Posted: 3/21/2026 3:41:13 PM EDT
[Last Edit: SDeadeye][Edited]
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We had some nasty storms come through last summer that, in addition to peeling half the shingles off our roof, finished off a couple of big old box elder trees in the back yard. I cut down what was left of them last fall before the branches that were left took out our power line or well house in the middle of winter. Since I need to get those stumps out and will probably rip up the yard a bit in the process, I figured this might be a good time to tackle another project and make us a nicer patio and fire pit area. This is the DIY forum, so obviously I want to do as much of this as I can myself. My neighbor has a skid steer stump grinder attachment, so hopefully that will make the stump/root removal part fairly easy, and I have a 38hp tractor, loader and back blade to move dirt or materials. I'd like to have a path from the back stairs on the porch, out to the patio and fire pit area. Looking at roughly 40ft from the stairs to the center of the fire pit ring, so about 30ft of walkway, and a 14ft x 14ft patio. I also kind of want to try pouring a concrete fire pit ring with a smokeless insert. Or just put a big solo stove out there that I can store in the shed during the winter. I'm just debating between using pavers that I can get at Menards and do all myself, or having someone pour stamped and stained concrete instead. I have done plenty of concrete work in the past and have most of the tools, but have never done any stained or stamped stuff. If I go concrete, I would likely get it all prepped and formed up myself and then have a friend that runs a concrete business come in and pour and finish it with his crew. What are the pros/cons of pavers vs concrete? This is in ND, so we for sure have some severe freeze/thaw cycles. I also want it to be flush with the ground so I can mow right over everything. Here's the area currently, in all of the ND spring grossness. That closer stump would be about where the fire pit ring would sit.  And a concept I drew up, around 30ft of walkway to get from the porch stairs to the patio. As it's drawn there, it is about 330 ft2 total between walkway and patio.  |
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I used pavers as I was doing everything by myself with hand tools only. It was not too bad - other than the hardware store running out of the pavers (This is during covid when everything sucked). Due to budget I could not get everything at once - So I did everything in sections. Lowes and Home Depot are about an hour away - SO I started out using the local HW store. The interesting thing was that between Russel's Doit Center, Marvin's, Home Depot and Lowes the 16inch pavers were NOT the same. They all said 16 inch - but there was a +/- half inch depending on where they were purchased!!!!!! I guess my advice is - buy all the pavers you think you need up front! (if you go the paver route) |
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Originally Posted By Sanlanman: Yes, have it poured and stamped. It will be done with a lot less hassle. And weeds and grass won't try to grow up into the paver joints. Originally Posted By Sanlanman: Originally Posted By Phillbilly: Pour it |
| Pavers always become very uneven and a trip hazard. When I regulated pools for the state, I've seen very many paver installations. I once mentioned this to an installer and he said, 'Well, then they weren't done right'. I replied 'Then I've never seen one which was done right'. |
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RE grinding the stumps. If the stump is going to be under your new patio, you'll want to remove them instead of grinding. Stumps will rot and your patio will sag. My back hurts thinking about that many pavers. I would recommend pouring it. Less hassle now and later. Talk to the contractor about how to limit frost heaves though. Might need a decent amount of prepping for the base. |
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| Either way has its issues. A properly constructed base is key to keep water from accumulating under the patio, especially when the freeze comes. A pour will tend to heave and crack or, if reinforced right, tilt. Papers will shift and become uneven. Good drainage mitigates this. Pavers will be more repairable if the install is not ideal. |
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Pavers are a good DIY project. I did a big piece 20 years ago and have ants that pop up here and there at the joints. Also the color has faded and thinking of painting but needs plenty of prep work so it doesn't peel. If I was my younger self again, I would have it poured and stamped especially on a big piece. |
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Originally Posted By Phillbilly: Pour it |
"Over the years, it has become increasingly difficult to tell the difference between skilled trolls versus fucking morons." DK-Prof
C 2/325 1983 - 1986
C 2/325 1983 - 1986
| Sounds like the first step will be to figure out the stump situation and either get ahold of an excavator to rip it out, or change the patio location to miss it and then grind the stump. My back likes the concrete plan vs. pavers, and compared to the base prep needed for a good paver install the concrete might work out to be a bit cheaper. I need a couple side dumps of gravel for the driveway this spring anyways, so some of that can get saved for the pad base. |
| Absolutely poured concrete and not pavers. Pavers will get uneven, weeds eventually grow through or between them regardless of the site prep, don’t look as nice, etc., etc. Rent a concrete mixer from Home Depot, a few/several more bags than you calculate you’ll need, do good site prep/compacting gravel base/rebar/form boards, and pour the concrete. |
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Another vote to pour it and stamp it. We did a really small area last month. Less than 10’ X 12’. It was a bitch. Constantly telling my wife to add sand here, removes some here, tamp down more, etc…. Yea, it was “her” project and I wanted her to understand what that means. She has a vision issue and cannot see depth. She cannot see high and low areas. And she wonders why I freak out when she drives. Attached File I did all the cut blocks along the edges. As she put it, never again. |