Help with construction on a paver patio

[drsunnyk]

Hi all,

I have a paver patio with compacted sand and gravel underneath. The subgrade extends to the clay layer. Living in Tennessee, we have clay at about 12-18 inches from the soil surface. My question is:

How would I build a 42 inch oven on this patio? Would I need to rip out the pavers in one corner and pour a concrete slab? Or can I build the stand and oven on top of the existing pavers?

It seems that pavers are stronger and more durable with compared with concrete (all the old roads in the european cities are still around), and that is why I went with them in the first place. Btw, my pavers interlock so there would be no movement.

Thanks in advance for any advice. I know nothing about masonry.

[gjbingham]

Great question! First, and best answer - have a contractor come in and give you a bid for pouring the footing/base for the oven. They will be most familiar with the reqirements for your area. Generally, that will cost you nothing to get an idea of what is involved, or what you need to do. From there, you can decide whether you want to do it yourself, or part yourself, and let the contractor do any tricky parts.

Clay is funny stuff. There's another ongoing discussion about clay in the subsoil that you can find easily by the search function above. Something about runoff water running on top of the clay zone and at the bottom of the soil. Xjim posted it. Sounds like it might be a problem for a footing - which you may not really need being in Tennessee. Others here know better. Be patient. You'll get a better answer.