How to Turn a Wasted Backyard Corner into a DIY Patio (Step-by-Step Guide)
You know those areas in your backyard you just kind of...ignore? Maybe it’s sloped, covered in weeds, or just plain awkward. Well, we had one of those spots — and y'all, we decided it was time to stop pretending it didn’t exist and turn it into something we could actually enjoy.
Spoiler alert: it turned out so much better than I expected. Let me walk you through exactly how we did it (red clay struggles and all)...
Step 1: Level the Ground (aka Fight the Georgia Clay)
First up: leveling the ground. Sounds simple, right? WRONG. We have good ol’ Georgia red clay, and it was basically like trying to dig through dried Play-Doh.
We rented a tiller first...and honestly, it was kinda sad. Didn’t do much.
So we ended up buying a tiller from Amazon, and y’all — that thing worked so much better.
The trick that made it manageable: one person tilling, and another coming behind with a rake to pull up the loose dirt and shovel it into a wheelbarrow (we used our trusty Gorilla Cart!).
We kept digging and leveling — stealing dirt from the high spots and filling in the low ones — until we had a level area about 15' x 18'. It took time, but man it made all the difference.
Step 2: Build a Small Retaining Wall + Bench
Since some parts were higher than others, we needed a little retaining wall to keep everything where it should be.
Here’s what we did:
Dug holes in the corners and set 4x4 posts.
Used that easy-pour concrete (you just pour it in dry, add water, and let it set — so simple).
Then we attached 2x10 ground-contact lumber between the posts to create the retaining wall.
On two sides, we did two layers of boards (taller) and only one layer around the other sides (shorter).
Bonus idea: We chopped the 4x4s down to match the wall height and turned the taller sides into a built-in bench by laying another 2x10 across the top. The shorter sides got a little cap too, just to make it all look finished and intentional.
We stained and sealed the whole thing to match our fence (ReadySeal in the color Pecan if you're curious) and wow...it already looked 1000x better.
Step 3: Lay the Patio Base
Now for the fun part — actually laying the patio!
First, we:
Rolled out weed barrier fabric and tacked it down.
Spread 1/2" of sand over everything.
Screeded it smooth by laying down a couple of 1/2" boards and dragging a long board across the top. (Honestly kinda satisfying.)
Here's where we changed the game:
Instead of hauling 7,000 pounds of gravel (yes, I said seven thousand), we used these new polypropylene paver base panels. They’re light, easy to lay down, and perfect for a patio (not for driveways though, FYI). Such a lifesaver.
Step 4: Lay the Pavers
Laying the pavers actually went faster than I thought.
My husband and our 11-year-old handed me the pavers while I laid them down in a checkerboard pattern using two different colors (regular concrete gray and slate gray from Lowe’s).
Heads up:
The slate-colored pavers were sliiiiightly thicker than the regular ones. It doesn’t bother me (and you can’t really feel it walking on it), but if you’re a perfectionist, just something to know!
To keep everything locked in:
We installed paver edge restraints (hammered them down inside the retaining wall).
Covered the edges with gravel to hide them.
Step 5: Add Polymeric Sand
Once the pavers were in, we brushed polymeric sand into all the cracks. This part was weirdly relaxing:
Sweep the sand into all the little joints.
Stomp around a bit to settle the sand (or rent a tamper machine).
Sweep again to top it off.
Blow off the excess dust with a leaf blower.
Then gently mist the whole thing with water to activate the polymer magic.
(Pro tip: Pressure wash your pavers before adding the sand if you’ve tracked a bunch of red clay on them...ask me how I know. 😂)
Step 6: Style It Up!
Once everything was set, it was time for the cherry on top:
New teak patio furniture
A DIY cedar planter
A TON of pretty plants and flowers
Now it looks like a real backyard patio — not a weird patch of wasted space.
LINKS ➡️ If you want to snag anything we used — from the pavers to the patio furniture — I’ve linked it all for you right here.
I hope this gives you the courage to tackle that awkward spot you’ve been ignoring...because I promise, it’s sooo worth it when you’re sipping coffee outside on your new patio! ☀️✨
