Update: my sad dirt patch is now a real 8x10 paver patio after 3 weekends
Three weekends back I started with a 8x10 spot of dead weeds and hard clay behind my garage in Cleveland. I dug down 6 inches, rented a plate compactor from Home Depot for $70, and laid 2 inches of paver base plus 1 inch of sand before setting the stones. The before and after pics don't even look like the same yard, the water drains off it now instead of pooling against the foundation. Anyone got tips for keeping weeds out of the joints besides polymeric sand?