I've been planning to sort out the back garden for ages. The lawn is on top of clay which never dries out properly. This makes mowing it a nightmare and also makes the lawn pretty useless for anything else as it's constantly slippery. Due to this I've decided to pave it. Or actually the missus has decided it needs paving and I'm too tight to pay someone to do it for me!
I've been on this site for the last 3 days on and off getting some brilliant ideas and advice. As the shed is on a fixed base I'm looking at having the run off split down the middle of the garden so that there is the same drop on either side of the shed for the sake of looking good.
This is the garden after pulling up the horrible looking 'council' slabs that were already down as a small patio.
Here's the rest of the garden that needs the turf removing and 50mm of clay removing
On Friday I have 3 tons of grit sand, 300kg of cement and almost 40 square metres of paving turning up. Along with a whacker and a cement mixer. Today I've dug half of the turf from the first photo out and tomorrows work will be the rest of the turf plus another 50mm of clay. Then it's time to get technical with string, spirit levels and pegs to set the ground levels up for the right run off.
I'm currently considering whether or not to use slab spacers from gapfast. Are they worth using for a uniform look between slabs?
I've ordered the slabs from Dove and have 40 square meters of Dove Ashbourne 'York Brown' slabs to lay on Friday afternoon. I've taught myself to tile and lay laminate flooring recently so I'm hoping it's not too difficult.
If anyone has any top tips I'd be happy to hear them. I'll post pictures during the project/build if anyone is interested.
Sorry my mistake. I come from stoke myself and the ground is proper thick red clay. All the gardens there are damp like you described.
1. Are you paving the whole back garden?
2. why dont you make the high point paralell with the house and then run it down towards the shed. It will still be on one plane and will not look out of place against the shed.
If you did it that way you could then run a level string line paralell with the house. Then set up a paralell string line (fall included) where paving is due to finish. If you them run strings down both sides paralell with the fences. You have now got a frame within which to work which is all set at exactly the right height. You can then set another stringline paralell with the house but say 3 or 4 feet down from the initial string and start paving within this section. When you have filled that section simply move the last stringline down another 3 or 4 feet and carry on paving. You cant fail cause you've fixed points to work too on all sides.
3. Whichever method you use, get your mix the right consistentency. The slabs will go down much easier. If you go to dry you will have to really smash the slabs down. If you go to wet then they will float and you will make a right mess.
4. Work out your pattern before you start mixing any cement
Cheers LLL. I'll stick another 1.5 tons of sand and the relevant cement on the order for Friday. And dig out more bloody clay!
I was against a fall towards the house due to bring water into the house. There's obviously a damp proof course there but I'd rather have water running away from the house if possible. Is this an issue or am I being paranoid about the house getting damp?
LSP, I see your method and I like it but I'm not understanding the moving things 3 to 4 feet part. Apart from that it sounds like a top plan Am I being stupid? I am paving the full garden apart from a few gaps for plants.
The point of having the moveable stringline is that you can then break down the patio into small manageable chunks. So you will be in effect paving an area as wide as your house x 3-4 feet deep at a time. You have fixed level edges close by at all points which you can easily run a spirit level to. Then when you have paved that section you move the string down another 3-4 feet and do the same again.
Does that make sense. Dont think I am explaining myself veery well TBH
Cheers LSP. When you said move the stringline down I thought you meant in the horizontal.. As in I would have a string line 3-4 feet above the garden. That's why I was getting confused. It wasn't you explaining it badly, it was me being stupid!
Many thanks for the tips. The gear arrives tomorrow so there's a lot of digging to be done today.
No ridges or dips for me. The garden is now sloping towards the shed after a lot of manual labour. I've set up some of my string lines to finished level and am digging out to 100mm below them (75mm base and 25-30mm slabs).
Cheers, I considered a mini excavator but it was £135 for a week. If I'd have known that I'd have to change the way the garden laid for the runoff I may have parted with the cash though! I reckon by the end of tomorrow it'll be ready for the mud to be compacted then on with the base on Friday morning.
