Levelling rocking paving slabs?

[purpleroad]

Got a lot of slabs rocking. Has the sand or has the cement come off?

 

[Ian H]

Probably water has gone down and washed a bit of ground away. Best to lift them, knock off the spots and sit them back on a wet mix.

 

[purpleroad]

This is one of the loose slabs. Are they laid on hard core then ballast then cement? All the patios are raised off the ground. So shall just chip mortar away with a hammer and bolster then cement in?

 

[r896neo]

Is that timber, such as a sleeper, forming the step riser? Flags will always come loose when laid on timber of any sort.

Loose flags should be treated as you suggest, remove the mortar and rebed the flag on a full bed. They do look quite well laid, how old is the patio?

 

[purpleroad]

Is that timber, such as a sleeper, forming the step riser? Flags will always come loose when laid on timber of any sort.

Loose flags should be treated as you suggest, remove the mortar and rebed the flag on a full bed. They do look quite well laid, how old is the patio?

About 4 years old. I was surprised when I saw it was laid on timber. The timber will rot, should have been brick wouldn't u say? Another problem is some slabs in the middle of the patio are loose and surrounded by other slabs so not sure how to get them up without disturbing surrounding slabs? There's a small gap between them all maybe put something thin down there to pull it up?

 

[Ian H]

Use 2 thin things like shovels, use one as a lever while the other holds the first up.

 

[purpleroad]

If I was make my own paving patio like these on pixs. They are raised. But either way, would I lay brick, hardcore then use a machine to crush and level it into soil then put ballast then cement in slab? I guess keeping it level is the tricky bit?

 

[purpleroad]

Two flexible trowels might be good to not disturb neighbouring stones?

 

[Ian H]

Too bendy. Maybe 2 flat chisels or wide screwdrivers.

I put mine down on 50mm of wet grit sand and cement directly ontop of soil and it's been fine for 6/7 years. I did write our name and the date in the motar so I'll see how long ago it was

 

[purpleroad]

Too bendy. Maybe 2 flat chisels or wide screwdrivers.

I put mine down on 50mm of wet grit sand and cement directly ontop of soil and it's been fine for 6/7 years. I did write our name and the date in the motar so I'll see how long ago it was

Nice lol. Got one slab which is slightly raised. I think that was how it was before I put down any dob and dabbing. I removed any mortar which might bring it up above where it should be.