He Tore Out a Small Backyard Deck and Built a 420-Square-Foot Paver Patio for $4,000
A small wood deck covered the space outside the sliding door, but the yard beside it had far more room than the deck used. Reddit user u/Chemical_Mirror_6143 removed the structure and extended the usable area across the back of the house with a 420-square-foot paver patio.
He completed the project with his brother and dad, with a landscaper friend guiding the process and lending them a Bobcat. Materials came to about $4,000, while his friend estimated a contracted version of the project at about $17,000.
Small Deck Left Most of the Rear Wall Unused
The old deck sat in front of the sliding door, with its railing enclosing a narrow rectangle several feet above the lawn. Rock beds, loose pavers, a grill pad, and exposed soil occupied the rest of the area along the house.
Its footprint also broke the yard into separate surfaces. The driveway ended on the left, the deck occupied the center, and landscaping filled the gap toward the fence.
Demolition Removed More Than the Deck
With the deck gone, the work extended into the rock beds and old hardscape beside it. A dump trailer handled demolition material while the former deck area was stripped back near the foundation.
Removing those elements opened a continuous strip from the driveway toward the opposite end of the house instead of preserving the old divisions.
Patio Footprint Extended Across the Rear Facade
Excavation cleared a broad rectangle along the house, reaching from the existing concrete toward the privacy fence. A string line marks the lawn-side edge and shows how far the new patio projects into the yard.
The sliding door sits near the center of the new footprint rather than defining its width. That shift creates usable space on both sides of the entrance.
Ten-Inch Aggregate Base Filled the Excavated Area
Crushed aggregate covers the prepared ground from the foundation to the new outer edge. The homeowner said he used a 10-inch base instead of the three-to-five-inch depth he considered normal for the project. Base material cost about $800.
The base also ties the new patio into the existing concrete at the driveway side while keeping the finished surface below the sliding door.
Compaction Established the Patio Grade
After the aggregate was spread and compacted, the patio footprint reads as a single rectangle. The surface sits below the house threshold and meets the existing concrete without recreating the height of the former deck.
The lawn remains intact along the outside edge, leaving a straight boundary for the pavers and future planting bed.
Pewter Holland Pavers Arrived in Four Pallet Loads
Stacks of rectangular concrete pavers filled the driveway before installation. The homeowner identified them as Holland pavers in Pewter and said the pavers cost $1,300, excluding the steps.
He also noted that a single pallet weighed about 3,300 pounds. After carrying one in his truck, he used a trailer for the other three.
Bedding Layer Set the Final Surface Height
A fine bedding layer covers part of the compacted base, with screed lines running across the patio. This layer creates the plane needed for the pavers rather than using the coarse aggregate as the finished setting surface.
The prepared area reaches the foundation, driveway, fence side, and lawn edge, so each perimeter condition has to meet the same paver field.
Pavers Covered the Full 420-Square-Foot Footprint
Pewter Holland pavers run across the patio in a repeating interlocking pattern, with a straight border defining the perimeter. Loose stacks remain on top as installation approaches the lawn-side edge.
The homeowner said thick metal edging was installed around the outside to retain the pavers, except in front of two transition pieces near the grass.
Masonry Steps Solved the Sliding Door Height Change
Removing the raised deck left the sliding door above the new paver surface. Three broad masonry levels now span the opening and connect the threshold to the patio.
The steps cost $650 and use the same gray family as the patio, with darker caps defining each tread.
Small Deck Footprint Became a 420-Square-Foot Patio
Removing the deck changed more than the amount of floor space. The new patio stretches across most of the rear facade, with room for lounge chairs, a fire pit, dining furniture, a hanging chair, and a cantilever umbrella without crowding the sliding door.
Mulch beds soften the lawn-side edge, while low lights mark the patio after sunset. The finished project cost about $4,000, far below the $17,000 estimate the homeowner received for hired work.
All image credit go to Reddit user u/Chemical_Mirror_6143.