A little paving goes a long way

Published: 27th November 2009

If you are tired of your lawn and want to add a bit of versatility to your garden then it might be a good idea to build yourself a patio. A patio can really help you to get the most out of your garden, allowing for more potting options and neater garden furniture areas as well as helping to split the garden up into attractive sections.

The simplest way to install a patio is, naturally, to have someone else do it for you, but that won't be cheap and if you're keen enough you will be able to do it yourself. Beware, though: building a patio is not for the faint hearted.

Before getting started you need to prepare the ground where your patio will lie. Clear the area completely, even of weeds, and make sure you have created a level surface for the flags. It's worth locating any underground cables with a cable locator, so hire one and make a note of the areas they are hidden under. Before laying any flags you must create a blueprint of your patio. Don't go over the top with your design, you don't want to get halfway through and realise you've set yourself too much of a task. If you're putting your patio next to your house, then give it a 1/100 slope so that water will drain off towards the garden.

Once the planning is taken care of you are ready to lay some stones. A four inch layer of hardcore provides a good foundation for the flags, so lay this first. Follow your design when placing your flagstones. If you change your mind at any point, make a whole new design rather than playing it by ear.

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