Gravel on top of concrete patio?

beedeedee

Ours is covered with quite large chips of gravel (not pebbles) and is not slippery, although it is not used as a pathway - just a sun trap with chairs.

OK_Sauce

We've put 20-30mm pebbles over our concrete patio in the back garden and have had no problems whatsoever with slippage/drainage etc. Our front garden had gravel laid over a rather crappy concrete drive three years ago. Even with driving on it I've never had any problems. It needs dressing occasionally to tidy it up but thats it really.

Brit_Chick

Great responses folks.

I won't be using the area to drive a car on, but would be walking on it and putting some potted plants and garden furniture out on it. I know the long term solution is to have it all dug up but I just want a solution to make it look better for now.

I presume drainage would be the same as is currently, wouldn't the water just go through the gravel and drain away as ordinarily?

I like the idea of slate chippings or pebbles too - would these be more suitable for what I am trying to achieve then?

I realise that there will need to be some form of raised edging in order to contain whatever I decide to use - what would be the best way of doing this on top of concrete?

beedeedee

Hi Brit Chick

We just use bricks placed edge to edge on the slabs. No mortar or anything. We kept meaning to, but noticed that in the normal course of events they don't move at all. Even if they do - just straighten 'em up as and when.

tyzer2001

I chucked about £50 worth of cream stone pea gravel onto my concrete 'patio' (the area left when the previous resident TOOK THEIR PATIO STONES WITH THEM when they moved!!!!!!) about 8 years ago.
No problems with drainage, none of us have ever slipped on it, but it does move around and look patchy a lot. So yes, needs to be raked into place fairly frequently but apart from that no issues.

Brit_Chick

Just to throw another spanner into the works here, but I've just been to wickes and seen decking tiles. Are these easy to lay? I don't understand how they will 'join' together though as the edges are flush, and don't appear to have any ways to interlock them. If I need to have a frame put dpwn underneath for them to screw into then I guess I will forget it and stick with the slate chippings suggestions.

knowloads

Avoid any round pebbles.pea gravel etc ad is just rolls around and is hard to walk on. Green or blue slate chippings best. Don't go to the high street stores., you will ay a fortune. most builders merchants will supply tone bags for about £45-60

gardenjenny

why not lay a couple of paving slabs (check out freecycle, loads of people chuck them out) on top of the concrete like stepping stones to walk on and put gravel everywhere else? Less raking up to do and less slipping about when youre hands are full. I ve seen decking squares used as steps too but not sure how this works