I need to put a gravel path down in the garden.
I plan to put black anti-weed material down first, then a material to sit the slabs on.
Please can someone remind me what material I need to bed the slabs into?
Is it coarse sand?
(The path is going to be very low footfall, and needs to be done on the cheap)
Thanks.
Sharp sand IIR (but I might be wrong - haven't done one for nearly 2 years). Get a decent weed-proof membrane or you'll be forever plucking them out. I take it you're creating a gravel path with slabs here and there?
Yes that's it, a gravel path with the odd slab.
Cheers.
Old carpet is good weed protection provide you clean it with soap first.
Sharp sand to bed in slabs.
smile nicely at your postman , Royal Mail sacks make an excellent heavy duty weed membrane.
alternatively get some of this , http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Ground+Maintenance/Landscape+Fabric/d250/sd3225 .
That stuff they sell at B&Q type places is next to useless.
I always use drymix for bedding in slabs. 8:1 sand cement. Goes hard when it drys and stops the sand being washed away in heavy rain
Drymix sounds interesting, can I get it ready mixed?
lay lots of salt on the ground then a carpet or membrane, more salt and then sand
Drymix sounds interesting, can I get it ready mixed?
Doubt it. Just get a bag of cement from wherever you get the sharp sand. Sand into wheelbarrow, cement on top, mix in wheelbarrow with spade/shovel
Just laid a lovely patio, and drymix is perfect. You must use sharp sand though. I did hire a cement mixer due to the amount (1.5 tonnes!!).
Just mix it up in a wheelbarow. You'll only need it under the slabs.
If it's just onto sand, has to be sharp sand, if onto concrete then 8:1 sharp sand:cement (just been using the latter to extend some slabs under a shed, the recommendation I found was >40mm thick)
you can but dry mix but why pay those prices, its not difficult to put a few shovels of sand in a wheelbarrow then a shovel of cement then a few shovels of sand.... I would however spray with weedkiller first of all (the ground not the dry mix!!) If you are sure that its going to stay as a path and not be planted again in the next few years then buy the strongest you can get, one that lasts 5 years, even with your anti-weed material they will still come through, maybe not this year, but they will
Cheers