Paths, Pavements, Patios
Today, many newly built houses do not come with proper roads, due to the sharp increase in construction costs, but it is worth considering that well-built ones can add value to the property. This also applies to older houses; In this case, it might be a good idea to look at builders merchants for slabs that match your walls; they usually have a varied selection. Even if you’re not planning on selling anytime soon, a well-constructed driveway will greatly improve the overall appearance.
It’s better to do something like this in dry weather. You will need a shovel, pick, pegs, string, spirit level, 2 m (6 ft) long piece of wood (straight stick) to check levels, rake, brush, wheelbarrow, mallet or a rubber mallet, a brace and a masonry trowel. You may want to use an angle grinder and tile splitter, both of which can be rented cheaply. Square slabs are available in sizes ranging from 200mm (8 inches) to 600mm (24 inches), and you can get other shapes too, such as oblong or hexagonal. For light trails, sharp sand is best to use; Your builder’s dealer should be able to advise you.
Possibly, if you are like me, you will want to see the results of your work as soon as possible, but I advise a little patience. The secret to good paving is to make sure you have a good, even, and firm base. Otherwise, the finished work will not only look messy, but it will also be a hazard to anyone walking on it.
Mark the area to be paved with stakes and string, and dig at least 6 inches (150 mm) out of the ground. Remove the string and check with your level and ruler that what you’ve dug is sloping slightly away from the house, perhaps about a 1:50 slope. This, of course, is so that the water flows away from the house. In a situation where the path slopes towards the house, leave a 150mm (6in) strip of gravel or chips along the wall to allow water to drain. If a path is attached to a wall, remember that it must be at least 150 mm (6 inches) below the waterproofing layer.
Put a good base of hard material (broken bricks, quarry chips, or concrete) in the trench and press down well, trying to keep it fairly level. Cover it with sharp sand, using the rake; use a straight piece of wood to keep it level, not forgetting to use the spirit level to make sure you keep the slight slope. When you start laying the tiles, it’s a good idea to use layer spacers between them, so you have the same size of space for the fill. Tamp down the slabs with the rubber mallet or what I use, my mallet and a block of wood. Make sure there is no movement on the slab; if there is, lift it up, identify the problem, fix it, and re-lay the tile. Brush the sand over your entire path and work well into the joints. You will probably have to do this several times to ensure that the spaces are completely filled.
If you have to cut slabs you can do so using any of the following methods. If it’s a good compressed stone slab, a hammer and head are good enough for the job. Mark a line where you need to cut it. Lightly move along the line with the booster a few times, don’t be too heavy with the hammer! Eventually you will find that it splits, hopefully exactly where you wanted. A tile splitter can be hired if you have some to cut. An angle grinder is the best option if you have to shape slabs around any obstacles. You have to be careful with this tool as it can be very dangerous. Whenever you are cutting tile, be sure to wear safety glasses, gloves, and a dust mask.
If you are going to cover a large area, such as a patio, be sure to think and plan ahead. You can search the Internet for garden landscaping sites, print some of them, compare them, and develop your own plan from there. There is a wide variety of paving materials out there today, so it is wise to consider what would work best for you. If you’re new to the game, it’s best to stick to a simple pattern, like a regular grid: square tiles with the corners of 4 tiles meeting each other, one continuous link, the joints are staggered halfway down to look somewhat like brickwork , and herringbone pattern, made with cobblestones or rectangular slabs. If you feel more confident, you can try a random pattern, which is built from broken stones, flagstones, or slates. This will take more time and patience! If you have odd shapes between the slabs, you can use gravel or small quarry chips to fill in those areas, though they do tend to disperse after a while. With large paved areas, it’s probably best to hire a plate vibrator for a few hours, as it does a better job of leveling the pavers and makes the sand sit much more tightly between the joints.
