Highly wiggly patio advice

JonRGV250 said:
Move
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TBH that's not an outlandish suggestion.

At our old house the windows needed cleaning so we bought new windows.
A few things need doing here so we're moving.

Our slabs have gone a bit like OPs except we have chives and all sorts of things growing through them. Ain't no way I'll be sorting that out before we move, it'll be a big job
 
dLockers said:
Jet wash first?
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Yeah makes sense.

I also need to jetwash/weed the front block paved driveway and then that will need re-sanding too. It's got some depressions where the car wheels tend to sit.

Damn this back patio. I'd really like to improve it more but I'm worried that once I start pulling up slabs I'm going to be in a mess I can't solve.
 
danlightbulb said:
Yeah makes sense.

I also need to jetwash/weed the front block paved driveway and then that will need re-sanding too. It's got some depressions where the car wheels tend to sit.

Damn this back patio. I'd really like to improve it more but I'm worried that once I start pulling up slabs I'm going to be in a mess I can't solve.
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You need to embody your inner knuckle dragger. It's just dirt and holes; you don't need to be under pressure to get it done in 2 days or whatever a trade would either.

Do a section at a time and take your time?
 
dLockers said:
You need to embody your inner knuckle dragger. It's just dirt and holes; you don't need to be under pressure to get it done in 2 days or whatever a trade would either.

Do a section at a time and take your time?
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Not a bad idea. Say lift in sections you can easily complete in a day, lift, sort sub base out and refit slabs. The only issue would be having to hand tamp instead of getting a whacker plate in there if doing it piecemeal.
 
Lifted a bunch of wobbly block paving bricks and a couple of slabs. They are just on sand that's it. Also some really badly cut bricks for the tricky areas.

I added a bag of sand and tried to level off a couple of slabs. It's worked ok, better than before, but I don't think I'm going to be able to add enough material to make it perfectly level all over. The ground slopes down away from the house so making it level would require it looks like around a foot of extra material at the lowest end.

Trying to refit the block pavers neatly and some are a tight fit but close. How can I shave off a couple mm from a brick?
 
200sols said:
You'll need to lift and fix the sub base if you don't want it sinking again. If you get someone in it won't be cheap.
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Just redoing my entire old paving: sub-base, compact then put a good 50mm+ layer of concrete mix in there. Don't forget to slurry.. Concrete mixer is about £20 for 7 day hire. I split my total job into six sub-jobs. It takes a while to setup, then once that's all measured out etc it's just crack on to lay that area.
 
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Take lots of photos, pull everything up, pressure wash it, and re-lay it. Hire a compactor to make sure it's laid correctly. Will only cost the compactor and a bag or two of ready mix.
 
SpellowHouse said:
Take lots of photos, pull everything up, pressure wash it, and re-lay it. Hire a compactor to make sure it's laid correctly. Will only cost the compactor and a bag or two of ready mix.
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Na to level the whole lot would require tonnes of hardcore and sand. I'm just focussing on the most sloped section I think, I bought 8 bags of sand today to see how far that gets me.

Pressure washed a section today.

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The original colour must have been buff, but as you can it's worn off completely in a lot of places exposing bare concrete. Thinking can I get a concrete paint to recolour this?


Dont know whats going on with the images today sorry.

See where the broom is? That's where the ground really slopes away quite badly.
 

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Doesn't look too bad fella. It's hard graft - don't take too many tea breaks :cry: ... And obvs it's meant to slope away from where you don't want water.
 
Personally I would lift the lot. The trip hazard of the blocks where the steps are would do my head in. The slabs look like a buff concrete heritage. Riven with a fettled edge 32 or 38mm thick. They won't break if lifted. No one slurred the backs when these were laid. And I doubt they are laid on s full bed.
Going from the couple of pictures I would lift and reuse the blocks. Using them to cover the whole of the area where your pots are.I'd leave the blocks that are used as a picture frame (perimeter) though. If you aren't confident about hitting the top of the steps with the paving, work back from the steps. Personally I'd be laying the slabs on a full bed of mortar but you could lay them on well compacted sharp sand/cement mix (not the done thing these days but it worked). A wacker, a couple of metal electrical conduits for screeding and a level. Steady away .I'd also think about putting a few met post shoes and a small picket fence on top of the wall. (Picket fence to stop anyone sitting on it).
 
8 bags of sharp sand gone down, can barely notice it.

How many bags of sand can I safely transport in a 3 series estate?

I'd order some, but with delivery a bulk bag seems to be about £100 and I'd have to barrow it all round from the front to the back (plus I don't have a barrow). Bags will be easier.
 
danlightbulb said:
8 bags of sharp sand gone down, can barely notice it.

How many bags of sand can I safely transport in a 3 series estate?

I'd order some, but with delivery a bulk bag seems to be about £100 and I'd have to barrow it all round from the front to the back (plus I don't have a barrow). Bags will be easier.
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Check out Wickes - their delivery is normally decent. (For bags)
 
j.col said:
If you are going to jet wash it, try and source some sodium hypochlorite.
Its upto you how strong to mix it but i usually mix it 1:1 with water and add it to a pressure sprayer and spray the patio first before jet washing.
Really helps to lift the grime off slabs and blocks.
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The pressure washers on YouTube I watch, like Sid Partridge, do sodium hypochlorite as a separate treatment to kill white spot and black spot. They give the paving the full jet wash clean then spray on SH, leave it for 15-30 mins then rinse off.
 
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