1 - level out the area yourself 2 - find "granite stabilizer" as a powder and rake it into the top layer of granite according to instructions 3 - level the area again 4 - wet the area according to instructions. ************** Using patio chairs with larger pads on their feet might help.

This is very old, but for those who might be searching. The question was on the SAND, not the pavers. My understanding is they are so close that you let the cost determine what you use. For some areas (e.g. California) if you are replacing a lawn, you are not supposed to use decomposed granite. I think it is less porous.

Thank you Verdance! I was a little concerned about the rock filled bathtub thing myself. I'm actually not sure how bad the drainage situation is over there, though. That corner is always damp, but we have never had standing water there or anything like that. Until a few months ago, the pile of rocks was actually mounded up against the fence, covering a pile of dirt and "mulching" a hydrangea that was shoved in the corner, so even if water wanted to drain out onto the neighbor's patio, it couldn't. The pros we have spoken with have touched on drainage ideas, mostly involving an underground drain connecting to the pipe in the trough you see in the third photo, which connects to a catch basin near the front of the house (downhill at least 1.5 feet over a 30 ish foot run). We would like to attach the downspout to that pipe as well, and bury the whole thing so that it's not an eyesore or tripping hazard. Anyway, I hear what you are saying about concrete, but to be honest I don't love the look of it. If money were no object I would be happy to put pavers over both the existing concrete and the dirt area, but the 10-12K that will cost is earmarked for other things this summer. It might be possible in the future, though, which is why I don't want to do anything that would make it more difficult to do pavers in the future. Grrr. Decision making is not my strong suit ;)

@lindacottonwood If you use a licensed contractor, he is going to provide it to you for his cost plus a markup. He pays the same amounts that everyone pays buying from the local suppliers. What makes this material cheap is if you live in an area where it is manufactured, and the shipping costs are minimal to the suppliers. Moving such heavy materials 500 miles doubles the cost.