Laying paving tiles do it yourself
Have a desire to improve the yard? In this case, you should understand how to organize the laying of paving slabs. It may seem to you that it will take a lot of time and effort, however, in fact, everything is quite simple. You can pave paths literally over the weekend, and you don’t even need a handyman. Today, there are many types of pavement paving tiles, so choosing the right color and texture will not be difficult.
Deciding on a tile. We collect the tool
Making a choice of a tile, be guided not only on the preferences, but also on operational properties of a material. What part of the yard do you need to equip? Ask the manufacturer: can paving tiles withstand heavy equipment, such as a car? Or is it designed solely for the weight of the person? This is important, since the path along which your car will drive must be particularly durable, unlike the ordinary garden path, on which only the human foot will walk.
To successfully pave paving tiles you will need the following tools and building materials:
- Cord-order.
- Master OK.
- Kayanka of wood or metal.
- Manual or mechanical tamper.
- Building level.
- Pipe of any diameter or I-beam.
- Wooden or metal pegs.
- Broom and rake.
- Sand and cement.
- Watering hose or watering can.
Before you buy the right amount of tile for the pavement, calculate the dimensions of future paths and platforms, as well as consider the layout of the site. To do this, you may need a track drawing. The easiest way to create it, is to move the plan of the territory adjacent to the house on graph paper, and then draw on it the intended tracks.
It is very important that the paths of paving slabs are paved under a certain slant, with a calculation of 0.5 cm per meter. Thus, water will be freely diverted to lawn or wells.
Mark up the area of paving
Once the drawing is ready, and the necessary building material and tools purchased, you can begin to mark the tracks and platforms.
Try to stick to the created project as accurately as possible. If we are talking about the paving of paving slabs in the garden, it is better to make the path winding.
To avoid cutting tiles, make the length and width of the paving plane multiple of the tile size itself. So you can make a more durable pavement. Then mark the tracks. Use pegs, tape measure and cord. Do not forget to leave a margin corresponding to the width of the border. Now you should dig a small ditch around the perimeter.
Walk along the intended route and consider whether such moves are completely suitable for the site. Then you can proceed to the next stage.
Getting to the arrangement of the base
First of all, it is necessary to remove garbage, stones and a layer of sod from the marked area. To level the area of the outlined tracks, you should remove excess soil in elevated places and sprinkle it on the hollows. In the process of work, do not forget about the slope necessary for the flow of rainwater. It is better to make it to the side of the street, and not to the house. Level the base using a rake. Then tamp it down. If you have to work with soft soil, then dampen it with water before tamping. This will help you to avoid uneven subsidence of paving slabs.
Calculate the depth of the base with a margin, because in the compaction process there will be a shrinkage of the pavement. Usually for paving tiles do 20-30 cm recess, based on the layer of sand and the thickness of the tile. The angle of the track can be longitudinal, transverse or longitudinal-transverse. At this stage, if there is such a need, carry out all communications. In order to avoid the growth of weeds, before laying in the sand, lay geotextiles on the base.
Now you need to measure the height of the sand mound, which can not exceed 7 cm. Stretch the cord between the stakes. Pour sand over the entire area of the track, and then level it using a rake. Fill it with water, and so that it formed a puddle. If you are lucky and this day is sunny, then you can begin leveling the surface after 3 hours, make it a profile. When the weather is gloomy, the alignment should be started only after a day. As a result, you should have a smooth and even surface.
In the next step, you need to prepare a sand-cement mixture in a ratio of 8: 1. The height of this mixture should not exceed 4 cm. For convenience, measure the height of the mixture at the pegs and pull the cord again. Fill it up and level the plane using a channel. As a result, you should get a flat surface again. Tamper each layer thoroughly!
Set the curb. We lay tiles for the sidewalk
Even at the marking stage, you had to dig a trench around the perimeter of the walkway. Thus, you can emphasize the accuracy of the geometric shape of the laying area. The ditch should fit 40% of the entire height of the curbstone, where the five-centimeter layer of sand at the base of the trench is also taken into account. To improve the strength of the curb, install it on the concrete solution, carefully pouring the base.
And again, before embarking on the process of laying, you should pull the cord along the chamfer, at a predetermined height. Start laying paving stones from the curb. Pay special attention to the first row, strictly adhere to the height of the cord. Stick to the diagonal direction. In order to avoid stabbing the base by the handler, start the work “from yourself”.
Strictly monitor the density of the fit of the tiles, not allowed gaps more than 2 mm. Of course, cornering and bending to meet these requirements is impossible, however, and here you need to make the minimum gaps. Press each tile firmly to the base, for this you can use a rubber mallet.
When paving paving tiles, you can use crosses, this will allow you to create perfectly even gaps between them. If in the process you notice irregularities, then, using a trowel, remove or, conversely, report a layer of sand under the tile and tamp it down. To carry out these processes, use a mallet and building level.
When the installation is complete, check the track for any irregularities. If they are, then immediately eliminate the shortcomings. Now pull the crosses out of the gaps and sprinkle them with a mixture of sand and cement. Sweep paths and water them. Re-conduct the inspection of the masonry, and if the solution in the joints has subsided, then add it until it is completely filled.
It is unacceptable to use sand with impurities of salt, because in the course of operation white lines will appear on paths and platforms, which will spoil the appearance of the masonry.
Now the laying of paving tiles completed! After three days, you can begin active exploitation of new tracks! Now you can think about the basis of the business, because you have already received a certain amount of knowledge on the paving of paving paths!
Have experience in working with tiles for laying sidewalks? Have you had any difficulties in the process of work? What helped to cope with them? Have you come up with an innovative laying method that simplifies the process? Share your experience with us! We appreciate your skills and work! Write your comments on the article.
Video
How to lay the pavement in a string, you can see below: