The technology of laying paving slabs on a sand cushion - photo, video. Putting the paving stones on the concrete Laying out the paving slabs yourself in detail

The extremely simple technology of laying paving slabs in the courtyard of a private house allows you to perform work by an individual developer without the involvement of specialists. It is enough to organize the slopes of the pavement, mount the storm drain, choose a rational layout scheme and the material on which the paving will be made, depending on the operational loads.

Before you start decorating the courtyard with curly elements of the FEM paving, you need to learn how to properly plan the relief of the site and reduce the budget for landscaping. FEM are a budget finishing option in comparison with asphalt concrete pavement, they allow to level irregularities by terracing and making slopes of 4-7 degrees, which are necessary for the gravity removal of rain and melt runoff.

To lay the paving slabs evenly and ensure the maximum coating resource, the following operating nuances should be taken into account:

Important! Stormwater drainage (point or linear) is necessary in any case, since FEM are made of concrete, rubber or polymer concrete, and all these materials retain moisture on the surface.

Paving the yard with paving slabs

Laying tiles in the yard should take into account the peculiarities of the technology:

Advice! It is better to count the number of paving slabs after marking the yard, taking into account the layout scheme, the presence of curved sections and retaining walls for terracing the site.

Yard markings

At this stage, it is necessary to beat off a single horizontal level of the yard, create slopes and outline the paving area with cords. To lay paving slabs on bulk mixes, you need a rigid base, preferably from soils with a minimum clay content. In practice, the developer faces the following problems:

The latter option automatically adds steps for the transition between the terraces. It is better to make them from FEM elements in order to preserve the unity of the style of landscape design.

Therefore, marking the yard is necessary to outline the paving area, from the surface of which the fertile layer will be removed and replaced with non-metallic material. For this, pegs or rags are used, the cord is pulled along the outer edge of the curbs or stormwater trays.

Base requirements

If clay is present in the soil, it will swell in winter and destroy the coating. On a fresh embankment, on the contrary, the soil will sag over time. Therefore, in the first case, part of the soil (upper 40 cm) is replaced with an inert material, in which there is no clay and swelling is minimized.

In the second version, black soil is also removed, but already to a depth of 0.6 m, a 15 - 20 cm layer of crushed stone is filled in and a 10 cm foundation is cast over the entire yard surface. Figured paving elements are laid on a layer of sand with a minimum thickness of 15 cm or a pavement (1/6 cement, sand, respectively) with a minimum thickness of 10 cm. All layers are compacted with a vibrating plate without fail.

Preparation of the mixture

You can lay the road surface on a mortar, dry mixture or clean sand. The first option is expensive, the coating has zero maintainability and is extremely sensitive to base movements. Gartsovka does not provide special advantages in comparison with clean sand, since for the normal formation of a cement stone, at least a minimum water-cement ratio is necessary, and not accidentally penetrated into the lower level of moisture.

Preparation of a gartsovka from cement and sand.

Curbs and storm drain

The resource and quality of paving directly depend on the technology of installation of storm trays and garden curbs. These elements are higher than the paving slabs, for them you will have to deepen the trenches around the perimeter of the paving area. When laying them on the base, the technology should be observed:

The laid curb is filled with soil from the outside, from the inside with non-metallic material (sand or crushed stone) in a single level with the surface of the underlying layer. Storm trays and storm water inlets are mounted at the lowest points of the paving area. To reduce the budget for the improvement of the territory, stormwater trays can replace the curbs on one side of the yard.

Laying solid tiles

Paving stones are laid on the manufactured base according to the following technology:

Rice. 8 Aligning the fretting rule

paving - according to the selected pattern and the scheme of laying figured paving elements, the paving slabs are mounted on leveled bulk material close to each other.

The rule is made from a flat dry edged board, in the lower part on both sides of which rectangular cuts are created with a hacksaw. Unlike tiles laid on glue, you can walk on paving stones immediately, so it is more convenient to work in front of you. This allows you to align the entire paving surface with the beacons and lay FEM elements in one step, which dramatically increases productivity.

Toolless laying of paving stones on leveled and compacted sand

Advice! With a high-quality alignment along the beacons of the hartsovka or sand, the paving slabs do not even need to be upset with a rubber mallet. After filling the seams, the entire surface of the FEM is leveled and compacted with a vibrating plate, saving the home craftsman from manual labor.

Trimming and filling seams

It is possible to do without cutting curly paving elements only in areas of the correct geometric shape, and even then, not for all FEM collections. Trimming of paving slabs is necessary at the abutment nodes:

at curbs, foundations, plinths;
near storm water inlets and at crossroads;
on radial, winding sections.

