Laying a patio advice

[peca27]

Morning all

I've checked out pavingexpert.com + read a few posts on here- but would still welcome any advice pls.

I'm laying a 16msq patio in the rear garden, consisting of 600 x 600 x 50mm precast concrete slabs. I'm in the process of cleaning out all the existing rubbish and I'm gonna be digging down approx 100mm into the soil. I'm then gonna dry lay 50mm grit sand (approx 1.5 tonnes in all), mixed with cement (approx 125kg), at a 10:1 ratio. Then I will lay the slabs over, butt jointed + spot bedded on the perimeters only.

I'm just wondering about a few points:
- pavingexpert.com say a landscaping layer, between the soil + grit sand isn't needed. But i'm not going to be using any form of compacter for the sand, is it therefore still ok to not use any landscaping layer?
- anything short of hiring a cement mixer, how do i go about mixing the grit sand with the cement? (the local builders merchants don't have anything premixed).

Any advice would be appreciated

 

[noseall]

if the paving is to stand pedestrian traffic only and the ground is fairly well drained (not clay), then you will be ok laying without the hard core layer.

do remove any vegetable matter and fertile soil though.

spot bedding is the easier way, solid bedding is far better.

 

[ian413]

how do you mix the sand/cement??? Try mixing it in a wheelbarrow????

 

[noseall]

how do you mix the sand/cement??? Try mixing it in a wheelbarrow????

for those folk who don't have their own, hiring a mixer is essential.

to try and mix that much compo' manually does not make sense.

 

[peca27]

thanku for the replies

I will hire a mixer then noseall...........so i will not be needed a compacter then? I'm ok to lay the sand/cement mix as is?

You also didn't mention the landscaping role, again i presume that means i don't need one then?

Again thanks for any advice

 

[ian413]

Mix it however you like, is it 16metres square or 16square metres?The first is alot bigger area.
Anyway, you don t need a land scaping layer , but i would prefer to use a weedkiller on the area to be slabbed to be sure, even after weeding it thoroughly.Plus consider standing water on the slabs, so I would recommend laying the slabs at a slight 'fall' to enable any water to drain efficently.
Good Luck

 

[Thermo]

no need for the landsacping fabric, it will serve no purpose.