Concrete Pavers Guide

If you’ve begun to budget out your next outdoor project – such as a driveway, patio, or walkway – you’ve probably found that the desirable materials options, like concrete pavers, are quite expensive. Indeed, even ‘cheap’ pavers will run you $7 per square foot or more – and this doesn’t even include installation. This price doesn’t compare favorably to slab options like concrete and asphalt or to loose stone.

Luckily, there is a way to enjoy the beauty and strength of interlocking pavers for a fraction of the price – make them yourself! If you obtain or make concrete paver forms, you can pour your own concrete and thereby make concrete pavers by yourself. When you make your own pavers, you have control over the size and shape of the final product; you can thus customize them to your liking. You can also add your own colors, textures, and features to your pavers to make them as decorative as you’d like. Thus, you’ll still have plenty of design freedom to exploit when making your project even when you’re not buying pavers straight from the manufacturer.

A few caveats – first, you’ll have to work hard to get the paving stones to be of regular quality. What makes pavers work so well – indeed, what makes them interlock – is the fact they are manufactured in a regular fashion. Second, this will take a long time to make all the pavers for your project, particularly if you have a large application in mind. Thus, this method is best suited towards smaller projects, such as small walkways, mini-patios, or even ‘stepping stone’ like creations running through a yard or garden.

Molds v. Forms

On another part of this website, we talked all about paver molds and explained to you how to make concrete pavers. Here we will repeat many of those instructions, this time focused on the ‘forms’ method. Often, molds and forms are used interchangably, but this is actually incorrect, as forms are made out of wood planks, while molds are made from plastic, rubber, silicon, or some other material, and allow you to make many different shaped objects. In addition, you can usually find many different paver molds for sale, so you can make pavers of unique sizes and shapes if you’d like.

However, forms usually produce rectangular or square pavers – it is very difficult to make any other shape with the regularity you’ll need to lay a proper patio, driveway, or other project. You can usually not find forms for purchase – instead, you’ll have to make them yourself as a DIY paving project. Here is the general method.

Making Your Own Paving Stone Forms

Y0u should first figure out what kind of project you want, the paver patterns you design, and the pavers you’ll need to complete your goals. Note that all pavers will work well for all kinds of projects – there is no dedicated ‘driveway pavers‘ or ‘patio pavers.’ Gather wood planks that are half an inch thick; also get some 1 and 1/4 inch screws so that you can put together the forms. Then, you’ll need to cut your planks so that you create the dimensions and shape of the paver you’re looking to make in terms of length and width. Your best bet in general is to go with the typical 6 x 9 Holland Stone like pavers, especially if this your first time making them.

Here’s an example – imagine that your brick will be 6″ by 9″ and 2″ high. Cut two planks of wood into 6 inch pieces and two inches wide and another two into 10″ pieces. You’ll then want to put together the planks so that you make a ‘picture frame’ like object; the inside dimensions of the rectangle should be 6 x 9 of course. Use the screws to properly hold the form. Make as many as you can so that you can mass produce the paver production process. Use a lubricant or spray to make sure the concrete doesn’t stick to the forms, as you’ll want to reuse them as much as possible.

If you want to use concrete pavers for your next outdoor applications, you are not limited to purchasing the materials directly from manufacturers, mason supply yards, or home improvement stores. In fact, if you want to save money, you can make concrete pavers from the comfort of your own home!

Note, as well, that you can make many other concrete materials with this method. If you want to learn how to make concrete stepping stones, bricks, blocks, statues, and other shapes, read on, as much of the information below will apply.

Warnings and Things to Know Before Making Concrete Pavers

The benefits of making your own paving stones are clear. You’ll save money per stone due to the low costs of concrete. (See below, however, on this point, as you may not save as much money as you think.) In addition, you’ll be able to make the brick to your liking, and you won’t have to get involved with dealing with manufacturers, supply yards, and delivery of the material to your home.

