Paving Slabs

[bennettp23]

Hi Everyone,

I am about to buy some sandstone paving slabs for a patio approx 15m.

Question is - is it worth paying the extra for Bradstone or Marshal in people's experience?

There are lots of other no-name 'ranges' out there which are cheaper but looking for an experts opinion really.

Also like the look of some of the coloured limestone but worried about it being marked and acid markings?

I will be laying them myself.

Any thoughts guys?

thanks,

Paul.

 

[r896neo]

Avoid the limestone for the reasons you highlighted.

If you buy cheap sandstone from ebay etc it will not have had the same quality control etc as a large supplier like mashalls. The risk are poor dimensioning, ie flags are varying sizes or badly calibrated thickness etc The other issue is stone quality. Occassionally you hear horror stories of sandstones changing colour after a few months, usually to do with iron deposits in the stone. This is very rare but almost guaranteed to be a non issue from a large supplier who have checked their quarries and used lots of the stone. A drop ship type guy who has just bought a container load of sandstone paving from alibaba etc may not have been so diligent and someone supplying it to him doesnt care what its like.

Like i say these are small risks and to be weighed up versus the extra cost. The extra 6/7quid a metre is not a big deal with only 15m to buy.

 

[bennettp23]

Great thanks R896neo, very helpful.

jointing... bit confusing.... as long as I keep the ratios consistent I think I am fine with 3:1 sand to cement brushed in? Best with grit or builders sand?

 

[Ian H]

Don't brush in sand and cement, point them with a wet mix or get some fancy brush in stuff.

 

[bennettp23]

Thanks will do!

 

[bennettp23]

Quick Q.

Once I take the turf off do I tamper and then put the MOT down and tamper again, or just put the MOT down on the freshly cut soil and then tamper so it 'combines' more?

Thanks.

 

[Ian H]

I would lift the turf, put down a cheap membrane, MOT it, then compact it. You don't want the soil and MOT to mix.

 

[bennettp23]

great thanks.

 

[bennettp23]

anyone know of a 4 size patio designer? I have 600 x 900, 600 x 600, 600 x 300 and 300 x 300

 

[bennettp23]

OK solved it, choose a similar sized Bradstone product and use their designer .

 

[bennettp23]

Hi,

On the patio I will have an edge which has nothing to butt up against. There will be gravel to meet the edge.

What do I do? I don't want any edging. Do I mix up some stronger wet mortar 3-1 and use that at the edge sandstone flag with a temporary block against it or haunch?

Thanks for your help!