Making a small patio area?

lisae03

Hi,

I'm just after some advice really, we have an small area which curently is mainly pathcy grass but has an arkward bit of concrete in the middle. My mum suggested making a mini patio area to put our table and chairs on so we are talking small. I've googled laying slabs but its all properly and I was just want a quick job that my inexperienced hubby can do. I thought he could level it off, put a plastic sheet down and then just place the slabs on it? Any thoughts and advice please?

ormus

ive laid a few patios for light foot traffic only. no major ground work involved.

clear the site roughly level and use some sharp sand for the bed. heavy slabs complete the job.
my front garden was done this way about 5 yrs ago now. its never moved an inch.

just a bit of weeding twice a year or so.

bobthedambuilder

If the patio is going to be right up against the house, try to get a slight fall (slope) away from the house so any water doesn't collect against the wall. A spirit level and maybe a long straight piece of wood to check falls when you're preparing the ground is useful.

lisae03

I'm so glad this is doable and can't wait to get him started! I take it I can get 'sharp sand' from b & q when I order my slabs online?

Its not up against the house theres a path way inbetween.

So tools for the job as we have moved and currently have none are :-

A spade, a spirit level, some sharp sand, a sheet and some heavy slabs?

Is sounds so easy!

Tucker

A metal rake (not the wire type) or something similar to help you get the ground and sharp sand roughly level.

darich

rather than go straight to B&Q is there a builder's merchant near you?
I often find they're cheaper. They'll pobably be cheaper for delivery too, unless you've got a van and can uplift everything.

It's amazing how heavy a few slabs are...I was picking up edge kerbs a while back....I needed around 12. I couldn't put any more than 6 in my car.

One other tool you might need is a long straight edge. Not critical but it might help you level out the sand and slabs if you have a longer straight than a spirit level.

I laid my own a couple of years back with no previous experience. Very simple and did it in a few hours.

lisae03

Will add a rake to the list then!
Darich thats a good point actually, I was surprised to see that wickes, b & q and homebase don't offer delivery on the slabs I want. I don't have a car so collecting is a hassle cos I'll to rope my mum and dad into giving me a lift and as mentioned above you can only get so many slabs in for each trip. I've just had hubby measure the area and we need to buy X 20 450 by 450 mm slabs which are 32 mm thick. The builders yard is a good idea, will get googling! Hubby is not very confident and to be honest I am pushing him into it, he's quite worried about the odd bits of concrete in the lawn, could he level it by smashing with a sledgehammer or something otherwise mini patio will have to leveled off to highest point meaning it will be higher than garden path running next to it. How long would you expect a job like thise to take? Sorry for all the questions just want to get everything clear before we go ahead!

darich

lisae03 wrote: »

we need to buy X 20 450 by 450 mm slabs which are 32 mm thick.

The slabs you need will weigh something like 310kg.....more than you can load into the boot of a car even if they'll fit.

I laid 25 slabs....450 x 450 and neededaround 14bags of sand. Each bag weighed around 15kg so it's pretty heavy too. It won't be possible to get the materials home if the shop don't deliver.

Don't be surprised if the total weight is getting on for half a tonne but don't let it put you off....each slab isn't too heavy and sand can be easily moved with a spade.

Go for it.....it's dead easy!!!:beer:

Tucker

What are the bits of concrete from and how thick is it?

A sledgehammer should break it up if it's not too thick or depending on how big the bits are, you might be able to dig them out, but it's difficult to say without seeing it.

lisae03

No idea what the concretes from, we only moved in in November and I am now discovering how shoddy the garden is. There is a strip of concrete maybe around 1 ft wide running half way up the lawn starting from where I want the patio, in the patio bit it is a bit higher than the lawn hence me asking if we could smash it in.
There is also a seperate bit with more concrete but thats a bit lower than the other buit so thought we could just go over it!

There is also a shoddy outhouse thing which has rubble in it, we thought maybe the previous tenant had been trying to smash/dig it out!

ormus

if its just an old garden path, the concrete shouldnt be that thick.
sledgehammer/s and brute force usually takes care of it.

if you dont have a car then try places like travis perkins for all your building needs, with a delivery service too.
good luck with your project.