DIY CIRCLE PATIO
Have you ever wanted to just sit in your backyard and commune with nature over a fire and glass of wine but grass under your feet just wasn’t the ideal space to do so? You’d love a patio space but your bank account wasn’t built for the thousands of dollars in quotes to obtain one. Well Hello Bougie! has the solution with our DIY Circle Patio tutorial.
You certainly can tell from the before picture that huddling around a firepit on the bare grass just isn’t ideal.
In order to truly enjoy your outdoor space at the very least you’ll want to keep bugs and flying pests away. Be sure to check out our post on the Best Flying Pest Control Solutions here.
Alternatively, the after picture shows that seating around the firepit is simply more enjoyable. Especially when relaxing in these all-weather Polywood Adirondack Chairs.
Getting Your Yard Patio Ready
Building a DIY Circle Patio is quite an involved process, and not for the faint of heart. However, I did do this all by myself over the span of six weeks in my limited spare time. So, if I, as a Bougie Gen-X’er can do it, so can you Bougie!
Step One
The first thing you’re going to want to do is to identify a circle patio kit. I scoured online sites and found many of the paver companies a bit out of my comfort zone. I then checked the Big Box stores Meijer and Home Depot, which were the only ones that offered circle patio kits. I settled on the Home Depot 9ft x 9ft Autumn-blend Dutch coble circle patio kit. This particular kit had the deep rich autumn colors I was looking for. I recently checked and they still sell it, although admittedly inflation has attached itself to it.
Step Two
The next step, and the most important one, is to call the local utility services so they can mark any potential utility lines. In most areas in the United States, it’s 8-1-1. Do not under any circumstances skip this step. The last thing you want to do is dig and hit a utility line that can endanger your life or future finances.
As you can see from the photos below building a circle patio is a lot of work, and I was able to complete the patio project with the assistance of three small dogs.
After you’ve selected and purchased your circle patio kit, your going to need supplies and materials. Now just so you know that I know, this isn’t an inexpensive project to take on, so if you have at your disposal some of the items on the list below, by all means make use of them. The links provided are only recommendations for what I used and to provide you with an idea of the type of product or material that is needed.
The one for this tutorial was purchased through Home Depot which was convenient as it also included free delivery. The patio kit comes on a large heavy pallet.
Circle Patio Materials & Supplies List
- (1) 2″ x 4″ x 12 ft Pressure treated board. This is optional. As you can see in the picture above the board was used to assist with outlining and measuring the diameter of the circle. The length of your board depends on how wide you wish your Patio to be.
- (1) 25 ft Tape Measure (To measure the diameter of your circle), you’ll want to ensure your stake is dead center.
- (1) Spool of Twine– To tie around your stake so that you can then walk the circumference and mark the outline with a can of spray paint.
- (1) Can of outdoor Spray Paint-(preferably black) to outline your circle
- (1) 4 ft Stake or 4ft Fence post. (This is for you to place in the middle of your circle and tie twine around to outline the diameter).
- Optional – (4) Wooden-4ft tree or 4ft bamboo plant stakes- to assist in the measuring and outlining of the circle.
- Heavy-Duty Landscaping Fabric– The landscaping fabric is applied after you have dug up 6″ inches of earth and tamped or compacted it down and ensured your circle surface area is level.
- Landscaping Pins -These are needed to secure your landscaping fabric into the ground. I strongly suggest a heavy-duty pin like the one linked. As it can be frustrating to pound the pin into the ground just for it to bend in half. (Do yourself a favor and consider these.)
- Bags of Leveling Sand– The sand is applied once the landscaping fabric has been installed. I believe for this project I used anywhere between 20 to 25 bags of leveling sand. (The amount you may need may vary depending on your leveling needs and how much you wish to expand your patio). The leveling sand is poured over the fabric and tamped or compacted to a Level surface to support your paver base.
- Polymeric Sand for Pavers – This is needed to form the bond between each of your pavers. You’ll want to ensure whichever brand you choose complements the color of the pavers.
- Flexible Edging (No Dig)- This edging will be used to ensure a tight circle and to discourage the shifting of pavers.
Polypropylene Paver Base Panels– I used the Brock brand, which you can find at most Big Box Stores. These panels were applied on top of the compacted leveling sand to create a level base for your pavers.
Wet Look -Paver Sealer & Sand Lock – This all-in-one product combines a few steps in one, which is great. This is applied after the pavers are in place and the residue from the polymeric sand has been removed. You will need a garden sprayer for the application of this step.
Recommended Tools
- (1) Edging Shovel– you will need the Edging shovel to get a crisp even outline for your circle I recommend the above edger or one similar to it with a footplate to ensure your outline is consistent all the way around.
- A Shovel to remove the ground within your circle.
- A Wheelbarrow or Gorilla Cart to transport the dug-up earth within your circle
- (1) 48″ Level Tool – This will come in handy to make sure that your circle surface area and patio pavers are all level
- A retractable utility knife– To cut your landscaping fabric as well as your paver base panels.
- A Leaf Blower -The leaf blower is utilized to blow the polymeric sand in between the paver joints
- A Broom– To ensure your pavers are sand-free clean before applying your Sealer
- (1) Hand Tamper or a Compactor Machine (Most Big Box Stores have a rental program). These tools are used to tamp down or compact the soil to ensure you are working with a level surface for your pavers. Renting a compactor will make the process faster and more convenient. However, investing in a hand tamper is useful if you have other future landscaping projects planned.
- A Rubber Mallet – You will need the Mallet to secure your landscaping fabric into the ground by pounding in the landscaping pins. You will also use the Mallet to secure the flexible edging and stakes into the ground around your new patio.