FEM cut is carried out with a diamond disc or tooling on a stone angle grinder. Unlike some curbs, paving slabs have no reinforcement, they are cut quite easily.

For some FEM modifications, manufacturers produce halves, which makes it possible to do without trimming.

At the last stage, the laid facing material must be additionally protected from displacement during operation. For this, the joints should be filled with quartz or quarry washed sand. The particles of these materials have a ragged edge, therefore they self-wedge inside the seams under their own weight, are not washed out by the rainstorm and are not blown out by the wind.

Backfilling of FEM seams.

Sand is poured in heaps over the paving area before the lining is compacted with a vibrating plate, swept away with a brush over the entire surface of the yard. Bulk material penetrates into the seams on its own, after surface treatment with a vibrating plate, the remains of bulk material are swept away.

Node of conjugation with blind area

If you plan to pave the entire courtyard with paving slabs, then the blind area is also decorated with this material by default. Therefore, it is necessary to take into account the nuances:

the width of the blind area should be 15 - 20 cm more than the projection of the roof onto the ground;
the slope of the blind area should be outward from the walls within 4 - 7 degrees;
the relief of the courtyard, in turn, may have a bias towards the cottage.

Therefore, a linear storm drain from surface trays should be mounted along the perimeter of the blind area. Or to ensure the drainage of wastewater from the waterproof surface of the concrete pavement to the point storm water inlets installed at the lower points of the yard, and organize the slopes of the paving stones in their direction.

The junction of the blind area and the sidewalk covering of the courtyard with stormwater elements.

Important! At the stage of manufacturing the underlying layer, drainage sewer pipes are laid from the storm water inlets towards the underground reservoir to receive and accumulate wastewater.

Thus, paving the courtyard with paving slabs on their own is not difficult for an individual developer, even on uneven terrain. It is necessary to take into account the composition of the soil and its bearing capacity, depending on the operational loads on this decorative coating.

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Relief is an important characteristic of the landscape adjacent to a residential building. It is he who determines the location of the gazebo, summer house, artificial reservoir, flower garden, garden or playground.

All this will be "connected" with each other by garden paths lined with paving slabs. The question arises: what to do if there is a slope when laying paving slabs? Let's figure it out in the article.

And how they do it and what are the advantages of paving paths on your site with bricks, you will find out.

Average slope

If laying tiles on small slopes is of practical importance, then on medium ones it is more of a decorative element: we are talking about garden paths. And here there are some peculiarities in carrying out earthworks, as well as in the process of the device itself.

The more steep the slope, the greater the likelihood of the paving "sliding". Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the soil under the paving stones from landslides. To solve the problem, it is recommended to use a special non-woven roll material made of polypropylene - geotextile (or geogrid).

Geotextile properties:

water permeability;
high strength;
prevents the displacement of soil layers during the descent of water;
high frost resistance;
aseptic: not affected by fungus, does not rot, does not decompose;
environmentally friendly: when strengthening the soil, it coexists well with any vegetation;
prevents wind erosion of the soil.

When laying paving slabs on slopes using geotextiles, earthworks are carried out to a depth that takes into account the thickness of the underlying layers and the height of the tiles.

You need to make a margin so that the edges of the tiles rise above the ground. This is about 20-50 cm.

The bottom and walls of the excavation are covered with geotextiles, on which fine crushed stone or gravel is laid, compacted and again covered with a geogrid. The side edges of the material are overlapped with curbs.

Laying paving slabs with a slope is carried out from the bottom point of the paving (against the movement of water). In the lower part of the paving, a concrete drain is provided, which will play the role of a bed stone, i.e. the first rows of tiles will rest on it.

The rest of the slope is carried out using the same technique as on a flat surface. For better fixing of paving elements, a mortar can be used instead of a cement-sand mixture.

Paving slabs are valued for their practicality, high strength, durability, resistance to moisture and temperature extremes. It does not emit substances harmful to humans when heated, like an asphalt pavement. The variety of shapes, sizes, colors and textures of road building material is amazing. By combining different types of products, you can create beautiful coatings. Laying paving slabs requires strict adherence to all building rules. If the paving technology is violated, the pavement quickly deteriorates.

It can be vibrocast and vibropressed. Products differ in manufacturing technology. Vibro-cast elements are created by tamping the solution on a vibrating table. In the manufacture of a vibropressed product, the mixture is subjected to vibration pressure. Vibro-compressed products have higher strength. Tiles are made from concrete mix and clay. Screenings of granite rocks and plasticizers are added to the composition. The most durable is granite tiles. It is made from natural granite.

