There’s no doubt that taking time and care when preparing the site for a gravel patio will pay dividends when enjoying life outside in the future. A good professional looking finish is also key if you want to make a patio look expensive.
‘To prepare the ground for a gravel patio, you will want to start by removing any weeds or other vegetation, any debris such as leaves or sticks, and anything else that would prevent a level surface, such as stones or tree stumps,' says experienced New York City landscape designer Amber Freda. 'Once everything has been cleared, you can use a steel rake to level the soil and fill in any low spots with top soil.’
Containing the volume of stones needs careful attention and Amber advises using metal edging to frame the gravel area. ‘This helps prevent gravel from mixing with adjacent patches of turf or garden beds, which can look messy over time. Next, you will want to put down weed barrier fabric to cover all the soil and prevent weeds from coming up, overlapping the pieces by several inches and securing them into the soil using garden staples. The last step will be to pour your gravel over the weed barrier and rake it out again to make sure it’s level.
'For a professional finish, any pieces of weed barrier fabric that can’t be covered with gravel can be cut out with a pair of sturdy scissors. I also recommend hosing down the gravel at the end to remove any sand or sediment that has coated the stones, which will result in a cleaner looking patio surface.’