How Thick Does A Patio Need To Be

Thin Pavers Vs Thick Pavers: Is Thick The Real Winner

Even though 25-30 mm thick pavers are fragile, you can still use them for walkways, providing that their concrete base is a firm concrete slab rather than concrete pieces. As a matter of fact, thin pavers have the advantage of needing less work in order to establish them: you dont need to remove the original concrete to make way for the pavers. So, if you distribute weight across the thin pavers and the concrete slab below them, this will reduce the risks of getting cracks.

C A Layer Of Sand Mortar On Which The Slabs Are Laid

The mortar mix for paving slabs varies from company to company but this is how we do it. We use sharp sand or flooring grit. No soft sand, or builders sand is used in this bed.

The mix is 8 sand to 1 cement and it is mixed in a mixer, or by hand, so it is damp, not wet. The test we do is the same as the one we do when we are floor screeding.

A handful of the mix is squeezed. It should stay in one lump in your hand without any moisture seeping out. This is a damp mix. Laying it as a bed is dealt with later in this project.

Our patio mix is 8 sharp sand to 1 cement

Ordinary Portland cement is fine for patios

There are two types of bed used generally when laying patios. One method is called dot and dab where small heaps of mortar are laid under the slab. Usually one heap is laid in each corner and one in the middle.

We do not like, or use this method at all because after a huge rainfall it is possible for water to get through the patio joints.

When this happens, it is possible for running water to cut channels in the ground under the slabs which can undermine the dots and dabs and then makes the patio loose and wobbly.

With a solid bed under the slabs the water is restricted to the joints. With dot and dab there is no bed under the joints so when you point the patio, the jointing mixture just keeps disappearing into the void.

How Much Gravel Do You Put Under Pavers

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The best type of gravel for a paver base is medium 3/4-inch crushed rock. This gravel comes in irregular shapes with sharp edges that wedge together when compacted. Small gravel typically contains sand-like particles that compact into a dense base that won’t allow moisture to escape.

Secondly, how do you lay pavers with gravel? Spread gravel.Once pavers are in place, spread between 1 and 4 inches of your selected gravel to cover all base rock and surround the pavers. Rake smooth. The depth of the path area and base rock needed varies by region and specific site.

Thereof, do you need gravel under pavers?

Since there is no gravel base, it’s important to use a plate compactor to tamp down the soil before covering it with landscape fabric and a layer of sand. The sand layer must be screeded to provide a flat, properly sloped surface for the paver patio base panels. Lay the paver base panels over the sand bed.

How thick should the base be for pavers?

Ideal ThicknessPavers for most garden pathway applications should be 2 3/8 inches thick. The base, which is the area below the pavers, dictates the thickness specification. For example, an excavated soil site, coupled with crushed concrete and bedding sand, creates a paver base.

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Pouring Concrete Patio: What Could Go Wrong With Doing It Yourself

• Concrete Patio

So, youre ready to make this summer the year of outdoor fun in your backyard, and youve got a new concrete patio on your mind. Before you pour the concrete yourself, keep in mind there are practical, aesthetic, and safety concerns that come with any DIY concrete project.

The fact is, pouring concrete requires a good deal more knowledge and skill than other home exterior projects. Doing it right demands careful planning, as well as the proper materials and tools to avoid weakened concrete and an inevitable do-over. There are a number of things you need to carefully avoid in order to stay safe and prevent a DIY disaster.

Proper Construction For A Concrete Patio Or Slab

Forms:

A common mistake made by many a diy home handyman when making a concrete patio or slab as part of a home improvement is to skimp on the strength of the wood forms. Wet concrete is enormously heavy! Forms should be 2 inch thick lumber. If you are building a 4 inch concrete patio slab 2 x 6 lumber should be used for form construction. Around the perimeter of the form drive stakes into the ground at a minimum of every 2 feet.

Proper construction of the form to hold the concrete while it cures is shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4 – Concrete patio form support

The use of a form release agent / coating on the inside of the forms will allow you to release the forms from the concrete slab without having pieces of the slab break or chip off.

You can rent steel concrete forms from most construction rental operations. Steel concrete forms are easy to use and will not bow against the weight of the concrete.

Concrete Mix:

The is quite suitable for a patio. You may want to consider using a 0.5 water to cement ratio in order to create a concrete slab which is denser than a standard slab. The permeability of concrete draws moisture from the ground that it sits on. A 0.5 water to concrete mixture reduces the amount of water pulled out of the ground which reduces any efflorescence problems on the surface of the concrete. Overall this will increase the life of the concrete patio.

