patio

[M1ke_a]

Yep that's a proper decent looking job, fancy doing mine?

Quick question, what drain cover whatsists did you use?

[thescruff]

That has to be one of the best paving jobs I've ever seen.

Actually Darren posted one he did ages ago, equally as good and impressive. May have been the same materials

[rockin' jimmy]

i don't know what the cover is called but its about 3 or 4 inch's deep and very heavy once you fill with mortar a slabs i thought a galvanized one would look out of place, it's not a man hole just a clean out drain, and i don't do job's like that for people to much like hard work.

[Steveuk23]

Old post I know but great job there Jimmy...
I'm looking at doing similar but I'm a complete novice when it comes to the right way of doing it.
What did you use for foundation is it MOT and sand like I've read elsewhere.
And is it essential to use a whacker plate on it add I have no access to one or a mixer :(
And this is the really noobie part but what is it you use on the underneath of the slabs as I always get muddled up on what's used for what like sand,cement, concrete, motar etc and is it the same mix that fills the gaps.
Cheers

[rockin' jimmy]

I used dry mix sand and cement for a base about 6 to 1 and made my own compacter with a post and 12 inch square of ply screwed to it, and just walked around bashing the sand, and walking on it helps as well, the damp ground will soon make it go hard, if its walking traffic only not great amount of weight on it as long as its on a full wet mortar bed i used a 5 to 1 mix or 4 to 1 any one of those should be okay, and put down say 2 inch thick wet bed for the slabs and a 3 to 1 mix for the grout. you could if you wish use a 3 to 1 mix for under the slabs if you feel happier with that, if its for your car then hire a compacter do a more thorough job for the weight of the car hire a cement mixer its well worth it, but have a go take your time, that is only my third patio i have laid, i'm no expert the more you do the better you'll get, good luck it's easier than you think apart from all the carrying.
P.S. keep at least 2 courses of brick. below the damp course.

[Steveuk23]

I used dry mix sand and cement for a base about 6 to 1 and made my own compacter with a post and 12 inch square of ply screwed to it, and just walked around bashing the sand, and walking on it helps as well, the damp ground will soon make it go hard, if its walking traffic only not great amount of weight on it as long as its on a full wet mortar bed i used a 5 to 1 mix or 4 to 1 any one of those should be okay, and put down say 2 inch thick wet bed for the slabs and a 3 to 1 mix for the grout. you could if you wish use a 3 to 1 mix for under the slabs if you feel happier with that, if its for your car then hire a compacter do a more thorough job for the weight of the car hire a cement mixer its well worth it, but have a go take your time, that is only my third patio i have laid, i'm no expert the more you do the better you'll get, good luck it's easier than you think apart from all the carrying.
P.S. keep at least 2 courses of brick. below the damp course.

Thanks for that.
Yeah it's just like yours at the side of the house for walking on.
I did think about hiring a mixer but would be doing it over a few evening and weekends so would be tricky.
Other thing that I've read about is they say to make the the patio with a gentle slope for water to drain is that right ? And if so how do you work that out and decide which way to point the slope

[Steveuk23]

This is a old picture of the area to give you a idea


This ones from last year I put a base down and there's now a 8x6 shed on it and I want to flag the surrounding area

[rockin' jimmy]

Hi all you need to do is get a thin piece of wood about 3mm or 2mm thick and place at the end of the slab thats going to be lower and from that piece of wood to the top end of the slab next to your wall with the level on the piece of wood one end and on the slab the other end make it level take the level away, then you will have a slab that is sloping by the thickness of the wood or what ever you use try not to slope it to much or you'll be sliding down your patio when you walk on it, it only needs to be enough for the rain to run away from your walls very little run watch some vids on youtube, when you hire a mixer the longer you have it the cheaper it get ask your local hire shop

[millien]

WP_20160521_11_49_12_Pro.jpg

here we are finished patio just after it rained

You did a good job, it looks great :)

[AAA.Handy.Man]

... Superb