Patio gives you a whole new area of outdoor living space
for the summer - and makes your garden look and feel bigger
at any time of year. And you don't have to be an expert
to build one.
Planning
Patio slabs are easy to use, but they are heavy - so the
more planning you do, the better for you!
Draw a plan of your new patio in as much detail as you can.
Measure and mark things like doorsteps, drainpipes, soakaways,
places where you'll want to have plants or shrubs. Then
draw out where your slabs will go.
If you have a small garden, emphasise the sense of space
by choosing a simple pattern, with light coloured slabs.
Too much detail and texture can make it seem crowded. Below
are some effects that can be created using different shaped
slabs.
Try to arrange it so that you cut as few slabs as possible.
It will look best if any odd-sized pieces are positioned
in inconspicuous places
Where
to start
1 The sub-base. If you have a good firm
base for your patio already, such as an old backyard, check
that it's sound and reasonably level. Otherwise you will
need to make a sub-base of well-packed hardcore (crushed
stone or quarry waste - not builder's rubble).
2 Roughly mark out the ground. Decide
how high you want the patio surface to be. If it adjoins
your house, it should be at least 150mm lower than the damp-proof
course.
3 Your patio needs a slight slope so that
rainwater will drain off (away from the house, if your patio
adjoins it). You need a fall of about 20mm for every metre.
Use a string line to establish the line of the slope
4 Next plant 2 pegs just wide of each
corner. Put drawing pins or nails into the tops of the pegs
and stretch string between them to define the patio edges.
Check that the corners are square.
5 If you're laying the patio on soil,
dig out the entire area to about 165mm below where the patio
surface will be, then fill in with sub-base material to
a depth of approximately 75mm, level it with the edge of
a board, and tamp it down well. For a big area, use a roller
or a mechanical compactor.
6 Lay 50mm of sharp sand
over the sub-base and pack it down. Over a wide area, it's
best to lay the sand between temporary battens a section
at a time, and screed it out with a board. Remove the battens
as you finish each section and fill up any gaps. Finally
check that everything is to the correct level.