Joint Location and Depth:

Drainage:

It is best to use a laser level to align the forms for proper drainage.

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How To Lay A Patio

The sequence of events to ensure your patio is laid correctly is that first we establish whether its necessary to put in a hardcore or scalping sub-base.

We then excavate down to the correct level using the numbers we know. Start from the DPC.

We then have 150mm clear space, add to that the thickness of the slab, say 38mm, then the thickness of the mortar bed, 50mm and then the hardcore if we need it, 150mm.

This gives us a total depth, from the damp proof course of 388mm.

We can dig a trench about 300 mm wide along the house wall to that depth using a spirit level to keep the base level all the way along.

Dig a trench and put a wooden peg or a steel pin in

Level pegs or pins along trench

Pegs or pins all over garden

K Existing Ground Level

The existing ground level which has been dug out to accommodate the slope or fall of the patio and its base or bed. Obviously if left, this ground would fall away onto the patio.

The easiest way to tidy it up is to build a small retaining wall. The retaining wall however acts as a stop for all the water flowing towards the end of the patio so this is why the drainage gully or channel is required.

Use coping stones to throw water from masonry face

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How To Determine The Correct Thickness Of A Concrete Patio Slab

If you want to lay a patio using a type of concrete patio slab, then it is generally a good idea to begin the process by working out the thickness of the concrete slab that you will need for your patio. This can sometimes be a calculation, or it might be learning the type of thickness that your specific patio slab will need to be. However, knowing the thickness of your patio slab is vital to the project, as they can affect the size of the corner brackets and also how much concrete you will have to lay down in order to ensure that the slabs stay in position for years to come.

Work Out the Ratio

Before you can do anything else, you will need to work out the ratio of concrete thicknesses. The thickness of the slab will need to be slightly smaller than the area of the hole that you have dug into the earth to accommodate your slab. The depth of the hole will also have to be filled with gravel, a depth of about 4 inches is the industry norm. It is also considered acceptable to have a patio slab consisting of 50 percent concrete, and 50 percent gravel base. The half-and-half ratio makes it considerably easier to work out the correct ratio of your concrete. While digging the patio, you should also consider other options, such as the position of the concrete slab in relation to grass and soil.

Fitting Concrete into the Ground

Fitting Concrete Above the Ground

Considering Joints

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Proper Crushed Concrete Preparation

The crushed concrete base should be 4 to 6 inches thick. After leveling your soil for the walkway, spread a 2-inch-deep layer of crushed concrete across the site. Using a plate compactor, gently vibrate the multisized crushed concrete pieces. That task essentially locks the pieces into place. Add another 2-inch-deep layer of crushed concrete to the site, and compact the material again. Proper base installation creates a solid area for a level sand-and-paver top surface. Ground contours quickly appear at the paver surface level if the area below the pavers was not leveled or compacted correctly. Pavers may buckle and crack if the crushed concrete is not a solid base, even if you use the proper paver thickness.

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Do You Need Rebar For A 4

Rebar is not required for a 4-inch slab poured on grade. Since the slab will be sitting on top of the ground, not suspended as part of a structure, it does not require rebar. Rebar is used in more heavy-duty scenarios, where the concrete is suspended in the air, ground support may be compromised, or it supports the weight of a structure heavy objects.

Thin Pavers Vs Thick Pavers

Pavers that are typically just one to one and one-fourth inch thick can also be utilized, but you will need a concrete base that is made of concrete slab instead of crushed concrete. For instance, you can use an old concrete patio as your solid base before applying the bedding sand and pavers.

Further, with thin pavers, there is no need to take out the original poured concrete for the pavers to fit into place, as weight is already distributed across the pavers and concrete slab below. This will considerably reduce the appearance of cracks and damages.

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How Much Does A Concrete Patio Cost

• National Average: $2,532
• Typical Range: $1,533 to $4,740 or $4.40 to $16 per square foot
• Low End: $650
• High End: $8,050

The average cost for a poured concrete patio is $2,532. Most homeowners can expect to pay between $1,533 and $4,740 or between $4.40 and $16 per square foot for materials and labor.;

Prices will vary depending on your concrete patios design, durability, and location. A low-scale concrete patio project costs around $650, while large-scale concrete patio installation costs most homeowners $8,050.

How Thick Should A Concrete Patio Be

While the average slab thickness for a patio is 4 inches, you may not want to simply pour a four-inch slab and move on. Why not? The answer is simple: not every patio is built in the same conditions or holds the same amount of weight.

