Laying Patio on mixed Concrete\Grass base?

Gambler

I'm planning to put a patio in the back garden at the back of the house. Like a lot of houses I have a concrete "path" around the back of the house which is about 900mm wide all the way around (give or take a couple of cm)

I want to build a 5m * 5m patio that stretches from the back wall of the house into the garden but I amn't sure what's the best way to lay the base on a mix of concrete and grass and I haven't found any decent info online from my google searches.

So, has anyone done something like this before? My current thinking is to dig a deeper than usual depth in the grass and pack it with compressed hardcore and sand then mortar onto that across both? Or do I need to use the sand layer across both the concrete and grass area?

qc3

I would dig out the soil about 6" below footpath.
Fill up to level of footpath with 804 stone and vibrate.
Most people use a sand and cement dry mix screeded base.
I prefer to Mix damp mortar and blop 5 spots under each slab,
It gives a void under the slabs to help with drainage.
Some might disagree,but i always do it.
good luck with the job,And mind your back....

paddy147

qc3 wrote: »

I would dig out the soil about 6" below footpath.
Fill up to level of footpath with 804 stone and vibrate.
Most people use a sand and cement dry mix screeded base.
I prefer to Mix damp mortar and blop 5 spots under each slab,
It gives a void under the slabs to help with drainage.
Some might disagree,but i always do it.
good luck with the job,And mind your back....

Like this?

De_man

that has got to be a wind-up:D:D:D the only tasty thing about that job is
the packet of walkers crisps adjacent to the downpipe:D:D

De_man

here's an example using the same style of laying them down, i personally prefer
random pattern but sometimes you've got to take the easy way


(deleting example)

Martron

ah man go easy. i would be proud of that if i did it myself and was not a paver. this is the diy thread . most of us do stuff in here that we are not used to doing. so go easy.

paddy147

Im not a paver or a bricky,just a normal bloke with limited diy skills.But allways learning more and more.

Sorry that its not up to some peoples requirements.

De_man

fair enough, i could see where it could be interpreted....and no offence meant really i wasn't having a go


quote" I would dig out the soil about 6" below footpath.
Fill up to level of footpath with 804 stone and vibrate.
Most people use a sand and cement dry mix screeded base.
I prefer to Mix damp mortar and blop 5 spots under each slab,
It gives a void under the slabs to help with drainage.
Some might disagree,but i always do it.
good luck with the job,And mind your back...." unquote

i'd agree with most - but the spot method of laying slabs is not great
follow the following link and read what the experts have to say.

http://www.pavingexpert.com/layflag1.htm

PS i'm not a builder- only a keen self builder/diy'er

De_man

paddy147 wrote: »

Im not a paver or a bricky,just a normal bloke with limited diy skills.But allways learning more and more.

Sorry that its not up to some peoples requirements.

nothing wrong with that paddy:D:D all you need is sun now:D

apologies for any offence caused

paddy147

De_man wrote: »

nothing wrong with that paddy:D:D all you need is sun now:D

apologies for any offence caused

No worries,Water off a ducks back.:)

My skills are limited at the moment,so my way of doing things would be very basic compared to a more competent diy,er.

Martron

fair play for giving it a shot!

looks grand.

Webbs

While the patio looks great as was the advice, I don't think it really answered the OP in that I am assuming he wants to lay a patio upto the wall of the house.

This would involve laying slabs firstly over grass then over an existing concrete path around the house and how would he go about getting them level etc?

We have a similar problem but there are to many manhole covers and drains in the concrete path to lay slabs over so think can only lay slabs on grass and will have to try and cover path with plant pots etc

Waffle

Something that came to mind when reading this, regarding the DPC (? think thats what its called)

Does there not have to a minimum height between the DPC and the footpath? 15cm come to mind for some reason. And by laying paving on top of the concrete path, you are decreasing this distance. So this should be taken into account when planning patio.

De_man

Waffle wrote: »

Something that came to mind when reading this, regarding the DPC (? think thats what its called)

Does there not have to a minimum height between the DPC and the footpath? 15cm come to mind for some reason. And by laying paving on top of the concrete path, you are decreasing this distance. So this should be taken into account when planning patio.

yep it's 150mm minimum to meet the regs

C Eng

Lay the paving with a fall away from the building.

CTU_Agent

That jobs looks well, im planning a similar one myself.

I've laid the hardcore subbase and sand is going down next, but do people recommend a wet mortar bed under each slab, or can you lay them on top of the level sand/hardcore base and then use a grout mixture burshed into the joints to point them?

Any help or advice?

mullingar

Go here for ALL DIY information on how to PROPERLY lay paving:

www.pavingexpert.com

The main concrete flag laying page is here:

http://www.pavingexpert.com/pccflag1.htm

He fully explains all steps of the build including the reason for it to be there. One of the best DIY info sites I have every read.

Gambler

For those of us that have no idea what a DPC is can someone explain it?

mullingar

DPC, is Damp Proof Course.

Its used in building walls to keep the damp from rising. It *should* be more than 150mm above ground level.

paddy147

Done,finally.

As Weeman from Jackass says,"Its not much,but its something".:)