Base for patio

[Froglet]

Probably basic questions but never done this before...

I've got the bit of my garden seen in the attached image almost ready to put down some click deck (like laminate for decking) and have two questions

1. Although the ground is mostly level I need to flatten it out. I'd rather not have to hire a whacker plate so what's the best way to level/flatten it?

2. I've got gravel, sand and weed membrane ready for the sub base but what's the best order to put them down in? Gravel, sand and then weed membrane or weed membrane first?

I suspect both my questions may have the same answer regarding leveling using the sand rather than trying to level the earth, but I've never done anything like this before so a bit stuck!

The patio area will only really be used in the summer when it's dry, as it will have patio furniture on it

Thanks in advance

 

[Doghouse Riley]

Each to their own, but that's not the way I'd build a patio.

When we bought our house, I replaced a patio which was just large pavingstones laid straight on the ground.

We have a crazy York stone patio. Mostly large pieces.

I didn't want something which would require much maintenance.
I had a concrete raft laid by a contractor (35 years ago) and I laid the patio on top of it myself, ensuring I got the falls right, away from the house and to the border on each side.
Apart from an occasional bit of pointing after jet washing it. It's been fine. It'll be fine for another thirty years or more.
I don't give it much thought.

These photos are twenty years apart.

 

[Retired]

Hi,

Welcome to the forum Froglet.

It's entirely your choice what you decide to do but I agree with Doghouse who's patio looks good after many years of use.

Our patio also is very low maintenance but I laid very heavy 3' x 2' x 2" flags to match the paths around our bungalow; unlike Doghouse though I bedded our flags onto a mortar mix 1 Portland cement 5 sand; it was back breaking work but well worth it and it's been down 19 years still looking like new.

Kind regards, Colin.

With a bit of imagination a patio can be made into something a bit special but it depends on time and budget; the dry stone wall was very near the bungalow so I dug out tons of wet clay and rebuilt the wall further back adding new steps allowing the patio to be laid. Picture taken from the kitchen window.

No light jobs here more digging out then this 42' long pathway was laid it being a huge job on my own working constantly on the slope; I did this the year after laying the patio and it's made a tremendous difference to access to our rear door replacing 9 steps. Before doing any job I do lots of research and look for best options; saving lots of money on labour costs I can afford to buy best materials so only do a job once.

I made this pair of flag lifters because I didn't want to lose fingers handling these heavy flags; I lay each flag at an angle clear of the mortar on wooden supports then straddled each flag simply using the lifters to quickly lay the flag into position.

Night vision CCTV showing one of three badgers who visit nightly.

Another picture of the patio. It's worth noting that where possible leaving gaps for mortar joints means a flag can be lifted at a later date unlike middle flags which are butt jointed.

 

[Froglet]

Thanks everyone so far for the detailed answers but nothing really answers my question.

We've already got the click deck as we specifically didn't want paving and wanted composite decking, so my question is about the best way to lay the base for this type of patio

Thanks!

 

[Retired]

Hi,

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Ewan]

Hi I recently laid a patio on my canal bank so no permanent structure as it belongs to waterways.
So I used sleepers to fence the sand in. In answer to your question membrane then gravel then sand. Once you have levelled the sand saturate it with water and it will self compress.
Ewan