Checkerboard Concrete Pavers and a Yard Update

Today I’m sharing an update on our yard renovation and our gorgeous checkerboard paver patio!

The front yard of the house.

Today I’m sharing an update on our outdoor renovation!

Catch up on all the outdoor renovation posts in this series:

  1. Front and Back Yard Renovation
  2. European Style Water Fountains and a Yard Update
  3. Checkerboard Concrete Pavers and a Yard Update (this post)
  4. Front Yard Reveal
  5. How to Install a Gurgler Water Fountain
  6. Back Yard Renovation Reveal with Artificial Grass

This week the whole backyard renovation should have been done, but there have been many delays on things (isn’t that always the case?). The company that has been doing the work has been great to deal with but it just seems there has been a delay on everything we’ve picked.

A look at half the driveway and the fence.

So there hasn’t been much change to the front yard from my last update. The overgrown shrubs were removed and the driveway in the front of the house was starting to get widened on the one side.

The side of the driveway.

New ‘old’ pavers are currently getting added here as I type.

The driveway under construction.

Landscape fabric has been laid on the triangle part and plants are being delivered today!

I cannot wait to see this transformation! It’s been a long five years coming.

Landscape fabric on the driveway.

Back Yard Renovation

In the backyard, drainage rock was brought in and spread all around the yard where the artificial turf is going to be placed.

Mounds of drainage rock in the backyard.

This little dumptruck or automatic wheelbarrow was the perfect thing to use for getting down our narrow path on the side of the house.

(Check the previous yard post for a photo of the excavator getting through that skinny path!)

A very small automated dump truck by the drainage rock.

Remember our painted striped concrete patio? It’s still here! Only a section was hammered out to save on costs of ripping out the entire slab.

Drainage rock was put everywhere else.

Looking at a small portion of the patio.

Old drainage pipes were also replaced in the backyard.

Adding drainage pipes.

The artificial turf has just arrived this week so we’re hoping they can get it installed next week!

The drainage rock being spread out in the backyard.
A look at the backyard.

Checkerboard Pavers

I’ve already had a lot of messages asking me what kind of pavers we used. They are just concrete pavers but we used two different colors (one is natural and one is charcoal). Then we just alternated them like a diamond or checkerboard pattern.

Laying down the checkerboard tile in the backyard.

Because some of the patio is going over the existing concrete slab, paver supports were used. The ones that are used in the photo below (our landscapers purchased these, I don’t have a brand name), you can add as many squares as you need to level it to whatever height for each corner of the paver.

You can see in the bottom right corner that there’s about 4 stacked on top of each other (little black squares).

Close up look at the concrete checkerboard.

The circular paver supports was another one they used in areas that needed extra height. There are a number of different ones available when you start looking!

A circular paver support.

Shop Paver Supports

Here is a good photo of where the concrete pavers are laid right over the striped concrete slab!

Up close of the checkerboard pattern.
Two men working on the patio.

Doesn’t it look amazing?!?!

We’re also going to be adding a covered pergola over this for more outdoor entertaining area. I cannot wait!

The equipment for the backyard reno on the side of the patio.
A look at the patio.
The drainage rock and the patio.

It’s taken a little while but it’s going to be so worth it. I mean, the before and after alone is going to be amazing!

The trampoline in the backyard.

What do you think of my backyard renovation so far? Are you doing any yard renovations this year?

Let me know in the comments below!

Make sure to pin it for later!

Lay concrete pavers over an old concrete slab.

Jamie

click in case you missed:

Outdoor Renovation Plans

Outdoor Renovation Plans graphic.

How to Paint Stripes on Concrete Slab

How To Paint Stripes On Concrete Slab graphic.

Similar Posts

19 Comments

    1. Love it! Where did you find these pavers? I’m trying to find them to put around my pool deck. Do you have a link or brand for them?

  1. Thank you for the information in regard to the paver levelers! We are in the process of removing dirt and weeds from our yard to create a patio with pavers. Planning to add rock and sand then hand laying the pavers. The levelers could be a game changer. Thank you Jamie.

  2. What a grand plan with simple pavers! I love it. This is definitely an idea I’m keeping for the future.

  3. I see you said these were simple concrete pavers, but they are so hard to find! Can you post a link to the ones you bought?
    Thanks!

      1. Why can’t you just name the place you got the pavers from, it doesn’t say anything in your reveal, plus lots of people have asked, and you don’t give them the name

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.