Topping up sub base for patio - Circular patio

[Andy1874]

I have just registered having looked around the site for an answer but couldnt find a definitive answer so i will ask the experts..

This is my first attempt at patio laying. I am laying a 2.7m diam circle.
The turf and soil have been removed to a depth of about 6.5"...i have put in half a tonne dtp1.....but this is not thick enough(75mm is recommended i know)....so my question is:firstly i dont want to buy another half tonne of dtp as a lot will not be used and the patio will only have light use(sitting on a bench in the sun etc)..

Can i top the dtp up to 75mm using sharp sand and tamp it down and then put the mortar bedding on that..?

Oh...and is a 10/1 sand cement mix ok for a light use patio?

Many thanks in advance for anyone that can help this complete novice..

[Andy1874]

Oh,and what surprises me is how big a lot of the stones are in the dtp(mot as the builders merchant calls it)....flippin hard to tamp by hand......smaller gravel type pieces would have been ideal,but dtp1 it has to be looking at expert advice on the internet...

[r896neo]

The short answer is no. You could if you have spare sand get some gravel and make the sand into a lean mix concrete and build up the sub base using that but its more work and a bit dearer than just using type 1.

[Andy1874]

Thanks for response.....i am trying to get my head around all this......yet block paving is laid on sand?...........and i intend to use mortar on top of sand.......could i use a smaller aggregate than dtp1 then to top up?......so much easier to level with my hand tamper....sorry if my questions sound dumb but i want to do a reasonable job

[seanandruby]

As Simon states, no is the short answer. you need to use DTP1 to top up as the sand will be to deep and will sink in a few weeks. Yes sand is used as a bedding layer on block paving but only to a depth of 40ml. May i suggest you read the main index again because i can assure you the answers are there somewhere :;):

[Dave_L]

No stone within a bag of type 1 should be be bigger than 37.5mm, proper type 1 should eb fairly easy to handle, level and tamp down. It does need to be slightly damp to enable it to bind effectively.

You could top up with some scalpings or some 20mm to dust but NOT sand.

[lutonlagerlout]

Can i top the dtp up to 75mm using sharp sand and tamp it down and then put the mortar bedding on that..?

Oh...and is a 10/1 sand cement mix ok for a light use patio?

1 no a complete fail

2 not imho 5:1 is where its at

LLL

[Andy1874]

Thank you everyone for your quick replies....i shall try to find smaller dtp or scalpings...a lot of mine were big chunky bits,certainly more than 37mm(and from a well known merchants),but it wont do any harm.

I appreciate all and any assistance:)