Products can be diamond-shaped, hexagonal, rectangular, square and wedge-shaped. Popular curly material "Wave" (with wavy edges), "Clover" (with semicircular protrusions) and "Bone" (resembles a coil). There are many ways to lay diamond tiles (hexagons, snowflakes, stars). The rhombuses can be used to create a 3D effect.

To create garden paths near cottages and country houses, vibrocast tiles with a thickness of 40 mm are purchased. Vibro-compressed products can be laid on roads with heavy loads (squares, sidewalks). They must be at least 60 mm thick. If you plan to lay it outdoors on the roadway, it is better to use granite tiles. Heavy traffic of light vehicles will withstand the material with a thickness of 70-80 mm. If there are trucks on the road, the coating should be 100 mm thick.

Before buying, you need to evaluate the quality of the tiles. On its surface there should be no holes, notches and chippings. When the tiles are tapped against each other, a ringing sound should appear. If the sound is dull, you must refuse to buy the product. You should not buy brightly colored products, as well as those in which there are voids. To estimate the density of a material, you need to ask it to break. It is necessary to find out how smooth the surface of the product is. If the paving slabs lie on the table with all corners, lays down evenly and does not swing, it is of high quality.

Styling options

Before purchasing paving slabs, you must choose a laying option. On straight and level areas, it is easiest to follow a linear scheme. This technology for laying paving slabs is the simplest. It allows you to use material economically.

Linear layouts can be horizontal, vertical, straight, or offset. When the rows are shifted, the pattern of the coating resembles that of brickwork. If you use products of different shades, you can get the effect of a "caterpillar track". Rows of tiles are sometimes placed at an angle to the track line. This arrangement is called diagonal.

If a diagonal-angular layout is used, a herringbone or braid pattern is formed. To lay the herringbone, the rows of tiles are placed at an angle of 45 ° to the track line. "Braid" is paved, alternating horizontal and vertical laying. The diagonal angle pattern is highly durable. It visually reduces the space.

The tiles can be installed in modules of 2-3 elements. Combining 2 colors to create a checkerboard pattern. If you use elements of different sizes and shades, you get an original chaotic pattern. On the adjacent territory, a spiral layout looks beautiful. To create decorative circles, you need to purchase material with wedge-shaped elements. Artistic layout is made from products of different shapes and colors. Choosing the methods of laying tiles, one must take into account the design of architectural buildings and backyard territory.

Required materials and tools

To complete the installation work, you need to purchase tools:

Bayonet and shovels for excavation.
A rake to level the surface of bulk materials.
Stakes and rope for marking the site.
Rubber mallet for leveling the material (wooden mallet with rubber head).
Building level (1.5-2 m).
Roulette.
A brush or broom.
Stamping.
Rubber spatula.
A level bar for leveling the surface of the layers.
Grinder (diamond-coated disc).
Scrap to carry out the dismantling of paving slabs.

It is necessary to prepare curbs, sand, crushed stone (fractions 10-20, 20-50) or gravel, plaster mixture or cement (M400, M500). To strengthen the foundation of the covering, you will need a reinforcing lattice with cells of 10x10 or 8x8 cm. A laying machine will help to create a covering over a large area.

Marking future tracks

To lay out the tiles yourself correctly, you first need to make the markup. You need to start work near a building, fence or gate. You need to hammer 2 pegs near the structure. The distance between them should correspond to the width of the track. It is better to adjust the width of the cover to the size of the product so that you do not have to cut the material. Since the structure will be supported by curbs, it is necessary to leave space for them (10 cm on each side). The other 2 pegs are hammered near another building. 2 ropes are pulled between the pegs.

Laying of street tiles over a large area is carried out after it is divided into strips 1-1.5 m wide. If the road has bends, it is divided into small sections. The marking of each section is done separately.

Excavation and protective layer

The amount of excavation depends on the type of soil. If the soil is dense and clayey, it is enough to remove a layer 15-20 cm thick to remove the roots of the plants. When the soil is loose, it is necessary to remove a layer 30-35 cm thick. If you plan to lay paving slabs in winter, the paving trench must be prepared before the cold weather.

Sand is poured onto the surface of the trench. The sand is compacted together with the soil. So that the plant seeds remaining in the soil do not germinate and do not destroy the coating, a non-woven fabric is laid at the bottom of the trench. The strips of material should overlap each other by 15-20 cm.

Drainage device

Correct laying of the tiles does not guarantee the durability of the coating. Groundwater and rainwater gradually wash away sand and soil particles, destroying the road base. To prevent moisture from spoiling the coating, it is necessary to make a drainage layer.

At the bottom of the trench, gravel should be poured. The layer thickness should be 15-18 cm. The crushed stone should be well tamped and leveled. A thin layer of sand is poured on top and also leveled, on which a non-woven fabric is laid. Care must be taken to ensure that the water flows to the edges of the walkway. To do this, make transverse and longitudinal slopes. A pillow for paving slabs is performed at the last stage of the preparatory work.

