Laying flags/blocks of different thickness

[PhilW]

Hello to all,

First off what a great website, I have found it very helpful in chosing what I want and how to do properly!

I'm sure someone here can give me the advice I need. I intend to lay a domestic patio (13m2) over 75mm compacted sub-base, on a layer of screed grit sand. I want to use a mixture of block paving and concrete slabs which are of different thickness (the block paving will run between and frame each slab)

How do I make sure, after I have laid and compacted the slabs/blocks, they are not at wildly different levels?

Is the leveled screed sand enough to accomodate the differences in height on compaction, or do I need to remove sand as necessary as I'm laying the thicker paving blocks?

Ta
Phil

[lutonlagerlout]

would it not be easier to get blocks and slabs the same thickness???
im not 100% but i am pretty sure you cannot wack slabs like blocks
i think you would have to get slabs and blocks the same thickness,screed your bedding mixture(dry 10: grit sand /cement) then lay the slabs and blocks on it at the same time
cheers LLL

[Tony McC]

You can't use a plate compactor on wet-cast flags, nor on Injun sandstone, but they can be used with 450x450mm or smaller pressed flags.

The key to success when working with a flag/block mix is to use units of the same thickness, so that you can screed bed them and then consolidate using a maul. If there flags are thicker/thinner than the blocks, you may need to use two screeds or rely on individual bedding.

[PhilW]

Ta for the advice.

The reason I'm using different thickness of flags and blocks is that a friend had some block paving left over and offered them as a freebie. The flags I want to use are considerably thinner. Having thought about it, I may just use the blocks as an edge course.

[lutonlagerlout]

no such thing as a free lunch eh phil?
cant you use 50mm blocks and 50 mm flags? makes sense
regards LLL

[PhilW]

Too true!!!

The blocks are 80mm and the slabs 40mm, so I have decided to use the blocks as a solider edge course only, then individually bed the slabs. Having measured up this arrangement, it fits in well with the planned width of the patio, and means there's fewer slabs to cut, so should work out well.