There are a few caveats to keep in mind before you make your own concrete pavers. First, realize that you shouldn’t do this unless you have the experience and skills required to work with concrete. If you’ve never poured concrete before and shaped it in molds, you may not be able to create “reproducible” bricks. In other words, each paver needs to be near identical in order for the project to work. (This is true, to an extent, even with an irregular pattern filled with different sized paving stones.) Thus, if you don’t have the abilities required, you’re probably better off buying them pre-made.

Second, if you have a large installation coming up that will require a lot of brick, this may not be the best method for you. Think about it – if you can only produce 10 pavers at a time, and you need 1000, how long is it going to take you to get the supply you’ll need to finish the project? If the project is small, such as a mini-patio, it may be more doable. You could increase the size of the pavers, making the more slabs or flags, to lower the numbers of total stones you’ll need to make. Of course, if you only need a few of the materials, such as for stepping stones, then you won’t have this problem.

In fact, making tons of pavers may not even be cost effective if you take your own time and effort into account. If it takes you twenty hours to make all the brick you need, how much are you really ‘spending’ through the value of your time? This is true even if the concrete itself is dirt cheap.

One final reason not to make your own materials is that you’ll be limited in your design options. Making concrete pavers is difficult enough without worrying about color, size, shape, and so on. With manufactured pavers, you’ll be able to select from a wide variety of style, color blends, and shapes that you can then use to complement your already existing home design. The most basic do-it-yourself pavers will be an ugly, flat grey – usually not that appealing, especially if aesthetics matter for that particular project.

If none of these warnings apply to you, read on!

How to Make Concrete Pavers

First, you’ll have to obtain molds for your pavers. There are two ways of doing this. First, you can buy molds pre-made. Doing this will allow you to pick the size and shape of concrete paving stone that you want to make.

The second option is to make your own paver molds – click here if you want to learn how.

Once you have your molds, it’s time to make your ‘paver factory.’ Set aside a part of your yard that will stay dry if it rains. Put some ‘mold release agent’ inside the mold to prevent the paver from sticking to the mold when it dries.

Mix the concrete as directed, and pour it into your molds. Spread it to make sure it is level and covers all the corners. Bounce the concrete and mold to get rid of any air bubbles. Let them solidify over the next 24-48 hours. Remove the bricks or the molds when they are done, and prepare the next set.

Note: if you want to add color or texture to your brick, do it during the pouring phase, as it will need to be mixed in with the wet concrete ahead of time. Consider experimenting, as well, with the shapes, sizes, and textures on the paver right after it has been poured in the mold.

Once you’ve created all the pavers, stepping stones, or blocks you need, lay them as needed according to your design. Good luck!

There are many different uses for concrete blocks. Some use them to build retaining walls. Others use them to build curbs or foundations for steps. Others use them for concrete walls for foundations and for footers. These block are very versatile and, fortunately, quite cheap. They can be even more inexpensive, however, if you make them on your own. To do this, you will need concrete block molds of the appropriate size. There are two major ways to get these molds: by them or make them. Here is what you need to know:

Buying Concrete Block Molds

There are many places to buy these molds if you have a specific shape in mind. Since these block can be used for many projects, there are accordingly many block molds availabe. Check your local home improvement store, mason supply yard, or other concrete supplier for the cement block molds available.

The general block size is 8″ x 8″ x 16″, though the actual block is smaller to allow you to apply mortar to it without affecting the final dimensions. In addition, you can by either two-core or three-core blocks – this refers to the number of ‘holes’ that are in the block when looked at from the side.

There are also different types of block depending where they are in the structure and what kind of project is being built. The block used for foundation walls are not necessarily the same as those used for retaining walls, Standard blocks slightly extend past the corners, while corner and end blocks do not in order to provide smooth corners and edges. Other types of blocks are sash block for windows and jamb blocks for doors. There are also ‘capping blocks’ which are used to seal the top of the structure. Thus, the type of block you need depend on the project – the more complex, the more of these types you’ll have to obtain. If you are hiring a contractor, he or she will obtain the materials for you, so don’t worry if you are not doing it alone.