Placement of enclosing curbs

The curb is laid immediately after the drainage work has been completed. It is better to use a ready-made piece of concrete curb. Curb blocks are installed near the vertical cut of the soil along the edges of the road. It is desirable that the top edge of the curb is 1–2 cm above the soil level. Otherwise, the tracks will be permanently dirty.

The curb blocks are fixed with concrete mortar. After laying the curb, you need to check how smooth it is. For this, a building level is used. If some blocks are installed incorrectly, their position is corrected with a wooden mallet.

Applicable types of bases

Before laying out the site with tiles, you need to make a base. The underlayment helps to level the surface of the site. It gives stability to the coating and increases its strength. A solid foundation prevents the sidewalk from collapsing under the weight of people and cars. It protects the coating from destruction in the autumn-winter period, when ice forms in its gaps.

The technology for laying paving slabs depends on the method of using the coating. If the load on its surface is small (footpath), it is enough to make an underlying layer consisting of sand and cement. If paving is carried out under a car, a concrete base is required.

Concrete

Before concreting the base, perform reinforcement work. Reinforcing mesh is laid on metal or stone supports. The reinforcement should be 3-5 cm above the surface of the trench. Gartsovka for paving slabs is prepared from sand and cement in a ratio of 3: 1. It is better to use river or quarry washed sand. It should not contain particles of clay or lime. The mortar is evenly and thoroughly distributed over the trench section to achieve an even surface.

It is better to immediately fill the entire path with concrete. If part of the work is postponed until the next day, the area filled with concrete must be covered with polyethylene. The concrete base for paving slabs should have a thickness of 10-12 cm. In order for the cement pad to be strong, it is moistened for 3-5 days. After wetting, the concrete is covered with polyethylene. The coating can be laid in 7-12 days.

Of sand and cement

The trench is filled with a mixture of sand and cement. It is prepared in a 3: 1 ratio. The thickness of the sand-cement base should be 12-15 cm. The underlying layer should be well tamped and leveled. If the depth of the trench is too deep, it can be reduced with sand. Sand is poured under the base and carefully tamped.

The technology of paving slabs requires that the cement-sand mixture be dry. Therefore, it is better to make a foundation just before paving in dry weather. The cement-sand layer must be laid on geotextiles. If this is not done, the sand will quickly wash out, and the tiles will sag.

Tile processing before laying

Before installation, the tiles must be treated with a hydrophobic solution. The tool will increase the frost resistance and moisture resistance of the material, as well as increase its service life. Water repellents improve decorative qualities and protect against fungal microorganisms. Salt stains do not appear on the surface treated with a hydrophobic solution. The material is immersed in a hydrophobic composition, then dried. The procedure is repeated.

During processing, you need to carefully inspect all elements. Defective products must be put aside. Whenever you need to cut paving slabs to shape corners, rejected items come in handy.

Laying work must be carried out under suitable weather conditions. The weather should be dry and calm. Do not lay the coating on a sand-cement base at sub-zero temperatures. When the soil freezes, it expands, and after thawing, it sags. If the coating is laid on frozen ground, it will collapse after it thaws. The rules for laying paving slabs allow you to perform work on a concrete base during frost, but this is undesirable.

Mounting

Paving slabs on a concrete base are fixed with cement mortar. The seams are completely filled with the mixture. In this case, the thickness of the seams should not exceed 3 mm. When laying the elements, you need to be on the surface. You cannot step on the base. After laying each row, you need to check the quality of the work performed at the building level. Elements that are not laid correctly are leveled with a rubber mallet.

It is necessary to lay it on a cement-sand base, hammering in each element with a wooden mallet. The material should be firmly attached to the base. If the product "falls through", a layer of sand should be poured under it. The gaps between the tiles are filled with a mixture or sand. After completing the work, the coating is moistened with a hose with a spray. If the mixture has "subsided" in the gaps, you need to pour a little more mixture into them. You can use the coating after 2-3 days.

Sealing of paving slabs is carried out using sand, cement or concrete mixture. If sand is used, it must be sieved beforehand. A cement mixture is prepared from cement and sand in a ratio of 1: 5. When preparing a concrete mixture, cement is mixed with sand in a ratio of 1: 3. Sand and mixtures must be dry. The grout is laid out using a rubber trowel. The mix level in the gaps should be between 1/2 and 3/4 of the tile height. The excess mixture is swept from the covering with a broom.

