Flagging Over Tarmac & Concrete

[Ste]

Hi there,

I'm looking to get our back 'garden' and side of the house flagged (plain 900x600x50 flags), and the entire space is around 85 square metres.

About 22 metres square of this space is where the garage currently is - I was going to knock it down, but wonder whether the concrete base/slab (which must be around 10cm thick) could be left down, or whether it's best to take that up too?

Likewise, another 25 metres square of this space is currently tarmac - are we best digging this up, or is this fine to be left down?

I'm thinking that it'd save a lot of work if we didn't have to dig these up, and they could act as the sub-base for the flags. We could then just put the sand straight onto them, then the flags onto that. But I don't want to make a mess of it if this is not a good idea - I'd appreciate any thoughts on this as I've never laid flags before.

Thanks for any advice,

Ste

[DIY]

The concrete and tarmac should provide a good base but whether you leave the concrete and tarmac in place depends on whether the final height with the new slabs on top will be OK, or whether it will be too high in relation to the level of the garden and all other structures that may be affected, including the damp proof course of your house. What will be the consequences of raising the level of this whole area by 50mm plus whatever you use to bed the slabs down on? Presumably the area could be raised by at least 75mm. As regards using sand, in my opinion you need to lay the slabs on wet mortar mix to ensure that they stay level and fixed in place in the years to come. Do you really want rocking and sinking slabs on your property? In areas where there is no concrete and tarmac, just soil, you need to construct a firm base using rubble/hardcore, pounded well down.

[The Medway Handyman]

Timber decking.

[Steve Walker]

Dave, are you sure you're not getting just a little OCD'ish..... :o)

[The Medway Handyman]

Might be if I knew what OCD'ish meant!

Look at the job though. 85 sq metres is multiple tons of hardcore & cement & slabs. Plus removing garage base & tarmac. Huge job, diggers, skips, mixers, wheelbarrows, multiple levels.

Timber decking is the way forward!!!

[Piers Finlayson]

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

The problem is decking, tarmac and concrete all look horrid. Flagstones (can) look marvellous.

[The Medway Handyman]

Me? Never confused!

[Steve]

Our back garden is quite small you know! 10 metres long and an average of 6.5 metres wide, plus 12 sq m down the side.

Ste

[Steve]

I've checked the damp proof course and we've got plenty of room for that and everything else, so I guess the slams and tarmac can stay!

As for the sand base, sorry, that was slip of the tongue. I meant the wet mortar mix or whatever is recommended on the Paving Expert website.

What is the tool that's required to pound down the rubble/hardcore? And you don't happen to know rough costs for hiring for the day do you? Also, is this tool needed to compact the web mortar mix too? We'd also need to hire a saw to cut the flags.

I'm starting to think that by the time we've hired the tools and cocked up the job, we may have been better off paying someone to do it for us!

Ste

[Steve]

Yes, love ice-skating with my normal shoes! ;-)

Ste

[The Medway Handyman]

Decking is NOT slippery!!!!!!!!!!!

Decking, decking, decking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[Andy Hall]

[Owain]

Owain

[The Medway Handyman]

I might be - if I knew what that meant :-)

[Steve]

decking from B&Q and it would get slippy before long; or I'd pay some local cowboy to come along and he'd install slippy decking for me!

Seriously though, I'd quite fancy decking, but only for smaller areas, not for the entire garden and side of house.

Steve