Running bond reads clean and simple, and basketweave suits an older brick house. A border in a second color, called a soldier course, frames the field and hides the cut edges. Tumbled pavers have softened corners and look older from the day they’re laid; smooth ones look crisp and modern.

Concrete pavers or clay brick?

Concrete pavers come in the widest range of shapes, sizes and finishes, and the ones made to ASTM C936 are dense and strong enough for Middle Tennessee winters. Clay brick has its color fired all the way through, so it never fades to a different shade, and it’s the natural match for a brick house. Both can be lifted and relaid if a section ever needs repair, which a poured slab can’t offer.

What’s underneath matters most

A paver patio is only as flat as its base. The Concrete Masonry & Hardscapes Association (CMHA) calls for at least 4 inches of compacted crushed stone under a patio on well-drained ground, more on clay, with about an inch of bedding sand on top. The finished surface should slope gently away from the house so rain runs off instead of toward the foundation.

What moves the price of a patio?

Size and material, then the yard itself. A spot a skid steer can drive to goes faster than one where every load of stone comes through a side gate. Steps, seat walls, curves and a contrasting border all add cutting time. Removing an old concrete slab or deck comes first and is priced on its own.

Sources

CMHA Tech Note PAV-TEC-002 — base depth, bedding sand and slope for interlocking pavers

Paver patios in Nashville that stay flat