After that, they begin to fill the seams. When the mixture hardens (after 1-3 days), the mixture is poured into the gaps and moistened again. After the composition has dried, the procedure is repeated a third time. You may need to add the mixture to the seams a few more times. You can finish the work when the mixture in the gaps is flush with the tile surface.

Material advantages

Paving slabs are considered a popular material that is used to form footpaths and areas.

Paving slab walkway

It has many advantages:

a wide range of shapes, colors, textures of the material, which allows you to bring to life any design solution;
paving slabs are made from environmentally friendly materials, which prevents harm to the environment;
the coating does not change color and does not change shape when exposed to high or low temperatures;
laying street tiles implies the formation of drainage, which prevents the accumulation of water on the surface;
characterized by high strength to various types of loads and wear resistance;
the operation of the finished coating is easy, since its maintenance is not difficult;
paving stones are laid quickly and does not require the involvement of specialists.

Site marking

At the planning stage, it is necessary to carefully consider where the paving paths will be placed, in what way they will be laid. It is best to draw a plan of the site, which will allow you to calculate all the required areas.

After calculating the required volume of materials, add 10-15% to the resulting number. Laying paving slabs may not be so easy, so a margin is needed in case of damage during installation.

When planning tracks, you should also remember that curbs are installed along its edges. They should be much thicker than paving stones. The curb will help maintain the integrity of the coating and give it a complete look.

To lay paving slabs with your own hands, use the following tools:

shovel (preferably using a shovel and bayonet);
rubber or wooden mallet;
building level;
Bulgarian;
a set of spatulas of different widths;
rule;
twine or cord;
roulette;
Master OK;
a container suitable for the preparation of building mixtures;
rake.

The rake will help to distribute the material evenly

Preparation of the base

Before laying paving stones, you need to take care of. First, markings are carried out on the territory of the site, hammering wooden pegs along the edges of the tracks. A cord or twine is pulled over them.

The resulting area must be carefully leveled. In the process of carrying out the work, all the heights are removed and the pits are filled up. The technology of laying paving slabs implies the presence of a slope (transverse, longitudinal, transverse-longitudinal). When it rains, it will allow water to drain and prevent puddles on the surface.

After leveling the site, it is carefully rammed.

Manual rammers of various types

This prevents uneven shrinkage of the coating during operation. It should be remembered that the entire installed paving stone structure will have a thickness of 20 to 30 cm. Therefore, in many cases it is recommended to remove the top vegetative layer of the soil and deepen the coating.

Laying paving stones on a concrete base

Can paving slabs be laid on a concrete base? This must be done if the coating will be placed on soft soils. Doing so will prevent premature destruction of the tracks. You can lay out all the layers of the structure in the following sequence:

A layer of screed formed from is poured onto the rammed base.
The surface is carefully leveled and compacted to remove air bubbles.
It is necessary to lay the curbs using fine gravel on both sides.
The curbs are installed taking into account the fact that there will be paving stones on their inner side (a gap of 2-3 mm is provided).
The curbs are concreted with a mortar prepared using a 1: 2 ratio.
The rules imply the use of a cement-sand mortar as an adhesive.
Spacers made of wood are installed in the gaps between the individual elements of the coating to form the seams.
After installing the entire track, the remaining mortar is carefully removed from the surface.

The process of removing mortar residues from paving stones

Sand base application

How to put paving slabs on the sand so that the resulting coating will last for more than one year? This base is the most successful because it plays the role of a drainage system. Sand increases the stability of the structure several times and prevents its premature destruction.

How to put the paving slabs correctly in this case:

A sand cushion with a thickness of 50-60 mm is arranged over the entire surface.
Loose material is carefully leveled with a rake.
The sandy base is watered with water until puddles form.
After 3-4 hours (in sunny weather), the pillow is given the desired shape.
An ordinary pipe or bar is used as a guide profile.
The pipes are placed at a distance of 2-3 m, and the sand in the gap between them is leveled by the rule.

Laying paving slabs

Installation on a cement-sand mixture

How to properly lay paving slabs if a heavy load is expected to be applied to it? You should adhere to these recommendations:

A sand powder 3-4 cm thick is made on the prepared base.
Reinforcement mesh is installed, which will significantly increase the strength of the coating.
It is necessary to mix dry fine sand with cement in a 4: 1 ratio (you can buy a special tile composition in the store).
The finished mixture is leveled on the surface (the maximum preparation thickness is 4 cm).
To facilitate the performance of all operations, guides from reinforcement bars or pipes are used.

Popular schemes for laying paving stones

How to put paving slabs to make it look beautiful? There are several popular schemes.

Classic ordering

For a beginner, laying tiles in the yard is easiest using the classic scheme. It implies the placement of individual coating elements one after another. In this case, it is best to use paving stones of the correct shape - rectangular or square. It is easy to install without professional skills.

