Posted: Wed Aug 16, 2006 5:41 pm
New member, first posting so apologies for any mistakes!
May I first say what a superb site. If copying is the greatest form of flattery then you should be pleased with yourself as many trade web sites appear to use your own editorial!
I am planning on laying a 7x 0.84m path from my front door using Indian sandstone possibly from Rock Unique who seem to have some very good prices and have been very helpful. I plan to use 28cm x 28cm and 28cm x 56cm sized flags with thicknesses varying from 20 –40mm laid in a random pattern. Having read your guidance notes in detail I have set out below how I hope to proceed with the project however as a complete novice any tips and advice would be greatly appreciated.
Plan of attack is as follows.
Dig down 70mm accounting for 50mm bedding material and 20mm for the min thickness of slab.
Lay a dry mix 10:1 sand cement to a depth of 55 - 58mm (5-8mm allowing for compaction although I understand compaction rates will vary) with the top 15-20mm raked to allow for individual bedding of the slab. Do you compact the bed in any way prior to laying the slab?
With the 40mm thick slabs is it OK to be left with only 30mm of bedding on the basis approx 20mm will have been removed from the bedding layer to account for the thicker slab?
Lay each slab individually bedding them down to the required height.
Butter the joints with a class 2 mortar. I am envisaging I would need to be careful with this if the slab is only 20mm thick as the buttering could leave very little space for topping up with mortar when pointing – any thoughts?
As a first timer I can foresee laying each slab taking some time but no bother however with regards to pointing I am left with two choices based on the length of time the project will take. Point as I go ie as each slab is laid so as to ensure jointing is as strong as possible or leave the pointing until the path is completed and accept that a “day joint� between the butter mortar and pointing mortar may exist – any thoughts?
Using your advice I will be using a black mortar so plenty of opportunity make a mess there, I’ll be watching the weather forecast closely!
The path will be laid to a free edge so I am considering using a wet mix mortar at the edges to reduce lateral movement. Do you foresee any problems using a wet mix at the edges with the porous properties of the sandstone?
My final question concerns the aligning the joints when laying in a random pattern. I appreciate that with a random pattern aligned joints should not be common but with only two sizes they will occur more frequently. If I lay two 28x28cm flags with a 1cm joint alongside a 56x56cm flag the result will be a combined joint at the end of the two flags offset by 1cm which won’t look particularly attaractive! Have I missed something blindingly obvious? Your suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Hopefully I havent't missed anything crucial!
Andy
May I first say what a superb site. If copying is the greatest form of flattery then you should be pleased with yourself as many trade web sites appear to use your own editorial!
I am planning on laying a 7x 0.84m path from my front door using Indian sandstone possibly from Rock Unique who seem to have some very good prices and have been very helpful. I plan to use 28cm x 28cm and 28cm x 56cm sized flags with thicknesses varying from 20 –40mm laid in a random pattern. Having read your guidance notes in detail I have set out below how I hope to proceed with the project however as a complete novice any tips and advice would be greatly appreciated.
Plan of attack is as follows.
Dig down 70mm accounting for 50mm bedding material and 20mm for the min thickness of slab.
Lay a dry mix 10:1 sand cement to a depth of 55 - 58mm (5-8mm allowing for compaction although I understand compaction rates will vary) with the top 15-20mm raked to allow for individual bedding of the slab. Do you compact the bed in any way prior to laying the slab?
With the 40mm thick slabs is it OK to be left with only 30mm of bedding on the basis approx 20mm will have been removed from the bedding layer to account for the thicker slab?
Lay each slab individually bedding them down to the required height.
Butter the joints with a class 2 mortar. I am envisaging I would need to be careful with this if the slab is only 20mm thick as the buttering could leave very little space for topping up with mortar when pointing – any thoughts?
As a first timer I can foresee laying each slab taking some time but no bother however with regards to pointing I am left with two choices based on the length of time the project will take. Point as I go ie as each slab is laid so as to ensure jointing is as strong as possible or leave the pointing until the path is completed and accept that a “day joint� between the butter mortar and pointing mortar may exist – any thoughts?
Using your advice I will be using a black mortar so plenty of opportunity make a mess there, I’ll be watching the weather forecast closely!
The path will be laid to a free edge so I am considering using a wet mix mortar at the edges to reduce lateral movement. Do you foresee any problems using a wet mix at the edges with the porous properties of the sandstone?
My final question concerns the aligning the joints when laying in a random pattern. I appreciate that with a random pattern aligned joints should not be common but with only two sizes they will occur more frequently. If I lay two 28x28cm flags with a 1cm joint alongside a 56x56cm flag the result will be a combined joint at the end of the two flags offset by 1cm which won’t look particularly attaractive! Have I missed something blindingly obvious? Your suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Hopefully I havent't missed anything crucial!
Andy
