Re: Project patio stage 1

Thanks summer

Re: Project patio stage 1

Thanks Mups.

In answer to your question.
When you lay paving or build a patio you need a good solid base. To do this you usually water the sand/gravel and then pack it with a vibrator befor laying the paving or patio joists. If you don't then there's a risk that the base will settle and the paving or patio will become uneven. This is what happened with mine. When it was first built they didn't pack the base properly and over the years as the gravel settled one of the joists started to sag a bit forming a dip where rainwater collected and didn't run off because they hadn't left a gap between the planks and it became dangerous when it froze.

The joists weren't laid directly on the gravel because of the height difference outside between the back door and the ground. Instead the builder who did the original job used concrete bases to rest the joists on.

To raise the joist and level everything off I first removed all the planking and then used a long spirit level to find exactly where it was sagging. Once I'd found the spot I put the car jack on the ground next to the pillar underneath the joist and jacked it up until I could see it was level. Then I inserted thin metal plates between the joist and pillar until the gaps were filled. When that was done I could take out the jack and replace the planking with a gap between each plank to allow run off.

So that's how I did the job

Re: Project patio stage 1

A good job well done Ullabi.. 👍

Re: Project patio stage 1

Following on to my answer to Mups.

We get the progamme Garden Rescue on TV here. They do everything in a short time and one thing has me wondering.

They often lay paving or decking but you never see them water and pack the base, they just shovel it out and level it off. I wonder how long it takes before the base settles and the decking and paving become uneven and need relaying?

But then of course they're on a limited schedule and speed is of the essence.

Re: Project patio stage 1

Following, I haven't a clue about gardening, so love your posts. Want to think about sorting some sort of patio area next year, as mine is just bad.
It all looks great.

Re: Project patio stage 1

Thanks Teacup. A lot of work has gone into getting it like this. Now all the major jobs are done - until I come up with a new project it’s just maintenance

Re: Project patio stage 1

Thanks for explaining about the levelling, Ullabi.
Not an easy job by the sound of it, so well done.