Right, I've had three pallets of patio blocks sitting around since last
year, and I really must get around to doing something with them...

I'm assuming a layer of sand (about an inch) immediately beneath the
blocks (and a layer of weed matting) - then x inches of gravel.

a) What's a good type of gravel to use? ISTR local concrete firm
suggesting pea gravel (back when I was going to get this done last year
before the cold season hit and I ran out of time) - but I've seen others
saying that pea gravel is awful as a bed for patios because it doesn't
compact nicely (not to mention that it's not necessarily that cheap).

b) What sort of minimum/maximum thickness is sensible for the gravel?
Soil here is quite sandy down to a foot or so, then clay beneath that. I
think I've read "somewhere around 4 inches" in multiple places, but the
experts might think otherwise :-)

c) I assume I should slope it slightly away from the house to promote
water run-off; is there any good rule of thumb for the angle (fall vs.
distance)?

One gotcha is that the land also slopes slightly along the side of the
house; I think that even without any digging down that I've got a drop of
about 8" at the low end. I expect I'll need a bit of retaining wall at
this end below the outermost row of patio blocks - will a row of
interlocking bricks likely keep the gravel behind them in check, or
should I be looking at doing something a bit more substantial (e.g.
mortared together, and/or foundation, or using blocks that can be staked
into the ground)?

cheers

Jules

Jules Richardson wrote:

One gotcha is that the land also slopes slightly along the side of the
house; I think that even without any digging down that I've got a drop of
about 8" at the low end. I expect I'll need a bit of retaining wall at
this end below the outermost row of patio blocks - will a row of
interlocking bricks likely keep the gravel behind them in check, or
should I be looking at doing something a bit more substantial (e.g.
mortared together, and/or foundation, or using blocks that can be staked
into the ground)?

Kerbstones are what I used. Nothing has moved and it was a few years back.
You will of course need some sort of edging or the blocks themselves
will move.
Can you build the ground up so it supports the edge of the paved area?
Bill

On May 14, 5:23*am, Bill Wright wrote:
Jules Richardson wrote:
One gotcha is that the land also slopes slightly along the side of the
house; I think that even without any digging down that I've got a drop of
about 8" at the low end. I expect I'll need a bit of retaining wall at
this end below the outermost row of patio blocks - will a row of
interlocking bricks likely keep the gravel behind them in check, or
should I be looking at doing something a bit more substantial (e.g.
mortared together, and/or foundation, or using blocks that can be staked
into the ground)?

Kerbstones are what I used. Nothing has moved and it was a few years back..
You will of course need some sort of edging or the blocks themselves
will move.
Can you build the ground up so it supports the edge of the paved area?
Bill

Also be sure to use sharp sand. Fine sand is displaced in wet weather
and comes up the cracks, allowing the blocks to sink.

Jules Richardson wrote:


Right, I've had three pallets of patio blocks sitting around since
last year, and I really must get around to doing something with
them...

8------

cheers

Jules

See www.pavingexpert.com lots of information and advice from experts
there. If the site itself doesn't answer your questions then ask there.

Edgar

On Mon, 13 May 2013 20:48:30 +0000 (UTC), Jules Richardson wrote:

a) What's a good type of gravel to use? ISTR local concrete firm
suggesting pea gravel

I'd have thought you want something that will lock together and compact
to a firm base, like MOT1 this side of the pond. Crushed stone straight
from the crusher, so 20 or 40mm down to dust, compacted with a
vibraplate.

Yep:

http://www.pavingexpert.com/subbase.htm

Really for a drive than patio but you still need a good base.

--
Cheers
Dave.

On Tuesday 14 May 2013 10:16 Dave Liquorice wrote in uk.d-i-y:

On Mon, 13 May 2013 20:48:30 +0000 (UTC), Jules Richardson wrote:

a) What's a good type of gravel to use? ISTR local concrete firm
suggesting pea gravel

I'd have thought you want something that will lock together and compact
to a firm base, like MOT1 this side of the pond. Crushed stone straight
from the crusher, so 20 or 40mm down to dust, compacted with a
vibraplate.

I agree. Pea shingle is noted for being able to move easily - the last thing
you wnat for hardcore. This is why pea shingle is poured around drain pipes
- to allow them to be free of ground movement.

Yep:

http://www.pavingexpert.com/subbase.htm

Really for a drive than patio but you still need a good base.


Indeed. Even if a patio will not see much load, ants are little buggers at
rearranging what's under the flags if it's just soil and sand. They love it
- roofed house I suppose...

3" of MOT/ballast whacked down should be enough for light use.

--
Tim Watts Personal Blog: http://squiddy.blog.dionic.net/

http://www.sensorly.com/ Crowd mapping of 2G/3G/4G mobile signal coverage

Reading this on the web? See:
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On Tue, 14 May 2013 10:39:40 +0100, Tim Watts wrote:

Indeed. Even if a patio will not see much load, ants are little buggers
at rearranging what's under the flags if it's just soil and sand. They
love it - roofed house I suppose...

Ants? What are they, haven't got ants aroud here. And with Jules's
winters being harder than ours he might not have them either...

--
Cheers
Dave.

On 13 May, 21:48, Jules Richardson
wrote:
Right, I've had three pallets of patio blocks sitting around since last
year, and I really must get around to doing something with them...

I'm assuming a layer of sand (about an inch) immediately beneath the
blocks (and a layer of weed matting) - then x inches of gravel.

a) What's a good type of gravel to use?

None. Do it properly with well compacted "hard core", see
http://www.pavingexpert.com/ for the correct terminology.

MBQ