Patio Edging course

[23vc]

I want to lay an edging course of block pavers as a border to some sandstone slabs. Done plenty of slabbing before but never done any block paving. Any chance of a quick sanity check?

My plan is:
Tamp down the soil a bit/scrape any loose off
Lay the edging course on a sharp sand cement semi dry mix at least 3” thick onto soil (no hardcore)
Haunch it with a wetter mix of the same mix (or should I be using concrete?)
Once the border has set, put the hardcore down for the paving and lay the slabs on a screed mix as usual

Cheers for any words of wisdom!

 

[Mr Chibs]

I recently laid pavers straight onto soil, as edging for Indian stone, as you have said, I was surprised how solid it was the next day.

I would normally sit on a thin bed of hardcore, but didn't have the option this time.

 

[^woody^]

Post back in a few years and let us know if things have moved.

Generally any topsoil should not be relied upon to be stable

 

[23vc]

Post back in a few years and let us know if things have moved.

Generally any topsoil should not be relied upon to be stable

So S&C ok as a footing, or concrete better? I’ll do whatever, just trying to establish what’s best. Pavingexpert Anthony seems to suggest a “fine concrete mix” which I assume to be sharp sand cement

 

[^woody^]

Yes you can bed on a sand cement mix, but the issue is whether that mix will move if its on top soil, which it most likely will.

The bed needs to be lower that the bedding material of the slabs too

The bed needs to be compacted too and wet enough to grip the pavers, not too dry. And you only need a low fillet, not all or part way up the pavers so that its visible or hard to conceal

 

[23vc]

So better to lay a concrete strip footing, then sharp S&C bed mix? Or bed straight into concrete in the first place?

 

[^woody^]

You can lay straight on to concrete, but it's more difficult to get the levels right and to form the fillet

 

[markyyyyyy]

Just bumping this up as I am doing similar. I currently have soil (appears relatively compact as I’ve dug down 170mm) that I’m laying some flat top concrete edging on

I was going to put a 6:1 ballast:cement mix down, tap the concrete edge in and then use a wet concrete mix for the haunching

Is this suitable or should I lay a very thin layer of hardcore before laying the concrete mix?

 

[23vc]

Very thin layer of hardcore would be pointless. Sounds fine. Vehicle weight or patio?

 

[markyyyyyy]

Patio, cheers