Circular Paver Patio and Kids Play Area Build in Cottage Grove

This backyard had a lot of potential but no defined patio space, no safe surface under the play structure - just open lawn with a beat-up fire pit area sitting in the middle of it all. The homeowner wanted two distinct spaces: a solid patio for gathering and a proper play zone for the kids. We handled both.

We started with the circular patio. The existing patio blocks were carefully pulled up, cleaned, and reset as the perimeter border so that no materials went to waste. Inside that border, we installed Unilock pavers on a full engineered base: 8 inches of open-graded aggregate, a granite chip bedding layer, then the pavers themselves. Everything was finished with polymeric jointing sand swept and activated across the joints. That sand locks the pavers in place and cuts off the conditions weeds need to take root.

For the play area, we excavated and graded a 960 square foot zone, then laid separation fabric before bringing in the surface material. The treated landscape timbers create a clean, anchored border that keeps everything contained. The 1/4-inch smooth river rock was installed at a 6-inch depth - deep enough to actually cushion falls and support whatever play structure goes in.

Two completely different scopes of work, done at the same time, on the same property. That's the kind of job that requires solid planning so neither phase gets in the way of the other. We used ground protection mats during equipment access to keep lawn damage minimal, and cleaned up all access routes once the material was in place. The lawn seeding visible around both finished areas is already underway.

Cottage Grove yards like this one have the space to do something really useful with the backyard - and this project is a good example of making the most of it. A patio that's built to last, a play area that's actually safe, and a yard that finally has a plan behind it.