How to Prepare Your Garden for Paving Slabs
To enhance the aesthetics of your garden, paving slabs are a great option to consider. They provide a polished look to your outdoor space along with practical benefits such as durability and ease of maintenance.
Before doing anything, it is essential to better prepare for it beforehand. Placing a slab in your garden without preparing any beds beforehand is a risky task to do. With reference to any other building project, it is also essential to lay a strong structure before placing the slab. And for that, here are some useful tips to prepare your garden for paving slabs:
To prepare the garden, there are two types of layers you need to take care of:
Sub Grade
The process of creating the subgrade is small but is the most essential part of preparing the garden for paving slabs, which starts by:
● removing any grass and vegetation from the garden on a priority basis as there is a high risk of them decomposing over time and creating a settlement in the garden.
● The second step comes with removing the topsoil, as it is considered highly organic material, and showing the subsoil which is also referred to as sub grade.
Note: Most gardens hardly contain 150mm of sub soil hence, it is pretty easy to remove it until a clear, firm, and more stable layer of subsoil starts showing.
Sub Base
The second step is to prepare a sub base for the paving slab, which is an essential part as it prevents the garden area from having any settlement in the future. There are a lot of materials available on the market for this process.
● You can use the highest available grade of sub base which is type 1 MOT (Ministry of Transport); it is best to avoid any voids in the sub base.
● You can also use ballast and crusher run, but they are not considered good for heavy traffic.
Note: The highest-grade base available is made of some specific mixtures of fines and solids, which are considered good for the base but allow for sufficient groundwater drainage.
Step-by-Step Procedure for Preparing a Garden for Paving Slabs
1. Decide On The Layout And Design
Firstly, you need to design the layout and design of your paver. Measure the area with a measuring tape or string and mark it down. Then try different layouts until you get the one finalized for your garden.
2. Clear Your Outdoor Area
Next, you need to clean your outdoor area well. Start with removing all the extra materials, such as any pot, table, or anything that can be an obstacle in paving. Use a shovel and a garden fork to remove any weeds from the ground, and make sure to clean the level. It's also important to ensure that the ground is level, as the uneven ground can cause your paving slabs to become unstable over time.
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3. Assess the Drainage System
The drainage system is the essential part to look for before preparing your garden for paving slabs. If your garden area is prone to flooding, you will have to ensure that you have an adequate drainage system beforehand. It can also include installing a proper drainage system in your garden.
4. Add A Layer Of Hardcore
After clearing the area and dealing with the drainage system, you need to take care of the hardcore layer of your garden to create a stable space for your paver. This could be made up of concrete, rubble, or any similar material. The hardcore should be spread out evenly across the area and compacted using a plate compactor or a garden roller.
5. Add A Layer Of Sand
Once the hardcore layer is placed, the next step is to place a layer of sand. It helps in providing an even layer for the paving. This provides a level surface for your paving slabs to sit on and also helps to absorb any slight variations in height between the slabs. It is essential to spread out the sand evenly across the area and level it using a rake.
6. Lay the Paving Slabs
With the groundwork in place, it's time to lay the paving slabs. Start at one end of the area and work your way across, laying each slab in place and ensuring it sits level with the surrounding slabs. Use a spirit level to check that each slab is level, and add or remove sand as necessary to adjust the height.
7. Secure the Paving Slabs
Once all the paving slabs are in place, it's important to secure them in place. This can be done using a mixture of sand and cement, which is poured over the slabs and allowed to set. Alternatively, you can use a special adhesive designed for paving slabs.
8. Finishing Touches
Finally, once the paving slabs are in place, you can add some finishing touches to complete the look of your new paved area. This could include adding edging stones or decorative gravel around the edges or planting some flowers or shrubs to soften the look of the paving.
Conclusion
To conclude, it is essential to plan everything carefully from start to finish to make sure that your paving slabs fit well in your garden area. We hope these tips help you prepare your garden for paving slabs.
MPG Stone is a renowned name in the industry, offering a wide range of tiles, slabs, and stones worldwide. You may contact us for Paving Slabs and Tiles.
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