How do you lay a patio for beginners?

Can you lay slabs on soil?

While it is possible to lay paving slabs on soil, it is not generally advised. The durability of any paving with a soil base can depend on many factors, including: Type of soil: Heavy clay soil will be far more durable and less likely to be compromised by British weather conditions.

Does a patio need a sub-base?

What's crucial to patio laying success is a sub-base to provide the support paving slabs require. You'll need a sub-base, which is the main load-bearing layer of your patio. The best sub-base for a patio is hardcore laid to the correct depth, along with a binding layer of sand.

Is it hard to lay a patio?

DIY guru, Jo Behari, says: A patio is relatively simple to lay and the materials are available at hardware stores. First, dig out any turf or plants down to about 10-15cm to form the foundations. Then put down a layer of 'hardcore', which is broken bits of rubble and brick.

What goes under patio slabs?

Paving slabs are bedded in a mortar mix with four parts sharp sand to one part cement. Measure your quantities using a shovel or a bucket - for example, four buckets of sand for every one bucket of cement.

How to lay a patio

Can I lay slabs on sand?

Whilst you may get away with it in some instances, the vast majority of slabs won't stay put when laid straight onto sand. We'd recommend bedding the slabs down with a simple mortar mix each and every time. Avoid laying straight on to sand as whilst it may be convenient, the headaches are simply not worth it.

How do you prepare ground for slabs?

How much sand and cement do I need to lay a patio?

For a full bed of 50mm depth, you need one bulk bag of sharp sand and 6-7 bags of cement per 8-10 square meters. To prepare mortar for a 50 square meter patio bed, you need 5 bulk bags of sharp sand and 30-35 bags of cement.

What is the best mix for laying slabs?

Lay the paving slabs on a full mortar bed, which should support the whole slab, not just the corners. Use a mortar mix of 6 parts sharp sand to 1 part cement. Mix together with just enough water to make it damp and workable, but not overly wet and runny.

What is a sub-base for patio?

The sub-base is the main load-bearing layer of paving construction. A well-designed sub-base should evenly spread the load of traffic, whether pedestrian or vehicular, down to the sub-grade, also known as the formation level.

How do you build a patio step by step?

How deep should I dig for a patio?

The recommended depth you'll want to dig to is about 150mm or 6 inches from the finished patio level. You can use a tape measure to check your depth is correct and once you're happy you can compact the soil using a Vibrating Plate compactor, also known as a Wacker Plate.

Can you lay slabs on grass?

One of the ways you can do this and spruce up your garden at the same time is by laying paving slabs on your lawn, creating a pathway that will help you accentuate your garden's beautiful features. Paving slabs also make a great alternative to decking, if you are on a tight budget.

Can you lay a patio just on sharp sand?

Adding sharp sand

If you're not confident about making a concrete bed, don't worry – sharp sand is easier, and works just as well. It holds just as firm as cement and still allows water to escape beneath.

How do you lay slabs on uneven ground?

How thick should mortar be for slabs?

Add a mortar bed

The mortar should be damp, not runny. Spread it out and level it with a trowel. The mortar bed needs to be 30-40mm thick and should enable the slabs, when positioned, to sit 6-10mm high.

When can I walk on new patio?

Concrete is fully cured after 28 days – this is when your new patio will be at its full compressive strength. However, the advice is usually to avoid walking on it for at least 24 to 48 hours to allow it to dry and strengthen and become the beautifully laid patio you've put so much effort into.

How long does it take to lay a patio?

As a rough guide, laying a concrete patio will usually take two to three days. If you are removing an existing concrete patio before replacing it with a new one, you'll need to add another day or so to break up the old concrete and clear the area.

Can you lay slabs on building sand and cement?

Can You Lay Paving Slabs on Building Sand? The answer is NO because building sand is too soft. You may find it combined with concrete but even that mixture isn't strong enough to hold paving slabs in place. So, if you want to avoid patio demolition, don't replace sharp sand with building sand.

Do you need a Wacker plate to lay a patio?

Use a wacker plate to compact and level the hardcore. It's not essential, but stops the rubble moving around while you lay the slabs, making the base solid.

What fall should a patio have?

All of the paving slabs will need to be laid with a slight slope, around a 1 in 80 fall. This is so that pools of water don't form on the surface of your patio. That means that for every 80cm your patio should fall by 1cm. The fall may vary dependent on the size of your patio but this is the optimum level.

Can you use gravel as a sub base for patio?

This unstable structure means all gravels are not suitable for patio sub bases. The typical reason for wanting to use gravel for a patio base is recycling existing materials. It is much more expensive to skip used gravel and buy in fresh sub base.