Can i just lay on sand?

[Wildfang]

Sorry to sound like a complete patio virgin but....

I had understood that there were 2 schools of thought; most guidance I have read clearly says slabs should be laid on a mortar bed (on top of sand/hardcore). However, I have also read that it is OK just to lay slabs direct on the sharp sand layer and then dry mortar the joints. Also use a mortar-bedded kerb edge to keep everything together. I also know keen DIY-ers who swear a mortar bed is not necessary

Help! What should I do? Naturally I would rather avoid the mess and hassle that a mortar bed would bring. I also note that my existing slabs have for 18 years sat on nothing more that compacted clay soil!

[lutonlagerlout]

sounds like you've been watching "ground farce"
yes street paving is laid direct onto sand but the flags weigh over 35 kg each,your average patio needs a base and some kind of cementious bedding layer to be any good
refer to the main site for step by step instructions,where it says "main website " in blue at the top of this page
hope this helps#
LLL :;):

[Wildfang]

Thanks - as I feared, although I know plenty of others who have done it.

Also I was thinking about ease of access to a waste pipe that runs from my house diagonally under under the site of proposed patio (i.e. if no mortar bed, easy to remove slabs to dig down)

[lutonlagerlout]

the waste pipe should be roddable from an inspection chamber or a rodding eye nearby
cheers LLL

[Wildfang]

OK cheers. I suppose I was thinking of more serious stuff than blockages (e.g. cracked pipe - perhaps due to subsidence caused by drier climate/clay soil ?) I don't know - probably being a tad paranoid