This patio project was done in a backyard in Denver, Colorado. The old concrete slab was cracked and uneven, and the plan was to improve it without doing a full teardown.
Cracked and worn patio surface.
The idea was to add pavers over the existing slab and clean up the surrounding edges. Things slowed down quickly when I realized the slab wasn’t as level as it looked. One side dipped slightly, which meant extra time adjusting the base.
Leveling the base.
Laying the pavers went smoothly after that, but I underestimated how tiring it would be. By the end of the day, progress was slower, and I had to stop before finishing the last section.
Completed patio with pavers.
The finished patio feels much more solid and looks cleaner than before. One edge isn’t perfectly straight, but unless you’re measuring it, it’s not noticeable. For a Denver backyard, it’s a big improvement without a full rebuild.
Honest Note
This was more physical work than expected, but the result was worth it.