There are also different colors and textures you can get depending on how you want the structure to look and feel.

Making Concrete Block Molds

Some of these molds are easy enough to make on your own. If you need blocks of a peculiar shape, it will probably not be possible to make them without specialized materials and tools. However, a simple block can be easily made as long as you know how to make concrete block molds. Here are the basic methods:

-1- First, get wood of the appropriate width to make your blocks. You will need to determine the size of the block you want first before buying the wood.

-2- Next, cut the wood into the lengths and widths you need to make the block. So, if you want to make a block that is 6x9x9, cut 6 inch width wood into 9 to 10 inch slabs.

-3- Connect these planks of wood with double headed nails so that the internal dimensions of the wood are a little larger than 6x9x9″.

-4- Put down plastic or some other material to make sure the concrete doesn’t stick. This is why you need to leave a little breathing room in the dimensions of the mold.

-5- Pour your concrete, let it set for 24-48 hours and your brick are ready to go.

-6- You may not be able to reuse the wood, but make every effort to recover the wood so that you don’t have to go through many raw materials. The more you can mass produce this process, the better.

-7- Note that this process creates molds that will produce solid concrete block. If you want hollow concrete block, you are better off going with two other options: buying the concrete block itself from a supplier, or buying molds that are premade to make these block.

Finally, don’t make your own block if the structure needs to be robust, such as if it is for a foundation or for a retaining wall. You want to make sure that the project will hold together, and you may have problems if the block are made by hand and are thus not consistent in their craftsmanship, despite your best efforts of course.

If you want to install a new patio in your backyard, you have a number of options for the material you can use and the design you create. One of the more popular patio types is the concrete patio. There are many different shapes, sizes, and designs for a concrete patio. You can even choose different colors for the concrete by adding certain coloring to the concrete before you pour it. The ultimate design for your concrete you select will depend on the concrete patio molds or forms you use to create the project. There are many different kinds of molds and forms you can use. This article will briefly discuss the most basic ones.

Paver Molds and Forms for Patios

First, you can use a mold to create pavers. These pavers are brick made from concrete that can be arranged in a pattern. No cement or mortar is necessary to hold them in place – simply add sand between the joints, compact, and you’re done. You can purchase concrete patio molds for pavers online or at a hardware store, or you can make your own paver forms yourself, as is described at other parts of this site.

Molds and Forms for Concrete Slabs

The second major type is the concrete slab. These are like concrete pavers, except only thinner and with larger dimensions. These can also be made with molds that you can make or buy. Forms can be made similar to pavers molds, only larger – take four planks of wood and arrange the mold into the size slab you want. Then pour the concrete and let it cure and harden for 24-48 hours.

Concrete Patio Molds and Forms

The final kind of concrete patio molds is a large slab. This is essentially laying down the entire concrete patio in one large structure – these are not ‘laid’ like pavers and smaller slabs are. Instead, the forms are constructed on the site of the patio and filled with concrete. Creating these forms can be tricky, as you need to get the dimensions down pat. Any mistakes will compromise the looks and integrity of the final product. Forms are usually bordered with long planks of wood that serve as the boundaries of the large slab.

Making Your Own Concrete Patio Forms

1. After excavating the area to the proper depth (at least 4 inches), use stakes and string to mark out the dimensions of your patio, forms included.
2. Put in any expansion joints where they may be needed, such as near a foundation or other structure.
3. When setting up your strings, make sure to have the correct slope or grade so that water will pitch away from your house and other sensitive areas.
4. Use 2x4s as the boundaries of the forms. Cut the wood planks until they are in the proper length according to the dimensions of your plan. Nail them through the stakes to create the forms. You may want to add more stakes to provide more  of  a brace for the forms, perhaps one every 12 inches or so. Make sure the height is good – you want the forms to be one inch higher than the grass, though the actual height will depend on how high you want the final patio to be. Make sure it’s not a tripping hazard by being too high or too low!
5. Add braces and supports to the sides of the forms if you believe the concrete will put lots of pressure on them – concrete is quite strong when it is poured.
6. Your concrete patio molds and forms are done! Once the forms are all set up in the way you want – with as many slabs as you need – lay down gravel and wire mesh. Then begin your pour!

