I’m in the process of laying a rear patio at my bungalow, I have cleared the ground and installed a compacted MOT type 1 base. I would looking at installing a pebble edging, with brick edging and porcelain tiles (600mm x 600mm x20mm). The size of the patio is ~40m2.
I would like to know what’s the best way to lay the porcelain tiles? I was looking at a pedestal system however not sure if these will be stable enough on the MOT Type 1 base this would also increase the patio cost of around ~£500 - £700 pending on the pedestal height.
Question: Would I be able to lay a bed of sharp sand or small > 10mm gravel, on the MOT type 1 base as a thickness of 20 >25mm and lay the porcelain tiles directly onto this bed of material? This would be a dry installation and if so which is preferred sand or gravel?
Any advice, guidance or help will be greatly appreciated.
Pedestals really need a firm and immovable base if they are to be effective. I have seen them used on top of a DTp1 sub-base, and it was little short of an effin' disaster! The slightest movement of the sub-base and the pedestal goes with it.
Im not fixed on porcelain tiles therefore is they another method or material that i could use to achieve a cost affective patio? given that i have already put down a sub-base?
The reason at i ask is that i could put gravel down as a cheaper alternative but a patio of some sort would be nicer.
