After faffing around with drainage and some other bits we have decided that the patio could do with being replaced with something that looks better.
Currently the area is split level across the back of the house. The upper and lower area both made up of an array of 7 x 7 450mm slabs and the difference in height is 225mm or thereabouts.
From digging up a few slabs at the edge of the lower level it appears there is a 70mm bed of what looks like a weak mix of sharp sand and cement. It breaks up pretty easy if you get a crow bar under it. Then the slabs were laid on a 30mm stronger mix of mortar which has stuck to the slabs like glue but obviously breaks away from the other bed easily.
I'm assuming if I want to bring everything up to the top level I need to strip both the top and bottom level of slabs off? Or is there any way I can get away with leaving the bottom level as there is a fair way to build up?
I'm going to assume that I need to strip off all the slabs and chuck them in the skip after reading about overlaying of slabs and problems with settlement on the main site. Whats the best material to get in to bring the stripped lower level up to the top level?
sorry matt missed your original post
you need to build it up in layers of 100mm of type 1 at a time compacted down till hard
all the slabs need to be removed and TBH for the area you are better off getting something new ,you could rent a crusher and crush your old slabs up to type 1 therefore saving on a skip
and remove all loose sand under existing
LLL
