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Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2005 3:52 pm
by Don2138
Excellent stuff on web site, well done as it must have taken some time. I have just gone through all the areas of interest to me but all that has done is hurt my head ( Old Fart Syndrome ). I am hoping to lay Flags/Slabs in my Front Garden and Drive, and Cars will be parked on both areas. Not a large area ( About 18 ft x 25 ft, Sorry I think better in “Old Money� sizes ). The size of the Slabs/Flags will be 18 inch x 18 inch or 16 inch x 16 inch. The Garden is normal grass and the drive concrete. I will have to “Dig� out the drive to enable the flags to be at the same level as the drive is now. And the Garden is lower than the drive ( About 4 Inches ). Up to now not a problem ??? but the Base, Do I go down about 4 to 6 inches then lay aggregate ( Sand and chippings ) and does this need to mixed with cement ?. If it does can I just rake out and level the aggregate and rake in the cement then run a vibrating plate to compress, leave for a week then mix some mortar apply about 1 inch thick and lay the flags on this. I hope I have explained well, my concern is what is the best ( And easiest ) way to do this and it being strong enough to allow cars to drive on and off and parked. Also there is a local supplier who is offering Flags/Slabs ( A type of Riven design ) very cheap. I know you get what you pay for but if they are on a firm bed they should be OK (?) but I read on the Web Site about Colour Fading, How much of a problem is this.
Sorry for long Post and many thanks for any replies and Ideas.
Don Kennedy
Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2005 2:28 pm
by Don2138
I’ve had another look through the Web Site and think I have answered most of my queries. I have talked her indoors out of the cheap slabs/flags ( Being married, since when have I been part of the decision making process ?. Normal Married Conversation, We sit down and talk, give our point of view, then do what She wants !.). I notice that the advice for laying slabs/flags for a drive etc is to have a bed of 4 inch concrete, would it be OK in laying about 4 inch of aggregate mixed with cement for the base and about 1 inch all over the base of mortar to bed the slabs/flags on. I notice that the advise is to mix the mortar so it is quite dry, not a problem but could I ( Lazy Old Fart ) just spread out and level the aggregate ( I think the aggregate is called three-quarter to dust ) and sprinkle cement over it and rake it well in ? and if so would it be OK not to have to use a Vibrating Plate thingy, then leave for a week to go hard then spread the mortar over this and lay the slabs/flags. I have a feeling that this is not acceptable but I am hoping to do the base as above the “Easy� way !!!. Many thanks for any replies/suggestions.
Don Kennedy
Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2005 3:10 pm
by Tony McC
I think you're making extra work for yourself, Don. Rather than lay 100mm of aggreagte and attempt to mix in cement, then lay a bed of mortar over that, it really is much easier, in term sof amount of labour and the complexity, to mix a concrete as you need it, lay it out 100mm deep and lay the flags sirectly onto it, making sure they are thoroughly tapped down.
Having a 100mm depth of unset cementitious material gives you more 'play' when laying the flags than would a mere 25mm over a hard concrete base, and you can work at a pace to suit you. If you went for a base first, then you;d have to get all of the base done in one go, with a movement joint in the cntre (or two goes with a day joint), whereas working onto a full concrete bed allows you to do, say, 5-6m² per day, or however much you feel comfortable with.
Trying to mix cement into a layer of agg is bloody hard work. It's much easier to hire a little mixer for a week (around 30 quid) and either mix the base properly before placing, or mix concrete for direct laying.
Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2005 7:19 pm
by Don2138
Hi Tony. Many thanks for your time replying. I did think about laying the slabs/flags direct onto the 4 inch base concrete but I was concerned about if I did not complete the job all in one go ( Not a chance ! ) that there would be weak areas. i.e. if I done the drive over a weekend there would be a weak area in the concrete between where I finished one day and where I started the next day. Any comments appreciated.
Once again many thanks for your time.
Don Kennedy
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2005 11:59 am
by Tony McC
Not so much "weak areas" but what are known as "Day Joints", and given the size of area you have ot cover, these are actually beneficial, as they will be the most likely location for movement in the concrete - so, when it does move/crack, it will do so along these day joints, which should coincide with the jointing of the flags themselves.
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2005 7:27 pm
by Don2138
Hi Tony. Very many thanks, All I need to do is to get out and do it. Many thanks for your time.
Don Kennedy
P.S. I have created a “Link� to you via my Web Site. More for me to be able to remember where you are but it may help someone. If you have any objections please do not hesitate to let me know and I will remove / amend as required.
Go to www.donkennedy.co.uk and click on links. Not a Web Site that would be of interest to you ?.
Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 2:37 pm
by Tony McC
There's a page of useful info for anyone wanting to link to Pavingexpert, including pretty logos and code. I've absolutely no objection to your link, Don.
Like the Scimitar. The big-lad-next-door when I was growing up in the 1970s had one of them Scimitars and I always envied him being able to drive and pull birds and stuff while I was still only 12. I hadn't seen one for ages until a couple of weeks ago, when I was in the car with Mrs Taz and we pulled in behind one. I hadn't realised befiore then just how large that rear window is!
Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2005 9:04 am
by Don2138
Hi Tony, The Scimitar is just “Boys and their Toys� great fun when a grey haired 50+ old fart in a 30+ year old car leaves the young lads in their GTi’ s standing at traffic lights ( I know, I should grow up ). You may have heard a scream of “ I don’t believe it� from the South West yesterday. Her indoors has seen yet another gardening program and asked why not do the garden and drive with bricks around the edge and concrete in the middle with very small coloured stones set into the concrete. I will have to get a divorce or get rid of the TV.
Very many thanks for your time and advise.
Don Kennedy