Hi,
Having reduced level to a heavy gravel soil base for my 10m2 patio project I need a bedding layer of roughly 50-60mm. I note from your website that it is possible to use ballast/cement 10:1 rather than a course grit sand mix for bedding indian sandstone.
Having spoken with Wickes, the ballast they stock can contain aggregate upto 25mm in size.
Is this ok to use as a bedding layer or should I try and get a finer ballast? I would like to use ballast if possible because it is cheaper and only one bulk bag to deal with.
Your help is appreciated as I would like to crack on this weekend.
Cheers
JIm.
Ballast as bedding for sandstone - Ballast aggregate size
-
- Site Admin
- Posts: 8346
- Joined: Mon Jul 05, 2004 7:27 pm
- Location: Warrington, People's Republic of South Lancashire
- Contact:
You should be ok.
The generally accepted rule-of-thumb is that the aggregate must be no more than half the depth of the layer in which it is used.
This is explained more fully here
The generally accepted rule-of-thumb is that the aggregate must be no more than half the depth of the layer in which it is used.
This is explained more fully here
Site Agent - Pavingexpert
-
- Site Admin
- Posts: 15184
- Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2006 12:20 am
- Location: bedfordshire
i dont wish to pee on your bonfire ,but i would never use ballast as the bedding layer when it is only 50-60mm thick
surely grit/flooring/screeding/river wash/hartican sand will do this job better mixed 10:1
with ballast i always aim for 100mm minimun,i think tony is referring to the subbase===> i could be wrong??
regards LLL ???
surely grit/flooring/screeding/river wash/hartican sand will do this job better mixed 10:1
with ballast i always aim for 100mm minimun,i think tony is referring to the subbase===> i could be wrong??
regards LLL ???
-
- Site Admin
- Posts: 8346
- Joined: Mon Jul 05, 2004 7:27 pm
- Location: Warrington, People's Republic of South Lancashire
- Contact:
No, you can use the sandy "All-in Ballast" as a laying course, but I do actually prefer a grit sand. The problem is that, particularly in the aggregate poor sarf-eest of Engerlund, good quality sand is hard to come by and many of the big DIY sheds only supply an all-in ballast.
I'm not a fan of it being used unbound (ie: no cement) but it's not too bad when beefed up with 10-20% cement and used for patios.
I'm not a fan of it being used unbound (ie: no cement) but it's not too bad when beefed up with 10-20% cement and used for patios.
Site Agent - Pavingexpert
-
- Site Admin
- Posts: 15184
- Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2006 12:20 am
- Location: bedfordshire
when we were allowed to do crossovers,we had to use leanmix with a 20mm aggregate,unless we had 100mm bedding course you could almost guarentee there would be a rogue stone 20mm thick but 50 long that would cause rockers
i have got 20 mm shingle on my drive ,yet i think this is just what passes though a 20mm shaker/sieve,some bits are 40mm by 20mm and some go down the 10 mm grate on the linear drain
i agree on the poor quality aggregate down here, though
cheers LLL
i have got 20 mm shingle on my drive ,yet i think this is just what passes though a 20mm shaker/sieve,some bits are 40mm by 20mm and some go down the 10 mm grate on the linear drain
i agree on the poor quality aggregate down here, though
cheers LLL