This past week was the least enjoyable part of this project: the digging! Several times while digging, my brain had to remind my body that “this is fun, we’re having fun!” Thank goodness for Robaxacet!
This stage of my project involved digging down far enough so that a solid base layer could be created. One thing that I’ve learned through my research is that, depending on the usage of the paved area (ie: to park vehicles on vs to leisurely walk on), a certain depth for a base layer needs to be obtained in order to ensure that the finished product will last for years to come. Depending on the thickness of your paving stones, most backyard projects need to be dug to a depth of 7-9” (minimum 4” of crushed rock/gravel, 1” of sand, and then the thickness of your pavers determines the depth that needs to be dug to). For my project, I had to dig down 8” because the paving stones I’m using are 3” thick.
Person digging
Image courtesy of YouTube: Fire Pit Patio Build – DIY Project by Bro Builds.
I’m a pretty active and physically fit person, but I quickly realized that people who do landscaping do not receive enough credit! Digging to a depth of 8” is not only hard work, but is much farther down than meets the eye. I’m exhausted and every part of my body currently hurts: my legs from squatting, my hands and arms from shoveling/digging, as well as my neck and back from bending over. Here is a quick video that shows all the work and digging that went into my project today.
Fortunately, most sources that I have referenced, including the 10-Step Guide to Installing Pavers, tell me that the digging is the toughest part (at least in regards to the physical demands) of the project. FYI: most of the sources I have accessed for this project have been videos, however, the ‘10-Step Guide to Installing Pavers’ pdf document that I referenced above has been a terrific resource that simplifies each step of this process. It contains more steps than I will need for my project, but it breaks the entire project down in a 2-page guide. I highly recommend it!
What are some DIY projects you’ve done around your house or yard? I need the motivation right now to convince my sore muscles that this is worth it.
Also, does anyone have any yoga, mindfulness, or stretching recommendations? My body needs them. Until then, I’m off to my chiropractor!
This post gives me some PTSD of building my first ever fence. My house in Hinton as built on an old dumping ground for backfill. So digging 30 post holes by hand really gave me an appreciation for the level of fitness that this takes.
Did you come across any videos of people who had come up with ingenious ways to shift the physical burden?
Mike, I sure hope that you didn’t do this when it was extremely hot outside. I would suggest doing a bit of icing for your shoulders and knees. I am sure if you went onto either TikTok or YouTube you would be able to find some good stretching and yoga videos. Like you said the hardest part is over and soon you will be able to begin enjoying your outdoor area and have a cold drink by the fire as something is cooking over the fire. Keep those thoughts in mind as you are putting in all of the intensive physical labor right now.