Creating a fall / slope on garden patio...

Why should the soil underneath be level???? It should be dug out to suit the finished levels, so you have an even over all depth of materials.

The fall required is determined by the type if paving, smooth surface finish requires a lot less fall than say a imitation York stone finish.

1 in 10 is very shallow for any paving, 1 in 6/7 is more like it for a smooth paving.

 

That's a relativity cheap slab that's very expensive on that site, I would be looking more around the £14.00/15.00 M2 for it.

You can buy real Indian sand stone for less than that, though its not so easy to lay due to various different thicknesses of the slabs.

I would lay that slab with a fall of 50mm in every 3 metres.

As for getting you dig out to the right levels, take the top surface off all over so you are below the finished level, then knock pegs into the ground to your required finish level, then when you dig out you can measure down from the pegs to the depth you want, if this is a patio you want 100mm of Type 1 hardcore well compacted, then a 30mm bed of mortar plus the slab thickness, 35mm I think they are.

So 165mm in total, make sure your pegs are long enough for the dig out.

 

Like your profile name by the way, I'm thinking it a Triumph bike.

 

A Triumph T 100

 

Not knowing where you are its hard to recommend a particularsupplier, but try builders merchants like Jewsons, Selco, Travis Perkins, or even a local supplier.

 

Some builder merchants like Jewsons offer a cash trade account for anyone who is undertaking a home improvement project, so prices are abit cheaper.
Also try family run/ independant builder merchants in your area, some put the bigger merchants to shame for customer service & prices.
Quite few merchants have summer offers on paving, which end around September.

 

Is it possible for you to have the slope run both ways from the centre? You have the centre column level, then run off each side 30mm to edge. Another way is to have the run straight out the 12.5ft and a drain channel to finish.

And a tight piece of string is dead straight!

Mr. HandyAndy - Really

 

Usually there is a fall on a patio to stop rainwater pooling.

 

Maybe frost damage to mortar joints,sometime slabs depending on quaility.

Phil will be around later to add his views.

 

The 50mm in 3 metres I suggested will to the eye look flat, but will save pooling, pooling becomes a minor problem in the winter, if the water freezes.

1. Its slippy so dangerous

2. Could cause damage to the slabs.

 

Didn't expect you that quick...

Great minds think alike.

And if your having borders, then plants can hide any slope.

 

You don't have to get the dig out perfect, I doubt many professionals do, but if you've half half an eye for things you will see it as you go.


Be brave and get on with it.

 

That's a much better slab than your fist choice, you can lay them either way, butt jointed is less work obviously, but you will get the odd weed in the joints due the seeds that blow in the wind settling on the paving and growing in the slit that will eventually be in the joints.

Laying a full bed is harder than it sounds due to you having to get it perfect.

I always lay the mortar around the perimeter of the slab and then a blob in the middle, this allows somewhere for it to spread as you tap the slab down, also if your doing a 10mm joint the mortar comes up into the joint as you tap the slab down, leaving you less to do when you joint it.

Lay the slabs on a sharp sand and cement mix of 4.1 with plasticiser.