This is a great website and I've learned a lot already from reading the main articles on paving. I still have a question on how to plan my fall though.
I've added a picture below to show the area which I'll be working on. I have an L-shape which butts up to edge of a retaining wall of timber sleepers, and also a neighbours fence. I understand that I should be directing the fall into my own garden and was thinking it should fall away to the left (as you're looking at the image), however this causes a slight problem due to the L-shape of the area, meaning some water would be potentially falling onto that existing step.
can the patio area not run down flush or slightly higher than the sleeper ,so that the water runs on to the existing patio
it will look cack if you run it right to left
LLL
If you make the front edge, say, 6-10mm higher than the level at the back of the step, then fall across (left) to teh garden, no water will drain onto the step.
For extra security, you could always install a cheap linear channel drain along that line.
Thanks for the replies. I should have probably mentioned that the shed is actually elevated higher than the patio at the front of that picture, but since I don't want the water draining down onto the existing patio, I was going to keep it level front to back, with a step up to the shed (unless this is bad idea for any reason?!)
lutonlagerlout - why would it look bad going sideways? Is it because you'd see the gradient change? I thought for a 1:60 fall it would be barely noticeable.
Tony McC - I am planning to have 100mm MOT Type 1, then a full mortar bed about 35mm thick.
I'm now thinking of leaving ~ 100mm against the neighbours fence with a soak away along that edge (by digging down and filling with gravel). Does that sound like a reasonable plan?
Is there a law against water on a step?
Why can't you just fall it all down towards the sleepers? When it rains everything gets wet including steps . I would also put a shingle bed along fence.
