Xref: kermit uk.rec.gardening:170233

Hi All

This is more newbie question from a newbie gardener for you.

I am planning to lay slabs in our middle of the backgarden, so we can have
extra patio ares and also put a shed there.
I ahve not done this work before, and I was watching TV DIY program, and
also read DIY books from the library. But they are teling different stories.

The books says that you must dig 1 ft deep, and then put hardcore for 0.5 ft
and level it, then put sand and then slabs can be laid on it.

Tommy Walsh in H&L channel DIY program was teaching his students - just make
motar (5 builders sand + 1 cement), and he just put them on the flattened
soil, and then laid slabs on it. No hardcore, no sand.. - surely this will
create drainage problem, and due to soil movement - slabs will go up and
down in a few years?

What do you advise on this?

cheers

Dan

In article ,
DLee wrote:

I am planning to lay slabs in our middle of the backgarden, so we can have
extra patio ares and also put a shed there.
I ahve not done this work before, and I was watching TV DIY program, and
also read DIY books from the library. But they are teling different stories.

The books says that you must dig 1 ft deep, and then put hardcore for 0.5 ft
and level it, then put sand and then slabs can be laid on it.

Tommy Walsh in H&L channel DIY program was teaching his students - just make
motar (5 builders sand + 1 cement), and he just put them on the flattened
soil, and then laid slabs on it. No hardcore, no sand.. - surely this will
create drainage problem, and due to soil movement - slabs will go up and
down in a few years?

Neither. The former is WAY overkill, and is what you need to do if
building something to take light goods vehicles! The latter is a
damn-fool idea, for the reasons you give, amongst others.

Cormaic has some first-class Web pages on this, but I forget where
they are. Even they are slightly overkill for a simple patio and
shed, but tell you how to do the job 'properly'.

If you have stable soil (i.e. largely sand or gravel), then you don't
need any foundation - just tread the soil down well. If you are on
clay, then it will heave a bit if you do that, but that isn't critical
for a patio and shed base.

You then want to use 2" of sharp sand to lay the slabs on. You CAN
lay slabs straight on soil (I have done a lot of that), but it is a
right pain in the neck unless the soil is (a) very sandy and (b) very
dry. I wouldn't advise it, starting now.

For a simple patio and shed base, you can be very laid back indeed.
Follow Cormaic's Web pages, but don't worry about getting everything
perfect.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"DLee" wrote in message
...
Hi All

This is more newbie question from a newbie gardener for you.

I am planning to lay slabs in our middle of the backgarden, so we can have
extra patio ares and also put a shed there.
I ahve not done this work before, and I was watching TV DIY program, and
also read DIY books from the library. But they are teling different
stories.

The books says that you must dig 1 ft deep, and then put hardcore for 0.5
ft
and level it, then put sand and then slabs can be laid on it.

Tommy Walsh in H&L channel DIY program was teaching his students - just
make
motar (5 builders sand + 1 cement), and he just put them on the flattened
soil, and then laid slabs on it. No hardcore, no sand.. - surely this will
create drainage problem, and due to soil movement - slabs will go up and
down in a few years?

What do you advise on this?

Tommy Walsh's method is a cowboy method. You are likely to be sorry if you
follow it.

Franz

Nick Maclaren wrote:

In article ,
DLee wrote:

I am planning to lay slabs in our middle of the backgarden, so we can have
extra patio ares and also put a shed there.
I ahve not done this work before, and I was watching TV DIY program, and
also read DIY books from the library. But they are teling different stories.

The books says that you must dig 1 ft deep, and then put hardcore for 0.5 ft
and level it, then put sand and then slabs can be laid on it.

Tommy Walsh in H&L channel DIY program was teaching his students - just make
motar (5 builders sand + 1 cement), and he just put them on the flattened
soil, and then laid slabs on it. No hardcore, no sand.. - surely this will
create drainage problem, and due to soil movement - slabs will go up and
down in a few years?

Neither. The former is WAY overkill, and is what you need to do if
building something to take light goods vehicles! The latter is a
damn-fool idea, for the reasons you give, amongst others.

Cormaic has some first-class Web pages on this, but I forget where
they are. Even they are slightly overkill for a simple patio and
shed, but tell you how to do the job 'properly'.

If you have stable soil (i.e. largely sand or gravel), then you don't
need any foundation - just tread the soil down well. If you are on
clay, then it will heave a bit if you do that, but that isn't critical
for a patio and shed base.

You then want to use 2" of sharp sand to lay the slabs on. You CAN
lay slabs straight on soil (I have done a lot of that), but it is a
right pain in the neck unless the soil is (a) very sandy and (b) very
dry. I wouldn't advise it, starting now.

For a simple patio and shed base, you can be very laid back indeed.
Follow Cormaic's Web pages, but don't worry about getting everything
perfect.

I can agree with Nicks comments.. See cormaic's pages ..

The short answer.. 'Both' methods are accptable, but one will last
longer than the other.. the method shown is a 'quicky' method..
acceptable for light domestic use.. The hardcore method is 'industrial'
style.. By the book (probably) and would be more acceptable to heavy
pedestrian traffic.

http://www.pavingexpert.com is the site Nick refers to.

//
Jim

The message
from (Nick Maclaren) contains these words:

You then want to use 2" of sharp sand to lay the slabs on. You CAN
lay slabs straight on soil (I have done a lot of that), but it is a
right pain in the neck unless the soil is (a) very sandy and (b) very
dry. I wouldn't advise it, starting now.

Don't forget to leave a small hollow right in the middle of where each
slab will be so you can (lightly) tamp them down level with each-other.

--
Rusty Hinge
horrid·squeak&zetnet·co·uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/tqt.htm

Have a look here Dan
http://www.pavingexpert.com/