Getting the Job Done with Construction Contractors

Your Essential Patio-Building Shopping List

8 September 2018 by Audrey Ramos

Patios are incredibly useful outdoor spaces, even if you only have the space to fit a fairly small one in your backyard. If there's room for a few seats and maybe a barbecue, it makes it a lot nicer to have guests over on hot days, and it gives you a comfortable place to relax on your own or with the family.

Building a patio is a fairly straightforward project, though not quite as simple as you might think. It's not a case of just placing paving stones on the ground, as even if they're cemented together, they'll shift over time and you may have a problem when it rains. Before you get your patio project underway, here are the supplies you'll need to buy.

Suitable slabs

Although there are some slabs intended specifically for use in building patios, you can realistically use any sort of flat paving or landscaping stone. Go for square or rectangular ones that fit together neatly without large gaps.

You also want to make sure your slabs don't have uneven surfaces or particularly raised textures that could cause people to trip over when your patio is finished.

Mortar mix

To keep your patio slabs joined together and fixed in place, you'll need to use mortar. Anything that's intended for patios or paving will be fine for this.

Some people use a coarse, dry sand as an alternative. While this does hold slabs in place fairly well, remember that it won't set firm like mortar, so you'll probably need to do so maintenance to keep them where they should be.

Sub-base materials

A sub-base is an important part of building a patio. It absorbs impact from people walking on the patio surface, and it also helps with drainage.

There are a number of things you can use as a sub-base, but your best bet is coarse gravel or small landscaping stones. Your sub-base needs to be laid underneath the slabs, topped with a fine layer of sand and pressed firmly into the ground before you lay the patio surface.

Optional decorative stones

If you want to avoid a plain patio and would prefer something more decorative, getting some attractive landscaping rocks and using them to create an edge can be very effective.

You can fix them in place with mortar if you like, but if you have a mix of different rocks, this can be difficult. The other option is to simply push them into the ground and half bury them, as long as they'll stay put.

Adding some nice stones to your patio can really finish the job, creating something you'll be truly proud to show off. For more information, contact local professionals like those found at Hayter's Timber & Paving.

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