I am building a patio, roughly 35 x 17 feet. I would like to use slate slabs, since I can find a good variety and can get them at a decent price.
What kind of base must I lay in preparation? I assume it must be some kind of mix, strong enough to support these thinner slabs.
Should I not even consider these? Should I opt for pavers, despite the extra cost?
Karl
3/8" Slate Slabs
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84-1093879891
Apols for late response - been away
Describing something that is only 3/8" thick (10mm) as a 'slab' is stretching apoint. In the trade, we refer to anything less than 30mm as a 'tile' and only paving units of 30mm or more are entitled to be dubbed 'flags' or 'slabs'.
Anyway, your slate tiles - they really do need to be laid on a full mortar bed. You could, in theory, lay them directly onto a 75-100mm thickness of a C7.5 (1:3:6 mix) concrete, or you could put down the concrete base beforehand and then bed the tiles onto 15-25mm of a Class II mortar (4:1) over the top of that.
A third possible construction, albeit one that is less satisfactory, would be to lay the slate tiles on a 35-50mm thick Class II bed of mortar over a compacted sub-base of granular material (DTp1, ballast, or scalpings).
Pavers might be a better option, but only you can decide. There's alot of work involved whichever surface you choose, so you need to decide which it is you really want and then go for it.
Good luck! :)
Describing something that is only 3/8" thick (10mm) as a 'slab' is stretching apoint. In the trade, we refer to anything less than 30mm as a 'tile' and only paving units of 30mm or more are entitled to be dubbed 'flags' or 'slabs'.
Anyway, your slate tiles - they really do need to be laid on a full mortar bed. You could, in theory, lay them directly onto a 75-100mm thickness of a C7.5 (1:3:6 mix) concrete, or you could put down the concrete base beforehand and then bed the tiles onto 15-25mm of a Class II mortar (4:1) over the top of that.
A third possible construction, albeit one that is less satisfactory, would be to lay the slate tiles on a 35-50mm thick Class II bed of mortar over a compacted sub-base of granular material (DTp1, ballast, or scalpings).
Pavers might be a better option, but only you can decide. There's alot of work involved whichever surface you choose, so you need to decide which it is you really want and then go for it.
Good luck! :)