What stone to use in gap around house edge?

Siderealxxx · 31 Aug 2015

hi, moved in to a 1950s house is year and there's a 2 inch gap around the outside edge of the house where the paving slabs end and the house begins. It goes down 2 inches to the footings and is currently filled with slate chippings. There is no drainage here and the paving slabs weren't laid correctly either. Anyway,organnic matter has merged with the slate and it's become quite 'earthy' at points but the footings seem sound and there's no sign of damp. I'd like to take all the slate and organic matter out and fill with a new (water abosprant?) stone... Maybe limestone? Is this the right thing to do?

endecotp · 31 Aug 2015

Where is the damp proof course?

jay679 · 31 Aug 2015

You certainly dont want water absorbant stone! You need the opposite, stone that will allow water to drain, not hold it against the wall!

As said, your first pointbis to identify the dpc if there is one and work from there. Any paved surface should be 150mm below this.

Jay

Siderealxxx · 31 Aug 2015

Thanks for the info! I don't know where the DPC is, the house is built on a slope. The extension at the rear disappears in to the paving slabs and the very front of the house is 2 feet above ground level. You can get a better idea from the photos... I don't think its great but that's what we have to work with!

endecotp · 31 Aug 2015

I would remove the stones and try to keep the gap empty. Until shown otherwise, I'd assume that the gap was left deliberately but later filled with stones by someone who didn't understand why it was there.

You might be able to identify the DPC at the front where there is more wall to look at and then follow it round.

Siderealxxx · 31 Aug 2015

Thanks again! Happy to clear it out completely.

Not sure sbout the DPC still, there is a clear line between brick and 'lower level' as you can see in photo but can't actually see a DPC as such...

^woody^ · 31 Aug 2015

Is the patio draining towards that gap or away from it to another drain or outlet?

If not, fill it with screed cement mix and stained buff to match those slabs.

If it is, you want fine chippings or pea gravel, so as to fit in that narrow gap. Any sort of natural stone will go off colour and attract algae. Pea gravel can be cleaned when need be.

JohnD · 31 Aug 2015

the only sensible reason for going to the trouble of leaving that gap, is to isolate the house wall from the damp paving. Most likely the DPC, and possibly even airbricks, were at a level where the correct action would have been to lower the ground outside the house before putting a patio on it.

Raised paths, patios and flowerbeds against house walls are a notorious source of damp.

diynot

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What stone to use in gap around house edge?

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