Help: What Do I Need To Form the Bed? (Newbie)

[2Pave]

OK I'm a newbie and this is my first attempt to do a patio and a project this size. The area to be covered in 600*600*300 slabs is 50sqm.

1. I've cleared the garden out (just have two major tree stubs to get rid of - any tips?)

2. Using a power digger, hired from the HSS hire shop, I hope to dig about 700mm deep to form the sub-base. Any idea how I can get rid of the soil? Anyone looking for soil?

3. In the sub-base whole, I'm hoping to form a hardcore foundation by dropping in some 20mm Shingles or MOT of DTp1. I hope 1T is enough? What should I use? Shingles? MOT? Or is it the same stuff?

4. Now this is my question! What should go onto the sub-base. I understand it should be a layer of bedding, something between the sub-base and the slab. I bought slab-fix but I suspect that this is too expensive and most probably not suitable for such a big area. So what do I need? Mortar? Cement? What's the difference? Or do I need something else? What do I need to enable the slabs to be stuck to the sub-base?

From my reading, (B&Q DIY book), I need to make mortar from sharp sand and cement of a 1:20. So I guess this stuff? Is this right? I then splat this at the back of the slabs and there you go a patio!

So my question is, do I have the right material besides the tools and slab.

 

[Alastairreid]

I then splat this at the back of the slabs and there you go a patio!

100mm hardcore/ type 1/ mot whatever you want to call it..........compacted level (wacker plate helps) to form base.
i prefer to lay my slabs on a mix of whin dust and cement (they will never move).