A paver patio looks simple from the outside: a flat, stable surface built to handle years of dinners, gatherings, and quiet mornings outside. What most homeowners never see is the layer of decisions underneath it that determines whether that patio lasts for decades or starts failing within a few seasons. In Columbia, TN, where clay soil and heavy seasonal rain are part of nearly every property, drainage planning does more to determine a paver patio's lifespan than the paver style or pattern ever will.