Paving between gravel and on top of gravel?

[sansnom]

Gents

I can't seem to find a direct answer to this:

I currently have soil, weed membrane and gravel on top of it. I want to move some of the gravel and put 3 or 4 paving slabs in a line to allow a walk-way through the gravel.

Can I sweep the gravel stones to the side and just lay the paving inbetween them on say a bit of soft sand? Do I lay the paving directly onto the gravel instead and then add more gravel inbetween each slab?

 

[bloodiedathame]

There isn't really a hard and fast rule. I'd probably clear a space and lay it on sharp sand myself (to prevent the slab from moving).

 

[sansnom]

There isn't really a hard and fast rule. I'd probably clear a space and lay it on sharp sand myself (to prevent the slab from moving).

so would you lay the sharp sand directly onto the soil or above the weed membrane?

How thick a layer should the sand be? 50mm? Any idea how to keep the sand from being washed away when it rains (i.e. from the sides of the slabs)

 

[Maccapacca]

Sand will wash away eventually if there's nothing at the edges. Knock up some sand and cement lean mix and bed them on that. Last longer.

As long as your geo isn't just laid over spongy soil.

 

[WillyNelson]

I'd either just bed them into the gravel or sand & cement on top of the membrane.

 

[sansnom]

Sand will wash away eventually if there's nothing at the edges. Knock up some sand and cement lean mix and bed them on that. Last longer.

As long as your geo isn't just laid over spongy soil.

Thanks Macca but I hesitate to lay sand and cement as the soil is uneven and currently has lots of gravel already on it. I would have to take up the entire area to level the soil, compact it and start again.

Thats why I was thinking best to lay it onto the gravel as that's created level'ish ground (i filled more gravel where needed to even out the level). I was just going to take some out until the slab was level with the surrounding gravel but I thought maybe a bit of sand would some stability.

Do you think that will work at all?

 

[sansnom]

I'd either just bed them into the gravel or sand & cement on top of the membrane.

Yep thats what I was thinking too - the bedding into gravel, not sand and cement

I'm just concerned with gravel being a non-uniform surface, would the paving crack easily from someone walking on the slab?

 

[WillyNelson]

Doubt it, it'll shift slightly under load. That's why train rails are laid on a bed of gravel.