Paving - levels?

Get two glass bell jars, some clear plastic tube, some water and red vegetable dye.

The level in each jar will (slowly) level out, i think this is much more accurate than spirit levels, you can put little marker sticks around the garden and mark the level on them (though it can take hours/days)

It worked for the egyptian pyramids!

But maybe there should be a slight slop on your patio to drain it.

mo wrote:

Water level and wooden pegs (or profiles)?

Or just buy a water level ready made

you can get laser levels for very little now, even poundland had some for =A31. Personally I'd rather work with a water pipe, but either would do. Laying out a garden with a spirit level would, I'd expect, produce significant inaccuracy.

NT

Wouldn't recommend the laser levels for outside work though. I got a set from Screwfix, and ended up going back and buying the water level. Couldn't see the line unless it was extremely dull!

SantaUK wibbled:

No indeed. I have a Stanley self levelling laser and it's a real boon indoors - but until dusk approaches it's nigh on impossible to see outside.

You can get superbright green ones, but they're not cheap.

A rotating red laser would work better than mine though, with the speed set on dead slow.

string always worked for me.

tow stakes on the ground, tension string between, use long level just touching..if very long sight along string and prop at intermediate places.

Knock in some posts in daylight, set up cheap laser level, level. Wait till dusk. Walk about with felt tip marker marking the level. Wait till morning. Saw off posts at marks.

Anyway, that's what I'd do, 'cos I've got a cheap laser level.

Oh yes, and don't forget the 'fall' to a drain, or you'll be cursing the puddles forever.

R.

Put reflective tape where you are shining the laser. I've done that and it works.

Matty F wibbled:

Good tip - I'll try that :)

But don't forget you probably need planning permission if it goes into a drain these days. You don't if it goes to a soakaway.

Nobody has commented on my belief that a patio shouldnt be level, it should slope slightly away from the house for drainage...

Only if it goes into a foul drain.

The word 'drain' has a lot wider application than you seem to understand.

This is what WE call a drain:

The word drain appears to have implications you fail to understand. recent planning changes have been made so that surface run off doesn't get into the drainage system as fast. As I said you may require planning permission to drain paving into a drain.

"You will not need planning permission if a new or replacement driveway of any size uses permeable (or porous) surfacing which allows water to drain through, such as gravel, permeable concrete block paving or porous asphalt, or if the rainwater is directed to a lawn or border to drain naturally."

I had a spare 2 metre length of 4x1 to which I duct taped a 15mm block at 1 metre from one end and a 30mm block at the other end. I made some wooden spikes out of some branch cuttings and hammered them into the ground at 1 metre intervals using the spirit level to make sure they had the correct 'fall' for water to drain. If I want a non falling level, I turn it upside down.

Note the use of the word 'drain'. Drains are not all drains.

But what's the case where you don't need a drain at all, as your deeds contain the right to discharge surface water onto the public highway? Hence why our drive slopes away from the drain at the corner of our house, so there can never be pooling against the house wall.

SteveW

But make sure the fall is slight or you can end up with a lot of stuff to remove by the time you get to the furthest point.