help with paver patio
I’m redoing a small backyard patio myself and I’m getting confused about how to properly slope/pitch the base for drainage.
The patio area is about 12’x12’. I’m pulling up the old pavers, re-leveling the base, and installing new 16"x16" pavers. I understand the patio needs to slope away from the house, and I keep seeing people say to do about 1/8”–1/4” drop per foot.
Where I’m getting confused is the actual string line setup and measuring process.
I’ve seen tutorials where people:
- Run a string line from one side to the other
- Make the string level
- Then measure down from the string to the ground/base at different points
or
run a string from one side to the other and manually move the string or stake down to create the slope but I'm not comprehending how that translates to the actually ground (please ignore my ignorance)
But I don’t really understand:
- How you establish the correct slope with the string
- Whether the string itself should be level or sloped
- What exactly you’re measuring to
- How you know the base is pitched correctly while screeding
Can someone explain this in “idiot proof” terms or point me toward a tutorial that really breaks down the setup step-by-step? Most videos seem to skip over the actual measuring part and just say “make sure it slopes away from the house.”
I think I’m overcomplicating it in my head but I want to get the drainage right before laying the pavers.