Good luck with your concrete patio mold!

Everyone knows the value of concrete pavers – it has been well discussed on numerous pages on this site, for example. However, the expense of buying these pavers may be prohibitive for some homeowners. This is especially true for those who need a small amount for a small project, not enough to buy an entire pallet and have too much to spare. Luckily, for these homeowners and contractors there is a solution: paver molds.

If you purchase or make your own concrete paver molds, you can make your own pavers at a price lower than if you bought! In addition, if you add coloring to the paving stones as you make them, you can have a variety of colors to match or rival those that you can buy commercially. Thus, you can get the benefits of pavers – strength, durability, design options, and beauty – without having to buy a huge amount and take on the expense.

Note, before we continue, that making pavers is viable for small projects only. If you are doing a large project, such as a patio, walkway, driveway, and the like, you will be better off buying the pavers, as you know you are getting quality, regularity, and volume for a good price.

Concrete Paver Molds for Sale

If you don’t want to go through the trouble of making the molds yourself, you can buy them pre-made. This is especially useful if you want funky or unique molds that would be difficult for you to make yourself. Look online for the paver molds available through both companies and individuals selling them. Sites likes craigslist and Ebay are a good start, and you can also check out dedicated paver mold sites. You can also look at home improvement stores and  masonry supply stores. The cost of these molds will depend on the material they are made from and their complexity. You should expect to spend $5 to $40 per mold, or more. If you buy multiple packs of molds so that you can mass produce your pavers, expect to pay more total, but you’ll also pay less per mold. You can also get the tools, colors, and other materials you’ll need at these sites, or you can buy them at home improvement stores or mason supply yards.

How to Make Paver Molds

No matter what you use the pavers for, the same mold will work for all. Thus, if you want to make a patio, a patio pavers mold will also make pavers suitable for driveways, walkways, pool decks, and so on. Making them is also cheap and rather easy, but you’ll have to be careful to do the job right. You’ll need to get half inch thick wood planks and 1 and 1/4 inch screws to assemble the molds. The length of the wood strips will depend on the dimensions of the pavers you want in length, width, and thickness. Calibrate your molds based on the specifications of the pavers. Its best to match the specs of pavers from manufacturers, just to be sure of their strength and durability, so get your hands on a sample to match.

Let’s say your brick will be 6″ by 6″ and 2″ high. Cut two strips of wood 6 inches long and two inches wide and two strips 7″ long and 2″ high. Then assemble the four strips into a ‘square,’ almost like a 2″ thick picture frame, with the 6″ x 6″ measured on the inside of the square. Use screws to hold the square together. Mass produce these and you’re ready to go! Use spray lacquer to make sure that the pavers will not stick to the inside of the square when they are done.

Simply lay the molds on top of  a bed of sand, fill them with concrete, and allow them to dry as explained on the instructions on the concrete. Don’t forget to add concrete to the mix before you pour the concrete if desired. When they are done, remove the mold, and then lay them as you’d like!

Don’t forget that you can experiment with different sizes once you get good at making squared cement paver molds. Note that if you have access to the material, you could try making silicon molds that will let you get many different unique shapes and styles of paver.

Using Paver Molds

Note that making tons of pavers will take a long time due to the wait time between first pouring and drying – which could be 24 to 48 hours. Thus, if you can only make 24 6″x6″ pavers at a time, this means you can only create enough material to cover 6 square feet in a 24 hour period. This is why if the project is large, you’re better off buying pavers unless you have the patience and resource to make them yourself. However, making your own pavers is viable for smaller projects that only require a few pavers, such as for garden applications.