The Brew Cabin

Posted: **Sun Jan 12, 2014 11:56 am**

Hi everyone,
What a great site this is

I've read up on here for the jobs I need to do but still a bit unclear about something's and need to know that I've got the right idea plus some advice.

I want to flag part of my garden which is about about 8x8 (64 square meters) and flat, mainly so the kids can use the garden throughout the year and ride around on there bikes. Also need to sort the drive out so we can park on it
I guessing after reading up on here that it would cost me about k to have someone do the job(garden) and we don't have that kind of money so being a bit of a DIY guy I'm gonna give it a go.

The drive has been dug out (rectangle) in the middle by the last owner then they've laid a type of sheet then added hardcore on top then used its as a drive. So it's sunk in the middle and when it rained it fill up like a pond :laugh: when we moved in not knowing what I was really doing I dropped a few ton bags of 20mm golden gravel on top to raise the surface and drove on top :p it acted like a gravel pit but hid the pond

Drive plan
I plan to remove the 20mm gravel, dig up the remaining turf and drop 150mm of hardcore on top, compact with a whacker and then add back the 20mm gravel following the guild lines for depth on here. Using gravel as it cost less

Does this sound ok?
Is there a max depth I can lay the hardcore? As the middle of the drive in much lower then the edges or can I keep on going to get it level?

I'm planning to buy a second hand whacker plate so it mean I'm not spending loads on hiring as I don't know how long it will take me. Then I can resell after I'm finished

Can someone recommend the best specs I'll need for this job as I'm not sure what I'm looking for.

Garden plan
In the garden to save on the pennies I'll be using 400x400mm concert slabs as they seem heavy duty and long lasting. I'll lay 100mm of hardcore, then a dry sand/concrete mix 1.7 screed then slabs. Around the house is Tarmac so I plan to leave this in and flag form the edging of this. Down the side are panel fencing with concrete posts and bottom panel, I plan to lay right up to this. At the far end is turf so I will lay edging and flag to this.

Questions
Is this plan ok?
Should I lay the edging first of last?
Would you lay edging down the side or will the concert fence panel be ok?
Being such a big space what is the best way to level/screed the sand mix? I've seen it done with a piece of timber but that was in a 2x2 garden. Should I do it in sections?
Is a 1 to 7 ratio ok to lay on?

Not sure what method to use in pointing, could someone recommend the easiest for a beginner.

Thanks for any advice
Luke

Posted: **Sun Jan 12, 2014 8:42 pm**

Luke,

I can't answer any of your first questions, I'm DIY man too - though there's been plenty professionals keeping me right via forum.

You mentioned pointing method for DIY man, I was pointing my cobble project in garden today. I got PC COX pointing gun. (Â£26.99 at screw fix) and it's been good, though you still need to compact, top up again and polish/strike mortar, I found 1/4 inch and 1/2 inch tuck pointers along with jointing iron essential - you get what you pay for. Marshalltown 1/4 inch pointer much better to use than eBay 10mm one I binned.

You must keep cartridge of gun clean and I found pouring a jug of water plus plasticiser poured through after each load was much better at keeping it running smoothly than just water.

Alternative is by some of the pricy jointing compound, rompox easy gets good reviews on this site and all you do is brush it in and hey presto!!!!!!

One of regular contributors could prob tell you how much rompox you need and compare it against pointing gun plus trowels Â£50 minimum plus labour time.

It's upto you though I got satisfaction compacting and polishing mortar to get nice finish.

Maybe try buy cement mixer too,, it will prob take longer than planned and second hand mixer would pay for itself easily.

Good luck

Posted: **Sun Jan 12, 2014 9:50 pm**

Thanks James

will take a look at both the options you mentioned and check out prices for a mixer
Cheers

Posted: **Sun Jan 12, 2014 10:12 pm**

Thanks again James, think I'll go with rompox easy, just need to work out how much I need.

Posted: **Sun Jan 12, 2014 11:14 pm**

a few quick pointers
1 I cannot recommend rompox easy, i have used it a few times and 3-4 years later it has failed

2 marshalls weatherpoint 365 is a better product rough cost around Â£3 per M2 depending on many variables

3 drive idea sounds ok although most on here use type 1
you can make your own type 1 if you crush the hardcore in a small crusher

4 a roller is better than a wacker

5 i see no consideration for drainage on the patio
the patio needs a fall of at least 1:70 for the water to get away

cheers LLL

Posted: **Mon Jan 13, 2014 5:00 pm**

Thanks LLL

I'll go with your recommendations and use marshalls weatherpoint 365 and type 1.

I have as much a clue about rollers as I do plates haha but I guessing that I'd have to hire a roller which could be costly. The plan is for me to take a week off work to get this started, so I was going to buy a wacker and mixer so I have them when I need and then resell after.

Yes I forgot to mention drainage, thanks for the reminder

on the back of the house there isn't a drain so was considering sloping towards the turf end, would this be ok?

The only drains I have are the soli pipe which I don't think I'm allowed to drain into and a drain for the kitchen/bath/roof which is on the side near the front.

Cheers
Luke

Posted: **Tue Jan 21, 2014 11:07 am**

You can drain onto the turf if it is relatively well-drained and doesn't get waterlogged.

There's not much point in send more surface water onto an area that's already struggling with its own share. In such instances, maybe a soakaway should be considered, or, as a very last resort, sending water int the SW system.

The Brew Cabin

Flagging garden and gravel drive - Help and advice