Re: Back on the Patio

Do you know Meg - I was just thinking the same!

Re: Back on the Patio

O.K, what a debacle, I wrapped this Soakaway in weed inhibitor fabric on the pretext that it would stop ingress of silt and allow water out. Wanting to cover all angles, I phoned the manufacturer of the fabric to check it was water permeable, they said it was, but check a sample to check the discharge rate. I did this after installing the Wrapped Soakaway, and no water passed through, so in effect I had installed a tank, not a drain, so I had to pierce the membrane, to let water out, this involved hammering a 15mm copper pipe through each section of the plastic matrix of the Soakaway, 256 times as it happens, take note Realspeed, this is extreme DIY.

Re: Back on the Patio

Soakaway now concreted in, and linear drain installed above, a small section of fence to move and 8.75 Sq Mtrs more of concrete sub base to build up, and bingo, slabs can be laid. If this house is ever sold, and the new owners decide to change the patio area, I would love to see them try, they will need a JCB with Jackhammer attachment.

Re: Back on the Patio

Do you have a lot of trouble with dwarf's breaking into your patio? or are you trying to keep them in?

Re: Back on the Patio

Neither, I am hoping to coat them in Velcro, and throw Dwarfs at them.

Re: Back on the Patio

Slabs are finally being laid, cut off work early today to do some of the slabs that require cutting, got the transformer out (it weighs a tonne) plugged the extension in, got my Angle Grinder and noticed the disc needed changing, got the special disc wrench onto the nut, but do you think it will move, No, I have actually bent the pins on the wrench, and have had to order another one off Ebay, what a waste of half a morning.

Re: Back on the Patio

Those wrenches for angle grinders are not made from the best of metal Spitty, my one bent the two spikes and they broke off, I had a few flat steel rods and some heavy steel round wire so I cut two spikes off the wire, cut a rod to a good size for gripping and drilled holes of the same diameter as the wire then soldered them in to make a decent wrench, I've had it for years now.
Shame half a day was wasted for you, but I find it's alway the things you least expect that hold you up.

Re: Back on the Patio

The piece de resistance, two steps were created in block Pavers, one to the French Door into the living room, and one to the French door to the Conservatory. I noticed that particularly in Asian households, the threshold step was tiled, so I thought it would be a nice touch to tile these two steps, so off I went to Topps Tiles. I needed about one square metre of tiles for both steps, so I had a figure of about £30 quid in mind, I asked what tiles were suitable for outside use, Porcelain was the answer, one metre = £59, next I asked what fixing material was needed for exterior use, cement based was the answer, £28 per bag, finally I asked, what finishing trim could withstand the elements, stainless steel, £22 per length (2 needed), so £131 quid later for two small steps, enough is enough, no more.