Walsall 85L Galvanised Builders Wheelbarrow, £60 argos.co.uk
Mix the concrete Now it’s time to make up the concrete mix that will be the glue that sticks your new pavers to the sub-base. Depending on the size of your patio you can make up the mix a large tub or wheelbarrow or hire a concret mixer (£20.40/day, hss.com). You’ll need a m of three parts grit sand and one part cemen For each m2 of patio you’ll need 83kg of grit sand, also known as sharp concreting sand, and 28kg of general-purpose cement. So for a 3 x 3m patio you’ll need 30 x 25kg bags of sand and 10 x 25kg bags of cement. Prepare the mix in small amounts so it doesn’t dry out. Use a spade to put the sand and cement into your container, and stir in enough water to create a doughy consistency. Check the mix is thick enough by moulding some into a ball (do wear waterproof gloves) – when you let go the ball should retain its shape without oozing water or falling apart.
Blue Circle General Purpose Cement, £5.15/ 25kg wickes.co.uk Sharp Concreting Sand Handy Bag, £4.76/25kg jewson.co.uk
Vitrex No Mallet, £5.99
Lay the pav
You can now start laying your new p following your design. The first slab lay down is the most important one known as the key slab. This needs to corner slab at the highest end of the next to the house wall. If this is your at paving, then start by laying just this one slab. As you get more confident, you can lay a few slabs at a time, if you like.
Get ready to make your mix
Just add patience!
T
eel
Joint Crosses for Patio slabs, £21.33/100 amazon.co.uk
Use the spade to tip some of your concrete mix over the sub-base, enough for just one paver. This needs to be 4-5cm thick. Use the trowel to shape and smooth out the mix so that it’s flat for the paver to lay on.
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Spirit Level, L1800mm, £19.99 screwfix.com
Dampen the underside of the slab by spraying with water from a hand mister, so it doesn’t dry out the concrete mix. Then lower the slab on top of the concrete mix – if the pavers are large, ask a friend to help you.
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Repeat the process, leaving a pointing gap between each slab if required. The easiest way to ensure these are even is to use tile spacers. Continue until all the slabs are laid, using a spirit level to check the levels as you go, and making sure the slabs line up with each other. Leave to dry for at least 24 hours.
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Gently tap down the surface with a rubber mallet to fix the paver in place. If you find this tricky, then your concrete mix is probably a bit dry – add a touch more water to the next batch and it’ll be far easier.
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Use a spirit level to check the paver is level in all directions, and at the same height as its neighbours, remembering that you want a slight gradient away from the house. Tap with the rubber mallet to adjust if necessary.
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