Whether you buy individual stones to lay according to your own pattern or prefer to invest in a kit which features a set design, the appearance of a patio has the ability to revitalise the ambiance of any outside area. And, in addition to patios, you can use high quality pavers to construct a pleasing path or driveway that will enhance the character of your house.
Preparing The Site
Before you lay any slabs, dig out the area so it can accommodate a 75 – 100mm sub-base, 50mm of mortar and the depth of a slab. You can also lay weed control fabric under the slabs and don't forget that paving must be 150mm below the level of the damp course.
Patios should slope away from the house, falling 12.5mm for every metre. Keep checking with a spirit level as you go, leaving about 10mm between the stones and sweep in a dry mortar between the joints when you’ve finished.
If you are going for the kit option, remember that sand and cement aren’t included in the kits. It's also a good idea to lay the slabs out first to get an idea of the finished design. By doing this you’ll also make sure that there’s enough room and whether you'll need to cut any of the stones to fit.
Using Patio Kits
There's no doubt that patio kits make it easy for you to create circle, square and octagon designs together with eye-catching block paving either in a regular formation or a more random fashion.
Octagonal paving and those kits featuring a with a regular geometric pattern can be squared off if required and will look fabulous with a water feature at the centre. The paving resembles natural quarried stone and is available in many shades including a rustic sage, an autumn brown and a more modern nova graphite.
Abbey, Minster and Nova kits are made up of random paving shapes in a choice of colours, a collection of seemingly haphazardly laid stones creating such an appealing effect. The slabs can also be used to create paths and of course, each kit may be added to and a larger area of pleasing paving can be constructed.
More formal and with beautifully restrained colour, Natural patio kits using rainbow, silver grey, ivory or modac sandstone calibrated to 20mm and with sawn edges will form a very stylish and elegant paved area.
Either complimenting your garden landscape or using a contrasting design as a feature or centrepiece, patio kits guarantee results without the guesswork, they are most definitely the smart choice in more ways than one.