To improve the appearance of this coating during the formation of the path, it is recommended to use paving stones of different colors and textures. In this way, it is possible to implement various design solutions.

Laying scheme "with offset"

This technology for laying paving slabs is also a traditional one. It involves the installation of individual elements in such a way as to avoid overlapping joints.

It is recommended to use paving stones of the same shape in order to achieve a good quality coating. At the same time, there are no restrictions on the color and texture of the material.

Herringbone pattern

Laying paving slabs can even be done with a herringbone pattern, which implies the installation of each element of the coating at an angle of 45 or 90 degrees.

In this case, the paving stones can be rectangular or shaped.

An improved version of the "herringbone" is the "braid". It implies the alternation of longitudinally and transversely placed covering elements. For the resulting pattern to be clear and aesthetically pleasing, it is recommended to use materials of only two colors during installation.

Other schemes

There are other ways to lay paving slabs:

chess order. It is recommended to combine several colors;
diagonal scheme. The longitudinal seam of the coating is displaced relative to the axis of human movement by 30-60 degrees;
geometry. We put them from tiles of the same size, but in different colors (various patterns are formed in the form of geometric shapes).

Paving laying rules

It is necessary to start laying paving slabs in the direction away from you. In this case, the coating does not deform under the weight of a person. Paving slabs are laid on the sand according to the chosen scheme. Each element is carefully leveled and fixed with tamping with a mallet.

Subsequent rows of coating are also installed with a 2 mm gap. During installation, the flatness of the paving stones is checked all the time. If a defect is detected, the tiles are dismantled and installed in a new way.

After the paving stones have been laid, they begin to fill the joints. For this purpose, sand or sand-cement mixture is used.

At the final stage of the work, excess grout is removed, checking the quality of filling the joints. They are also thoroughly moistened with water. The seams must be tight as they take some of the load.

Some nuances of installation

Existing methods of laying paving slabs are implemented in compliance with the following rules:

the installation of paving stones occurs from the lowest point to the top;
when mounting in a circular manner, work begins from the center of the picture;
during operation, the horizontal is checked with a level every 2-3 rows;
when installing paving stones on sand, the gap near the curb is not concreted;
for better filling of the joints with sand, it is recommended to tamp the surface with an areal vibrator.

Care and maintenance of the coating

It is allowed to walk on the laid paving stones only 2-3 days after the final sealing of the joints. To clean the surface from dirt, use a broom or rinse it with a stream of water from a hose. You should constantly monitor the safety of the seams. Over time, the sand is washed out, so it must be poured periodically.

Paving stones must not be cleaned with abrasive powders. For this, it is better to use sifted river sand. If necessary, the surface can also be washed with a mild soapy solution.

Laying paving slabs with your own hands, the step-by-step instructions of which are presented above, are carried out without difficulty. The main thing is to adhere to the recommendations of experienced specialists.

11 minutes to read. Published 22.10.2019

Paving slabs are a beautiful, durable and inexpensive material that can be used to decorate the local area. However, hiring handlers can be expensive. Consider how paving slabs are laid on a personal plot with their own hands.

Paving slabs are a beautiful, durable and inexpensive material that can be used to decorate the local area. However, hiring handlers can be expensive. That is why many people want to lay tiles with their own hands without outside help. But not everyone knows how to do it correctly. Let's talk in more detail about how to put paving slabs in the yard on your own plot.

How to choose paving slabs?

When choosing a tile, you need to pay attention to a number of important parameters. One of the most important is the thickness of the material. It will depend on her how long the paved area will last. The thickness is selected based on the operating conditions of the paving stone. Here are the rules to help you define it correctly:

for the area through which people will move on foot (paths, walking areas, paths), tiles with a thickness of 50 - 60 mm will be enough;
if there are vehicles or other heavy objects on the paved surface (for example, mobile concrete beds), then the thickness should be between 60 and 80 mm.

The next important point is the material from which the coating is made. It affects not only its aesthetics, appearance, but also its strength, service life, ability to withstand significant loads during operation. Most often, paving slabs are made from:

natural stone;
clinker;
concrete;
polymer mixture;
plastic;
rubber.

The most durable and durable products are made of stone and clinker. However, one must remember that their price is by no means democratic. Therefore, if you need to pave a large area, but you do not have significant funds, these options should be immediately discarded. But if you need to lay out several paths or a small area, it is worth taking a closer look at them - both stone and clinker paving stones will last almost forever.

The second place in terms of strength and durability is taken by products from concrete and polymer mixture. It is not as strong as clinker and stone, but it will be quite enough for a dozen or two years of service. At the same time, such a tile costs several times cheaper. But it should be borne in mind that it is sensitive to serious stress and mechanical stress. For example, if you drop a heavy object on a stone, it will only get a scratch. But if such an object falls on a product made of concrete or a special polymer, it may crack.

