I have been given two basic recommendations for laying a patio (circular nature stone, with curving path of stone paviors laid in stretcher bond):

1. Lay on compacted soil, 100 mm compacted hardcore, followed by 50 mm of 5:1 sand and cement mix, and then jointed with mortar mix.

2. Similar, but use ballast rather than sand for the natural stone to create a concrete bed rather than a sand/cement.

Any comments on which is the better approach?

Andrew.

Andrew Haylett wrote:
I have been given two basic recommendations for laying a patio (circular nature stone, with curving path of stone paviors laid in stretcher bond):

1. Lay on compacted soil, 100 mm compacted hardcore, followed by 50 mm of 5:1 sand and cement mix, and then jointed with mortar mix.

2. Similar, but use ballast rather than sand for the natural stone to create a concrete bed rather than a sand/cement.

Any comments on which is the better approach?

Andrew.

I have used 3" of 8:1 sand and cement mix directly on top of a
clay soil. Still flat after 30 years. Only problem is the ants
excavate some of the sand and the odd slab needs resetting every 15 years.

On Wednesday, 13 April 2016 00:19:01 UTC+2, Andrew Haylett wrote:
I have been given two basic recommendations for laying a patio (circular nature stone, with curving path of stone paviors laid in stretcher bond):

1. Lay on compacted soil, 100 mm compacted hardcore, followed by 50 mm of
5:1 sand and cement mix, and then jointed with mortar mix.

2. Similar, but use ballast rather than sand for the natural stone to
create a concrete bed rather than a sand/cement.

Any comments on which is the better approach?

See www.pavingexpert.com. As a general rule of thumb, if you follow his
advice it will be built like a brick ****-house. If you are happy with a
lower quality finish, you can afford to skimp.

On 4/13/2016 1:10 PM, Martin Bonner wrote:
On Wednesday, 13 April 2016 00:19:01 UTC+2, Andrew Haylett wrote:
I have been given two basic recommendations for laying a patio (circular nature stone, with curving path of stone paviors laid in stretcher bond):

1. Lay on compacted soil, 100 mm compacted hardcore, followed by 50 mm of
5:1 sand and cement mix, and then jointed with mortar mix.

2. Similar, but use ballast rather than sand for the natural stone to
create a concrete bed rather than a sand/cement.

Any comments on which is the better approach?

See www.pavingexpert.com. As a general rule of thumb, if you follow his
advice it will be built like a brick ****-house. If you are happy with a
lower quality finish, you can afford to skimp.

Beat me to it! Laid indian sandstone last year on top of *very* well
compacted earth, minimum 50 mm ballast, then up to 50 mm of 5:1. Used a
plate compactor on the ballast.