Garden
planning
Page: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7  Print this page
 back to Garden Surfaces
Step: 1 Measure
out the edges of the proposed area and mark them with string lines tied between
wooden pegs driven into the ground.
Step: 2 Level
the site. This includes removing all vegetation and at least some
topsoil.
If your patio is to be laid next
to the house, it must slope away from the building in order to shed
rainwater.
The ideal slope or 'fall' for a
patio is 1:60 - that is a 16mm (5/8 in) drop in level for every metre (3ft)
distance from the house wall.
Step: 3 To
ensure an accurate fall, cut a number of softwood pegs 300mm (1ft) long.
Measuring from the top of each peg, mark them with the depth of the foundations
- 50mm (2in) in firm well-drained soil and 100mm (4in) in clay or peat-rich
soils - plus the thickness of the paving.
Remember that the patio must be at least 150mm (6in) below the
damp-proof course (DPC). Ideally, the paving should finish just below the level
of an adjoining lawn so that the grass can be cut without damaging the blades
of your lawn mower.
|
Hammer in a row of these
marker pegs across the high side of the site. The top of each peg should be
level with the top surface of the proposed foundation. These are your datum
pegs from which to gauge the slope of the patio.
To achieve the required fall,
nail a 16mm (5/8 in) thick block of wood to one end of a 1m (3ft) straightedge.
Place the other end of the straightedge on each datum peg and use it, with a
spirit level, to gauge the height of the next lower row of pegs - when the
straightedge is level, the tops of the pegs represent the required slope or
fall. Repeat this process across the entire area to be paved.
Use spirit level to
gauge the height of the next row of pegs
Step: 4 Excavate
the ground down to the level of the marks made on the sides of the
pegs.
Home | DIY books | DIY Projects | DIY Stores | Hire Equipment |
| DIY websites |Products | Trades people
Copyright © Help4diy.com®
All rights reserved
|