Also, sidewalk tiles are made of plastic and a special rubber compound. It should be said right away: such paving stones have a short service life, low strength and low reliability. However, this is more than offset by the price - it costs a penny. It is worth looking in her direction if:

you are very tightly constrained in finances;
the tile is not planned to be exposed to serious stress;
paved areas will rarely be used for their intended purpose (for example, this is important for a summer residence, where they spend only 1-2 months a year).

The last thing to look out for is the shape of the tiles. Technical requirements and operating conditions here have little influence on the choice - aesthetics are at the forefront. Each of the forms of paving stones has its own markings. Below is a table that shows the relationship between marking indices and material geometry.

Some points are better explained. These are decorative tiles and paving stones for the border. The first one is separate elements of decor, which are included in the masonry from tiles of a different shape. The second is designed to create an even edging on a hexagonal or curly tile (this cannot be done using ordinary concrete blocks). As for the rest of the forms, then everything is very clear with them.

paving slabs

Materials for laying paving slabs

The only additional material for work is sand. It acts as a base for the tiles. If desired, you can add a little cement to it - this will make the "pillow" at the base of the paving stone more durable.

Other materials can be used instead of sand. Most often, their role is played by:

crushed stone;
cement mortar.

It should be noted that all materials for a concrete base can be combined with each other. There are no strict rules for such a combination - if you think that your option is more suitable for the foundation in a specific area, in specific operating conditions, you should use it.

If the tiles are laid on concrete mortar or sand, reinforcing elements can be used as an additional material, which give the base strength and better fix the paving stones. Most often, their role is played by a steel mesh. It is placed:

to create a more durable base - in the thick of mortar or sand;
for better fixation of the tiles - closer to the surface of the base.

In addition, a curb will be needed to frame a walkway or paved area. This paving element is most often made of concrete. Today on the market there are many options for borders in a variety of colors and geometric solutions. It must be remembered that if you are laying hexagonal or curly tiles, you will not be able to frame them with a traditional flat border. Between it and the masonry, there should be a tile for the border, having an index D. Of course, you can consider the option of filling the gap with concrete. But such a site will look completely unaesthetic.

cement mortar

List of styling tools

So, what is needed in order to lay out the paving slabs on your own garden or summer cottage yourself? Here is the most complete list of tools necessary for carrying out such work:

Master OK;
mallet made of rubber or wood;
manual ramming;
Bulgarian;
pegs (wooden pegs are best, although you can use metal ones);
cord for creating a straight line from tiles and borders;
building level;
a device for irrigating the base (a watering can or a hose can play its role - it is important that the liquid is distributed evenly and does not lead to blurring);
rake;
broom.

Bulgarian

How to properly lay paving slabs with your own hands (step by step instructions)

Below is a step-by-step instruction for laying out paving slabs.

Choose the layout of paving slabs - schemes, patterns, drawings

The tile pattern depends only on the imagination of the one who lays it out. However, there are a few well-established patterns that are used most often and that can often be found on city streets and home gardens. Here they are.

Alternating stripes. It is a simple drawing, the essence of which boils down to the fact that two thin strips of tiles of a different color cut a path or a paved area. The width of such strips is usually 2-3 bricks.
Imitation of brickwork. The tile imitates large brick masonry. This imitation is also achieved by alternating colors. Elements of one tone form rectangles (bricks), and elements of a different tone form streaks of mortar between them.
"Herringbone". In this case, the paving stones are laid according to the Soviet scheme of laying parquet boards - a herringbone.
Chess. The tiles are laid to simulate a chessboard. To do this, the same alternating squares are formed from light and dark paving stones.
"Ladder". The tiles are laid out in such a way that they look like a ladder.
A circle. This type of masonry is one or more concentric circles of multi-colored tiles. It is difficult to use on paths, but for round or oval paved areas, it is ideal.

It should be remembered that when choosing a pattern, you need to take into account the shape of the tile. For example, wide square paving stones are not suitable for a "ladder" or "herringbone", but for checkerboard masonry or imitation of a brick will do.

Layout for laying paving slabs

Before starting work, you need to mark the site. It is drawn along the lines of a future path or paved area.

Straight lines are laid using pegs and a cord. They will be the boundaries of the base of the future paving stones. In order for the masonry to turn out perfectly even and not deviate from straight lines, the stretched cord must be checked using a building level. Otherwise, the path can "lead", and this is not only ugly, but also impractical, and also affects the durability of the laid tiles.

Preparation of the base for paving slabs

The technology for preparing the base for tiles consists of several stages.

