re-doing the patio

[hughesey]

Hi
I could do with re-laying our patio out the back. We've got loads and loads of weeds now coming through the joints between the slabs. I've looked under a few slabs and it seems they're lying directly onto a bed of sand (not sure know how thick).
Whats the best/cheapest way to re-lay some new budget slabs.
Is it just a case of shifting the old slabs, removing any visible weeds, laying more sand (how thick?) then re-slabbing with the new slabs? Do they need to be bedded onto a bed of concrete or can it be a bed of sand that they sit directly on? The current patio has no gaps between the slabs, do i do the same, but-them up to each other, or leave a gap? As u can see i havent done anything like this before.

 

[Thermo]

do you want to do it properly or cheaply?

 

[hughesey]

both.
but primarily cheaply.

 

[WabbitPoo]

The two are, to a large degree, mutually exclusive. See the "pavingexpert" website for details of how to lay a patio. Never use just a sand bed.

Happy to offer specific advice