Tuesday 9 December 2014

Surveying and preparing the area for your job



So now you have chosen what paving is to be laid you can get to work on the tools.


A really important first job is to survey the site to check for possible problems like drains and cables.
Look at the ground for manhole covers and also check the house and any close out-buildings for drainpipes and cables as there is a good chance some pipes or cables may run under the ground you will be digging out. It may sound like trying to teach your Granny how to suck eggs but it is easy to charge in with spade or mini digger and before you know it you have more expense.

Once you are happy that the area is workable you need to mark out where you need to dig. Clear the existing surface to a depth of about 200mm or 8 inches in old money.  You will probably need a skip at this point if you haven’t already got one as the amount of dirt removed can add up to a big heap. EG: an area of 6m wide by 4m deep dug out to 200mm will produce a bit more than will fit level in a six yard skip!

Now whilst digging out to 200mm may sound extreme, let’s look at how that’s going to be filled.
For a domestic patio you really need a sub-base of compacted material such as crushed concrete or MOT Type1 to a finished depth of 100mm. You will be laying a slab between 20mm-35mm  depending on what you choose (some natural stone can be thicker, thinner or a combination of both so keep this in mind).

The bedding mortar should be about 50mm to allow for adjustment in levels and to provide a decent base for the slabs.

So, what have we reached in height with all these measurements? 100+50+25=175mm which leaves about an inch for any variances in the paving. Obviously if you are using regulated paving with uniform dimensions you can fine tune the digging out to suit.

Treat yourself to a couple of decent spirit levels. A long one (6’) and a short one (3’) as these are invaluable for decent slab laying.
Have a cup of tea.

Click here to read Part 3

Written by Jeff Carter; employee Of Azpects Ltd (plus ex Landscape Gardener and Paving Centre Manager) 

For more information on our range of products go to: azpects.co.uk

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