For example, if your patio will be holding up a heavy hot tub, jacuzzi, or outdoor kitchen, you may want to pour the concrete thicker in those spots. Similarly, if you are pouring concrete on a slope, youll certainly be using a higher slab thickness at the lower part of the slope.

Will you be decorating with simple, average furniture like chairs, an outdoor sofa, and an umbrella? Or, are you building an outdoor kitchen, complete with a brick pizza oven? Is your slab going to be on a hill or have a lot of water draining beneath it?

Knowing the answers to these questions will help you calculate the right slab thickness for your concrete patio! The type of ground youre pouring over doesnt matter too much, since youll prep the ground before your pour. What does matter, however, is how much weight your concrete patio will need to support!

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Cost Of Concrete Patio Vs Brick Pavers

The average cost of a poured concrete patio ranges between $4.40 and $16 per square foot. Brick pavers are a bit pricier, ranging between $10.08 and $19.33 per square foot.;

What are patio pavers? Pavers are individual cut blocks. They can be made of many different materials, including concrete, brick, or stone. Pavers are installed one by one to create a durable, interlocking system.;

Placing Concrete At The Proper Thickness

Thickness is the major factor in determining a driveway’s structural capacity. Place concrete at a minimum thickness of 4 inches. Increasing the thickness from 4 inches to 5 inches will add approximately 20% to your concrete cost, but will also boost your driveway’s load-carrying capacity nearly 50% , according to the Tennessee Concrete Association.

Also consider thickening the edges of the driveway by 1 or 2 inches to provide additional structural support in the area most likely to be subject to heavy loading. The thickened sections should extend in from the slab edge 4 to 8 inches.

Your local soil conditions and weather patterns may also require a thicker driveway slab. Contact a local driveway contractor for an expert recommendation.

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How Thick Should A Garage Slab Be

Your garage needs to hold a weight of your car, as well as tons of other car-related items that you store in a garage. This means a significant weight, so dont try to build concrete foundations for a garage that is less than 15 cm thick. This should be enough for a one-car garage.

If you are driving a truck or you want to have a double garage for two smaller cars,;the minimal thickness for your concrete slab is 20 cm. If you use your garage for large and loaded trucks, you will also need to seal your concrete and protect it from damage.

Building a garage is more complicated than building a shed and you need to check if you have the permit to do so. You can concrete garage foundations directly on your soil if you have sandy soil that drains well, but if you have clay or something similar, you will need at least 15 cm to 20 cm of gravel for the base.

Taking Insufficient Safety Precautions

Whenever taking on a serious DIY project, safety precautions should be considered. Pouring a concrete slab is a fairly safe process, but there are a few important steps to take to remain protected while mixing and pouring concrete. Wear long pants and sleeves. Use safety glasses and earplugs. Utilize alkali-resistant gloves and rubber boots.

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What Is The Ideal Thickness Of Pavers

The average thickness of pavers to be installed in most driveways and gardens is 2 and 3/8 inches . Some factors should also be considered; one of these is the base, which is the area beneath the pavers. For instance, you have a pave base if the base is an excavated soil site with crushed concrete and sand. If this is the case, you need pavers that are 2 inches thick at a minimum for effective weight distribution of your garage doors weight and damage prevention.

Applying thinner pavers just to save some dollars usually results in cracks, creating space for weeds to grow through and eventually populating the walkway.

How Thick Of A Concrete Slab Do I Need

Concrete doesnt need a standardized concrete patio thickness, although there are guides to concrete slabs. These will be 4-inch thick in many instances, which is now the average for most concrete patios.

It is advisable, however, to stick to 4-6 inches of gravel as your foundation. If you stick to the minimum of 4 inches thick, youll need an 8-inch pit as the minimum.

On occasions, you will find some patios require more concrete patio slab thickness and are often in high-traffic areas or will have heavy objects on them. A thickness of 8 inches may be more common than you think.

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How To Build A Concrete Patio

Create a prominent outdoor space with a strong and stylish concrete patio. The base of rigid patios can be constructed with mortared brick, mortared flagstone, tile, or concrete pad. Concrete provides a solid base beneath these materials. It also prevents them from cracking as the ground shifts from temperatures changes.

In most areas, a concrete patio begins with 4 inches of compacted stone. The difference is the depth you dig before you pour.

If you install a concrete patio, dig out a space 8 inches deep; 4 inches for the some, another 4 inches for the concrete, and another 2 inches to allow for mortar and brick.

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