This Ogmore-by-Sea garden is at the groundwork stage. The photo shows a wide area covered in compacted stone with timber boards set around its edges, brick walls and a timber fence behind, and a cement mixer and plate compactor standing at the back. The garden furniture is still in place, so the patio itself has not yet been laid.
The ground has been cleared and covered with a layer of crushed stone, and rows of timber boards mark the edges and the change in levels. At the back, an orange cement mixer, a plate compactor and a cut-off saw are ready for the next stage. A few loose boards, a rake and a shovel lie on the stone. A grey rattan sofa and table have been moved onto it, and a small shed stands against the brick wall.
A good patio is built from the ground up. The stone base is compacted in layers so it cannot settle, and the edges are held in place before any slabs go down. The surface is then set to a slight fall so rainwater runs away from the house. If the base is skimped, slabs crack or sink over time, so this is the stage worth taking time over, even though it is rarely the part anyone photographs.
Patio ConstructionWe cleared the old paving at the back of a Bridgend house, compacted the base and stacked new slabs ready for laying.
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Patio ConstructionWe laid new grey paving slabs in a narrow Cardiff garden, with timber-edged gravel beds and a membrane-lined side strip.
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Patio ConstructionWe replaced the front lawn of a red-brick terraced house in Neath with dark grey paving and a pale border of edging stones.
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All patio construction information →Tell us what needs doing and where. We will come back to you, or call 07766 919630 if it is urgent.