Installation Guide — Dry Lay & Wet Lay

Before You Begin — 01

Pre-installation essentials.

Six things to confirm before the first paver goes down. Skip these and even the best stone will telegraph the mistakes beneath it.

01 · DRAINAGE

Pitch for water

Slope the finished surface away from all structures so water never pools on or behind the stone.

Min slope ¼" per ft · 2%

02 · DEPTH

Excavate to your climate

Dig to the full build-up depth for your method, adding base in freeze–thaw regions to resist heaving.

Base 4–6" compacted

03 · SEPARATION

Lay geotextile fabric

A woven geotextile over compacted subgrade stops soil and base from mixing — the layer most installs skip.

Woven over subgrade

04 · COMPACTION

Compact in lifts

Place clean ¾" crushed stone in 2–3" lifts, plate-compacting each pass for a base that won't settle.

Lifts 2–3" each

05 · DRY LAY

Blend before you set

Pull pavers from several crates and dry-lay the field first to balance color and natural variation.

Mix 3+ crates

06 · SEALING

Seal natural stone

Marble and travertine are porous — seal per the stone and method to guard against staining and salt.

Penetrating sealer

The Build-Up — 02

Two ways to set stone.

Choose a method to walk its cross-section, layer by layer. Hover any layer to isolate it in the build-up.

Typical dry lay section

Permeable Patios & walkways Pool decks No cure time

Dry lay installation cross-section showing pavers over sand, pea gravel, crushed stone, geotextile and subgrade soil

Dry Lay · real build-up

Build-up · top → subgrade6 layers

Marble or travertine pavers

Finished surface · set in bedding

Bedding / concrete sand

½"–1" screeded level

Pea gravel

3/8" compacted

Crushed stone base

4–6" clean ¾" · compacted

Woven geotextile fabric

Separation layer

Subgrade soil

Compacted & graded

Excavate & grade

Dig to depth and shape the subgrade to slope, then compact it solid.

2% pitch

Lay fabric

Roll woven geotextile over the subgrade, overlapping seams generously.

woven

Base in lifts

Place 4–6" of clean ¾" crushed stone, compacting every 2–3" pass.

¾" clean

Pea gravel

Add and compact a 3/8" pea-gravel choke layer for a tight, even bed.

3/8"

Screed sand

Screed ½"–1" of bedding sand to a smooth, undisturbed plane.

½"–1"

Set pavers

Place stone with consistent joints, tapping each to seat in the sand.

tap to bed

Joint & seal

Sweep polymeric sand into joints, compact, then clean and seal.

poly sand

Typical wet lay section

Rigid Driveways High traffic Commercial

Wet lay installation cross-section showing pavers over thin-set, reinforced concrete slab, crushed stone, geotextile and subgrade

Wet Lay · real build-up

Build-up · top → subgrade6 layers

Marble or travertine pavers

Finished surface · thin-set bonded

Polymer-modified thin-set

Adhesive bond coat

Concrete slab

4"–6" · with / without rebar

Crushed stone base

4–6" clean ¾" · compacted

Woven geotextile fabric

Separation layer

Subgrade soil

Compacted & graded

Excavate & grade

Dig to depth and shape the subgrade to slope, then compact it solid.

2% pitch

Lay fabric

Roll woven geotextile over the subgrade, overlapping seams generously.

woven

Base in lifts

Place and compact 4–6" of clean ¾" crushed stone as the structural base.

¾" clean

Pour slab

Form and pour a 4"–6" concrete slab, adding rebar or mesh as needed; cure.

cure fully

Apply thin-set

Comb polymer-modified thin-set onto the cured slab with a notched trowel.

notched

Set pavers

Press stone into the thin-set, back-buttering as needed; hold joints true.

back-butter

Grout & seal

Grout the joints, clean residue, then seal the natural stone surface.

grout

Choosing a Method — 03

Dry lay or wet lay?

Both start with the same compacted base and geotextile. The difference is what carries the load above it — flexible sand or a rigid slab.

Criteria

Dry Lay sand-set

Wet Lay mortar-set

Drainage

Permeable — water passes through joints & base

Surface drainage — relies on slope & joints

Best for

Patios, walkways, pool decks

Driveways, high-traffic & commercial

Freeze–thaw

Forgiving — flexes & can re-level

Rigid — depends on proper base & reinforcement

Repairs

Lift & reset individual pavers

Cut out & re-bond sections

Cure time

None — walkable on completion

Slab + thin-set must cure before use

Get the base right. The stone lasts a lifetime.

Pre-installation essentials.

Pitch for water

Excavate to your climate

Lay geotextile fabric

Compact in lifts

Blend before you set

Seal natural stone

Two ways to set stone.

Typical dry lay section

Marble or travertine pavers

Bedding / concrete sand

Pea gravel

Crushed stone base

Woven geotextile fabric

Subgrade soil

Excavate & grade

Lay fabric

Base in lifts

Pea gravel

Screed sand

Set pavers

Joint & seal

Typical wet lay section

Marble or travertine pavers

Polymer-modified thin-set

Concrete slab

Crushed stone base

Woven geotextile fabric

Subgrade soil

Excavate & grade

Lay fabric

Base in lifts

Pour slab

Apply thin-set

Set pavers

Grout & seal

Dry lay or wet lay?

Don't install it alone.