Bedding decisions - What's going to stick?

[toom92]

Hello chaps, I'm hoping you can help me out of stunned inactivity. It must be the 23 tons that I've just picked and handballed out of the garden that's led to my catatonic state but I can't make a decision for the life of me.

I have a 3mx4m area of hard, virgin chalk which I aim to pave with sandstone flags approx 600mmx600mm, each edge is against a wall but will consist of a 100mm pebble border. So far so good however I've run out of ideas at this stage, so I through myself open to the forum... .

Will it be sufficient to bed the flags on to sharp sand alone?, do I need to fix the perimeter flags to prevent movement?, as I'm on chalk with a pebble surround do I need to factor in a fall?

Please kick start my brain out of its doldrum. Many thanks in anticipation.

[Rich H]

That's a few questions. Unless it's for a shed base, or I'm laying 'council' slabs, I always use a sand-cement mix. You will need to haunch the edge slabs with the mix or mortar. If it's good solid chalk and you are not parking on it then you probably don't need a sub base (where I live most of the houses used to be built straight onto the chalk with no foundation at all). Lastly, you always need a fall when paving and preferably away from the walls.

[lutonlagerlout]

chalk is a great subbase. its permeable and it doesnt move ever
follow rich's instructions and you will be ok
cheers LLL