Leveling the base. The base should be absolutely even, so we remove all stones from it, dig in holes, remove bumps and bumps. You will also need to remove the sod layer - in no case should you put tiles on the grass.
Creation of a depression for the base. If you do not want the tile to rise too much above the rest of the area, you need to create a depression for its base. To do this, it is necessary to remove 20 - 25 cm of soil from the territory that we previously fenced off. This is usually sufficient to accommodate the base. However, in each case, the depth is determined individually - it can be either less or more. First of all, focus on the volume of materials intended for the base.
Creating a base cushion. The next step is to create the foundation. Everything is simple here - pour sand or crushed stone into a previously dug depression, and then level it. Leveling can be difficult - it is quite difficult to carry out. However, the procedure can be greatly simplified. To do this, the sand needs to be filled up not immediately, but in parts. Before falling asleep in the area to be filled, we place two metal pipes or two sections of a metal profile. Pour sand between them, then level it with a board or metal plate. Ideally, we get an almost perfectly flat surface and fill the next section in exactly the same order.

If the tiles are laid on sand or a sand-cement mixture, it must be evenly moistened with water. The base is moistened until puddles begin to appear on it.

If the paving stones are laid on gravel, it is better to pour it not on bare ground, but on a small layer of sand-cement mixture. This will make the base more durable.

Tile processing before laying

In order for the paving stones to serve as long as possible, they are processed before starting work. It consists of two stages.

Hydrophobization. It consists in impregnating the tiles with special compounds that help the material to tolerate high humidity well, while maintaining sufficient air and steam permeability.
Applying a protective coating. It consists in applying special varnish and other polymer coatings to the surface of the material, which protect it from the negative effects of the environment.

Another stage of preparation is the formation of bricks for non-standard areas and the installation of a curb. They spend it by sawing the tiles with a grinder. In some cases, such formation is not required, but in most situations it is still necessary.

Water repellent

Laying paving slabs

Follow these steps to lay the paving stones.

carefully start laying the tiles on the prepared base, starting from its edge;
as you move forward, do not step on already laid elements - place a wooden board on them and lean on it;
while laying, be sure to check the evenness with a level - this will help to eliminate the shortcomings in time;
if the tile does not lie flat, hit it several times with a mallet and thereby push it deep into the base;
install pre-cut tiles for borders (or use ready-made solutions);
install curbs.

That's it, the installation is over. As you can see, there is nothing complicated in the procedure.

Grouting is needed not only for aesthetic purposes. The fact is that the seams, in fact, represent a base extending between the elements of the masonry. Moreover, it is available for any adverse effect. This significantly shortens its service life. That is why, after the end of the work, the seam must be rubbed.

To properly wipe and level the seams, you will need:

cement;
sand;
water.

You will also need:

putty knife;
bucket;
hose;
shovel.

For grouting you need:

sweep or wash off all debris from the surface of the paved area;
pour a mixture of sand and concrete, prepared in a ratio of 5 to 1, onto the tiles;
sweep the mixture with a brush;
Rinse off the remaining mixture with a hose.

If it was not possible to align the seams the first time, the procedure is repeated again until the desired result is achieved.

It is possible to align the seams on the paving slabs no earlier than 3 days after the end of the work on its layout. Otherwise, the base may be damaged.

paving slab grout

Paving slab care

It is not enough to lay the tiles. In order for it to last as long as possible, it needs to be looked after. Here are some guidelines for taking care of your paving stones.

Be sure to spray the antifungal solution over the newly laid tiles. Otherwise, mold may appear on the masonry elements themselves and on the seams, which will destroy them over time. Processing should be carried out every 3-4 months, since the solution is washed off by atmospheric precipitation.
Be careful when clearing ice and snow. During the procedure, in no case should you use crowbars, shovels, various sharp objects. This can lead to chips and cracks on the surface of the tiles.
Do not exceed the maximum permissible loads. For example, if the surface is intended for pedestrians, you cannot drive a car on it. This will lead to subsidence.
Timely eliminate the grass that has sprouted between the seams. Its stems and roots can cause serious damage to the paving stones that will require repair.
It is impossible for the surface of the coating to get petroleum products (gasoline, engine oils). If it is made of polymer or concrete with polymer additives, petroleum products can simply partially dissolve it.

Paving slab cleaner

Let's summarize

Paving slabs are a beautiful and simple coating that is perfect for garden paths and small paved areas on the backyard of a private house or summer cottage. You can lay the paving stones yourself - it's not at all difficult. However, during work, you need to observe the technology, the procedure for preparing the site, remember some important nuances. In this case, the coating will serve you for more than a dozen years and will require minimal repair.