How do you make a patio?

Street · 22 Apr 2011 at 11:54

I was going to take up the horrible massive grey ones that are there at the moment and then find some nicer looking slabs to put down. I'm leaving the girlfriend in charge of the type and colour!

Mark A · 22 Apr 2011 at 13:37

I hope you have a mate who will help you lift the old slabs. Wouldn't like to remove all them by myself! especially in this weather.

j.col · 22 Apr 2011 at 15:22

Mark A said:
I hope you have a mate who will help you lift the old slabs. Wouldn't like to remove all them by myself! especially in this weather.

too right, they are bloody heavy.

crisbduck · 22 Apr 2011 at 15:37

I like your architect's usage of paint

jamesblade · 22 Apr 2011 at 16:35

bsoltan said:
Dig up slabs.

Get decking.

Have barbeque.

Have decking, but use the flags as a base, just put weed supress over the top fill with stone/ gravel then build a decking base on what ever levels you like etc then cover in decking. Looks nice, lasts if you look after it and if you take your time even a beginner can do a good job..

Oh plus you can add to it over time. with the little extras they tend to charge the eath for but give it that extra bit of "ohhh" factor.

Pics please what ever you do :0

Street · 23 Apr 2011 at 13:03

Mark A said:
I hope you have a mate who will help you lift the old slabs. Wouldn't like to remove all them by myself! especially in this weather.

I moved 8 of them from the bottom of the garden the other week. It was hard work! Only got 10 more big ones and a few smaller ones to move from the patio area..

Am going to have to pay a mate some beer money to give me a hand as theres no way I'm moving the rest on my own.

crisbduck said:
I like your architect's usage of paint

I've heard its what all the best architects use!

HAz · 23 Apr 2011 at 13:19

GD does it again....

Street · 4 Jun 2011 at 20:16

I figured I might as well post a photo with a bit of an update after I finally got around to doing something to my patio this weekend..

One skip full later, a lot of hard work and a couple bushes demolished, my patio now looks like this..

Going to get some MOT ordered in the week and put that down next weekend, just got to let the girlfriend choose the slabs now as apparently I have no taste or style.

Beans on toast Dave · 4 Jun 2011 at 20:22

what are you going to to with the fence panels?, if you raise the patio would it be too high? maybe smaller panels and gravel boards? depending if you look after them

Street · 4 Jun 2011 at 20:39

I'm not planning on raising it too much now like I originally planned, turns out the old one was much higher (above the damp course so I can't have it that high anyway!) but left an inch gap between the edge of the patio and the fence. The panels are a bit old anyway so when I replace them I'll probably do it with a concrete board to match the rest of the fencing.

Windle · 4 Jun 2011 at 20:43

B&Q website has a good guide for laying patios, it is quite important to do it right particularly for drainage as if you balls it up it'll be a right pain when it rains.

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/templ...nowledge/how_to/lay_a_patio/lay_a_patio.jsp#1