Prepping for the Circle Patio
Step Three
Once you’ve determined the placement, width, or diameter of your circle, measure the center point. Then anchor your stake in the middle. Next, place your pressure-treated board across the middle to assist in outlining the boundary of your circle as shown in the picture below.
Now you can secure the twine to the middle/center stake. The twine should measure the length you want your patio to extend out. So for instance if you wish for a 12-foot patio the measurement of your twine attached to the pole should be a little over 6ft. (As you should have an equal 6ft difference on the other side-giving you a 12 ft. diameter).
Step Four
Grab your can of spray paint and twine and mark the perimeter of your circle utilizing the guide of the stakes and your pressure treated board.
The DIG
Step Five
The next step is to grab your edging shovel. You’ll use the footplate to edge out the spray-painted outline. Make sure you are edging six inches deep as that is the ideal amount of earth you will need to remove to accommodate for all the materials.
Note: You can see in the outside perimeter where the edging shovel was used, as it results in a clean defined edge.
Step Six
Dig and remove. This by far was the most frustrating part for me as it seemed to take forever. After you’ve dug out six inches throughout the entire area you’ll need to compact the soil. Do this with either a hand tamper or compactor. Always your level to ensure the area is even and compact.
This is the look you will have after you’ve been digging, moving, and redistributing dirt all day and realize you haven’t really made a dent.
Step Seven
Once your Circle is compacted and level gather the heavy-duty landscaping fabric, utility knife, rubber mallet, and landscaping pins. Begin the process of applying the fabric and pins into the compacted soil. Make sure that you are getting a tight fit so that there are no gaps.
Getting Paver-Patio Ready
Step Eight
Spread your leveling sand throughout your landscaping surface. Once again, after the application of sand, you’ll need to screen the sand using your pressure-treated board. Then compact the sand making sure it’s level throughout.
Step Nine
Lay your Paver Base Panels over your compacted leveled sand. Make sure your coverage is complete throughout the circle. As the panels are the stabilizing force for your pavers. You will need to cut the panels with your utility knife to fit within the confines of your circle.
Lay the Patio Pavers
Step 10
Next, begin laying the pavers from the center working your way outwards according to your kit’s instructions. You should be checking that your pavers are level as work your way through the application process.
In the photos above and below, you can see where cuts where panels were cut to ensure full coverage for the pavers.
I was always being kept on my toes by my on-site canine supervisor. He was sure to oversee every aspect of the patio construction.
Speaking of canines, check out our recommendations for the Top Must-Have Sofa Beds & Pet Couches .
The photo below shows the completed 9 ft. Circle Patio. I originally had an idea that a 9ft. circle patio would not be large enough to accommodate the fire pit and seating. So, I set out to make it 10 ft instead. (This was a mistake.) I ultimately expanded it to 12 feet to comfortably fit seating around the fire pit.
I do not recommend purchasing an Expansion Kit
You can easily expand this kit on your own by continuing the pattern utilizing single bricks or pavers of your choice. You can find single pavers at any of the Big Box stores. I used a 6 in x 6 in x 2 in paver to expand the patio.
Most single pavers can be purchased for right around $1.25/ea. which is a huge difference from some of the expansion kits that will easily cost you over $600. Save your money Bougie, and get your expansion pavers separately.
Set & Seal Your Circle Patio
Step 11
Now that you have completed the expansion of your circle patio; it’s time to enclose it with the flexible edging. You will want the no-dig edging that will keep your paver tightly in place and prevent shifting.
For this step, you will again need the rubber mallet and the stakes. Please make sure you have a tight enclosure. I recommend setting a stake every 4 or 5 openings.
Step 12
Set your pavers by applying the polymeric sand between the pavers. Be certain to follow the instructions on the product of your choice for this step. It is helpful to use a broom and a leaf blower to complete the application.
Unfortunately, I’m a DIY one-woman show and don’t have photos to show this step.
Step 13
After you have waited the required time on your instructions for the polymeric sand to cure. The final step is to apply the Wet-Look Paver Sealer and Sand Lock, recommended in the materials list.
You can see in the picture below just how the sealer makes the paver colors pop. You do not want to skip this step.
DIY CIRCLE PATIO: What I Learned
This is the part where I eat humble pie. As I stated earlier in this post, I made a mistake in thinking that extending the circle patio to 10 feet would be enough. It was not.
If you want a Fire Pit, Your Patio should be at least 12 Ft.
You cannot comfortably accommodate a fire pit and seating for 4 in that circumference space. So, I had to fix it. As you can see from the picture below I had to undo the edging to accommodate two more rows of pavers. This ultimately expanded the patio to 12.5 feet.
This does allow enough space for the fire pit and seating. However, if I had to do it all over again, I’d likely expand it out at least another two rows (i.e. another foot for a 14 or even 15 ft patio) to accommodate enough space for outdoor rocking chairs. ” See… that’s the Bougie talking.”
Circle Patios are Perfect for “Me-Time” or “Wine Time”
Should you opt to build a Circle Patio, you won’t regret it. It’s perfect for good conversation or family time around the fire. And even better for time spent in solitude over a warm fire and glass of wine.
A 1o ft Circle Patio is too small
You can see from the photo below that with a fire pit, there’s barely enough space for chairs to maintain a safe distance from the fire pit.
If your yard slopes, the patio will pool water when it rains
This is somewhat of an annoyance. But nothing a broom to sweep the water away and sunshine can’t cure. You can see from a few of the pictures the slight slope of the yard. If you look closely at the last picture you can see the amount of pooling that resulted after a rain.
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