Paving slabs

vodkasoda

Hi, maybe a silly question, but I'll plough on anyway ...

I'm English, have been living here for 7 years and have just moved into a new house after renting for far too long. I've bought a greenhouse and know where I want to put it in the garden. I intend to dig out about 2 or 3 inches of the lawn, put down a sand base and then lay paying slabs to put the greenhouse on. I've done something similar back in the UK and not had any problems.

However, I'm not as young, fit or strong as I was and I've found that paving slabs here all seem to be solid pre-cast concrete & therefore about 10 times heavier than those that I am used to using in the UK (though I couldn't tell you what the ones in the UK are made of, I just know they don't weigh a ton !!!).

So (eventually) my question is, can I get paving slabs here that are NOT pre-cast concrete, so that I can handle them without risk of pulling every muscle in my body and putting by back out ?!? If so, any pointers as to where, especially in the Offaly / Westmeath area, would be greatly appreciated ...

ttm

You could try using brick paving blocks instead. The size of a brick and made of concrete. Perhaps put the heavy concrete flages around the edge as a base for a greenhouse (to bolt it down to) then infill with brick paving blocks.

bmaxi

You can get different sizes and thicknesses of paving slabs, why not just look for a smaller one. A word of caution about paving slabs in greenhouses, ANTS. Make sure you do a thorough job of pointing between the slabs or you will be overrun with them, particularly if using a fine sand base.

AckwelFoley

i wouldnt consider the 16 x 16 paving slabs as particularly heavy.

There are a few suppliers in the Athlone / Moate area.