I’ve finally got around to laying the slabs for our garden path. These are to replace the last bit of the horrible slabs the builders laid when the house was built in 2015. We have some better replacements

The original slabs are now lifted and the old bedding material is cleared away. The path slopes and will join up two bits of paving that are already redone. The sub-base looks good but will need topping up in places. There are around 40 45cm slabs to go down, with a 10mm gap for grouting (probably RomPox). They will be laid in pairs to make a 90cm wide path.

What can I do to make the whole process easier (bar getting someone in to do it)? I’ve learned from previous efforts that I should make sure the sub-base is level and even, i.e don’t compensate with extra bedding mix.

To keep me straight and level I’m thinking of running 4 lines start to finish to mark the edges of the slabs. Would hiring a concrete mixer actually make the whole process quicker? I’m hoping to complete it all in 2 days.

I’m favouring a 6:1 bedding mix as I used this before and it’s solid.

I own a concrete mixer so would definitely use it if I was doing this job, if that helps.

Get the wife to help. That is if she’s still available.

One thing that will speed it up is not leaving a 10mm gap. Aim for zero gap and they’ll lay faster and you won’t need to grout them (or re-grout them in a few years). Should be done in a couple of days easily. It’s easier with a mixer as its less effort, it’ll do the mixing while you are doing something else and you’ll get a better mix.

I bought a laser level to get the base laid, which saved me a day in getting everything flat.

We had concrete slabs moulded to look like stone – I would advise these need to sit for a long time so they are properly hard. Some were straight from the factory and were much more fragile.

@drinfinity

I’d been thinking of getting a laser level for general DIY. Do they work well enough outside though?

I’d been thinking of getting a laser level for general DIY. Do they work well enough outside though?

Not unless it is very expensive. The DIY ones aren’t bright enough to use in even moderate sunlight IME. They are still useful, you just can’t use them “live”. I usually put some stakes in the ground, then go out with the laser level at dawn/dusk and put a level mark on the stakes with a sharpie. You can then set up a level line with builders twine to actually work to in the day.

If it’s anything to be walked/driven on, make sure the base is epic.
This will make the job harder and slower, but last longer without going wobbly.
Dig out to 50cm, fill with a few layers of 3-4″ stones and infill with gravel/sand/ballast. Pack it down well ‘ard.
Then a gravel mix on top with dirt if you like, say a few inches deep.
Pack it down well ‘ard.
More sand on top, then lay the slabs on that.
Takes longer but solid as!
Don’t forget proper big kerbstones around the edge too.

As above. The established sub-base simplifies the job, assuming that it’s currently wide enough. I wouldn’t bother with kerbstones unless the levels demand them for appearance sake, just flaunch with concrete/mortar and consider a mowing edge if the lawn butts up
A 32mm 450×450 slab is maybe 14.5kg, so consider a slab lifter/carrier, either hire a vacuum lifter or buy a mechanical version. By the time that you’ve lifted each slab a couple of times to adjust, avoided trapped fingers, etc, it’ll be worthwhile 🙂

I think if you struggle to lift 14.5 kg and need to hire a vacuum lifter etc outdoor manual work might not be for you Timba

I’m assuming that there’s a 🙂 missing 🙂
If you’re not used to it, or not as able, then repetetive lifting of 40 slabs, repositioning, etc will hurt. Finger trappage is a pain too, especially if you don’t leave a mortar gap (and I wouldn’t for ease, just brush a dry mix in)
A 32mm thick slab is the thin end, a 50mm slab will weigh 23kg and you can buy 70mm slabs in 450×450 at 30+kg? each. A typical bag of sand is 25kg by contrast and you can’t drop a slab from waist height like you can a bag of sand 🙂

Laying garden path slabs– how to make it easier and quicker

Something in the evening meal that will make them go off in their sleep seems easiest, quickest and kindest I’d have thought.

I’m quite a way through this job now and to be fair to @timba some sort of lifting device would have be useful at times! The 35mm, 450 x 450mm slabs felt light at the start…

Whacker plate to get things nicely compacted ftw.

I feel your pain OP.

I’m on the last day of our patio replacement. 40m2 dug out by hand to 200mm and barrowed off site into skip, 100mm MOT1 to replace, whackered down, 60mm lean concrete mixed and barrowed and wackered, sub base SBR slurry, then 900x600x20 porcelain slabs bedded on 5:1 with SBR add mix all mixed on site in small rear yard.

I reckon if you add the 16 oak sleepers I built the raised areas with, I’ve handled around 50t of materials. Due to delivery cock-up, I had to fetch and handball everything. Luckily I have a trailer so the quarry could drop the gear straight from the dozer. I do also have a mixer and a vacuum lifter, you don’t want to be mixing much by hand in a barrow, it soon wears thin.

It’s been a good week of hard graft and I’d like to say I slept well at night, but it was mostly thinking about calculations for materials and how I was going to problem solve! Luckily the weather has been fairly kind for the laying part, as it was pissing down whilst I was digging out.