Hi,
We have a small concrete patio in serious need of some loving attention. As the photo hopefully shows, apart from the less than perfect appearance of the slabs, the whole lot has settled over 25 years (May 1986 scrawled in the concrete), so there are waves of up to 5cm.
Clearly the ground wasn't prepared for this kind of weight, but I'm hoping that 25 years of settling will let me use what's there now as a base for a level layer of concrete, which I could then tile over. My plan goes something like this:
- dig a trench about 20cm deep, 15cm wide around the whole thing
- take out the wonky border stones
- mark straight edges with wood, clearing the highest point of the current slabs by 2-3cm
- fill up with concrete
- fresh tiles over the concrete, with an uncoupling membrane
The patio is exposed to frosts down to -20C or so most years, and I guess further subsidence can always be an issue. However, I frankly don't need a job to last centuries, 5-10 years is fine given long term extension plans and anything will look better than what's there now.
I've done some fairly tricky indoor tiling and laid small bits of concrete before but otherwise I'm fairly inexperienced, so any advice and thoughts would be really great. thanks a lot!
We have a small concrete patio in serious need of some loving attention. As the photo hopefully shows, apart from the less than perfect appearance of the slabs, the whole lot has settled over 25 years (May 1986 scrawled in the concrete), so there are waves of up to 5cm.
Clearly the ground wasn't prepared for this kind of weight, but I'm hoping that 25 years of settling will let me use what's there now as a base for a level layer of concrete, which I could then tile over. My plan goes something like this:
- dig a trench about 20cm deep, 15cm wide around the whole thing
- take out the wonky border stones
- mark straight edges with wood, clearing the highest point of the current slabs by 2-3cm
- fill up with concrete
- fresh tiles over the concrete, with an uncoupling membrane
The patio is exposed to frosts down to -20C or so most years, and I guess further subsidence can always be an issue. However, I frankly don't need a job to last centuries, 5-10 years is fine given long term extension plans and anything will look better than what's there now.
I've done some fairly tricky indoor tiling and laid small bits of concrete before but otherwise I'm fairly inexperienced, so any advice and thoughts would be really great. thanks a lot!
