Pave on top of existing paving?

[richwsmith]

I'll probably do a terrible job of explaining this, but here goes.

This image

Untitled

• richwsmith
• 6 Mar 2011
• 1

shows my modest garden which is mainly 600 x 600mm slabs. These have been laid very unevenly, the first three *mostly* slope back towards the house, the four furtherest away mostly slope towards to the raised beds which can be seen at the bottom of the garden. There's also a 150mm trench through the middle which had simply been plugged with edging bricks.

If I want to lay slate or sandstone am I best taking the old paving out to find a level or can the new paving be simply laid over the top as a friend has suggested?

Many thanks in advance.

 

[noseall]

Provided height tolerances allow, there is nowt wrong with paving over existing paving.

The only downside is that the existing paving will not allow any 'suction' of a mortar bed, meaning any solid bedded slabbing etc will result in water ponding up through the slab joints. This will be more of an inconvenience than anything else.

If however you choose to lay the slabs as per diy programs or amateur methods then spotting or dry sand beds will not result in the above occurring. But you will end up with uneven slabs within 12 months.