3x2 council flags - Laying

[diydonk]

Hi I have just paved my nieces back yard with council 2x2 council flags on a bed of screeded sand. That was fine for a patio but now she wants her drive doing in 3x2 council flags 50mm thick. I know being a drive it needs digging to a suitable depth then plenty of stone. But my question is should I lay on sand whacked and levelled or a bed of strong mortar using wash sand. I found it easier and quicker to screed sand and just drop 2x2flags on when doing the back but 3x2 will be harder to manage. Thanks Tony.

[sy76uk]

If you lay them on sand make sure you install a retaining edge.

[diydonk]

2 sides would be edged by a wall and the other 2 sides will be having a kerbed border concreted in. I have done a few drives in block using sand and had no movement at all but don't know why feeling nervous about using same method with flags.

[r896neo]

Unless your good you will find laying 3x2's well (i.e no tiny rocking which will crack the pointing or even the flags if driven on) on a screeded sand bed difficult.

A mortar bed would be much more suitable.

Realistically if you want to be walking normally afterwards you need 2 men or at least a vacuum slab lifter

[mickg]

you can get a difference of up to 5mm depth from flag to flag, that's why you should always bed each 3 x 2 natural flag individual and not on a screed bed

[dig dug dan]

I laid 130 last year on a big council job. I used floor screed delivered ready mixed, and screeded it, but did not compact. Then used the vacuum slab lifter to lay each one. Any high ones got tapped down.
it worked a treat and was a fast method.