How to lay a Stone Patio

Having a stone patio really is a great way to make the most of an outdoor space. And they are not just a summer pleasantry too, with patio heaters and covered outdoor tables there's no reason not to enjoy it all year round.

When planning your patio, the first thing to consider is location. Will it make effective use of sunlight? Will it allow adequate drainage? Will you want to walk 50 feet across your lawn to use it?

The construction of a patio requires 4 steps:

Preparation:

Get the area dug out and any retaining walls in place with adequate depth for sub base (6" or more) across the patio area. Work away from your finished flag level, or FFL. This should have been decided on during the planning of your patio, and allow water to drain off properly.

Sub Base and Surround:

Get your hardcore/blinding/crusher (it changes name depending whereabouts you are) in and compacted, preferably using a wacker plate to make sure it is consolidated. Also get any stone faced walls built up to height. This isn't necessary, but makes putting any overhanging edges on easier when you get to that stage.

Laying the Stone:

Plan your patio. If using mixed sizes of stone, make sure you have an equal mix to avoid one size being the dominant theme. If possible use feature stones ( I've used 1m square flags before, and my god are they heavy, but well worth it) to highlight any areas of interest.

Pointing up:

Its a boring job, but it makes all the difference. So do it properly the first time or else you'll have to go over it again!


There are so many options when it comes to what type of stone to use I won't even try to cover them. Every stone has its place, just as every client has their own tastes.

Personally, I'm quite familiar and fond of Indian limestone. Mainly because of its ready availability around my area, not to mention good price. As I said, its down to what the client wants, and what is available locally and complimentary to the surroundings.

So, location and stone chosen. Now a design must be decided upon.

Once again, a totally organic process which is down to you or you and your client to decide upon what works and what is practical. If a wall has to be put in place, make sure it is:

A) Complimentary with the type of patio you will be laying, e.g. stone types and colours must not clash but also not stick out like sore thumbs.

B) Designed to work with the wall - either have the flags covering the top of the wall as an edge, or have the wall finish at the patio height. Don't go hiding your patio from yourself!

Now then Lets get down to some nitty gritty stuff...

SUB BASE
This truly is the most important part of the job. And usually the most painful part. Any large patio requires at least 6" of compacted hard standing material, although if you are on solid bedrock then you can get away with less. The joy of using such a material is that you can put any slopes the patio may have into the base, and if you are careful you will use less mortar when it comes to bedding the flags.

Get it all carted in, one way or another. Wheelbarrow or bucket, there will always be a lot. Spread it out as best you can with a rake and, using a spirit level, put any contours in keeping a set distance below your finished flag level - usually around 4 inches.

A part wacked surface. This could do with at least 3 or 4 more passes.

Now you can fire up the wacker plate, and get deafened while following it around your sub base. You may find some areas consolidate more than others, so double check your levels. *If you need to top up with more sub base, rough up the area first with a rake before adding the fresh stuff*. If you don't, it won't bind together properly and may kick off or peel away when walked on to lay the patio.

If you find that mud/water is showing in some areas, dig them out. Dig out as much of the muddy soil as you can, and use lots more sub base in that area.

Now, after losing the majority of your hearing, you should have a lovely smooth surface to your sub base, ready to cover up with mortar and stone.

LAYING THE STONE
Start your cement mixer and get your mix on. I tend to use rendering sand, as I find it makes a nicer mortar than building sand. I also recommend using a plasticiser to help get a "fluffy" texture to the mix. It literally just puts bubbles in the mixture, but also makes a smoother more workable mix.

With the mix on, work out your starting point. Don't flag yourself into a corner! Start at a point far away from you, and always leave a path out. I usually go for around a 2 inch bed of mortar under each flag which hammers down to 1 1/2, and - get this - I DON'T DOT AND DAB.

 

You heard me, I put a full bed of mortar under each flag. That way I know there aren't any hollows and there's less risk of the stone coming loose in the future. (Also, after one job, there were damp patches "staining" the flags on each dot and dab point. The area that wasn't contacting the mortar dried much quicker and left 5 dark damp dots on each flag. Ahh well, you live, you learn right!)

If you have to make any cuts, do it from the bottom of the stone - the side which points downward. cut on an angle so the edge of the flag leans inward toward the bottom. To give a rough finish to the edge, use a hammer (stone hammer, lump hammer etc) to put a few chinks along the edge then run the head of the hammer along the corner a few times to rough it up.

POINTING UP
You knew this was going to happen. You had a whale of a time laying 40 square meters of stone, and now you feel sick looking at the miles of gaps which need filling in between each of them.

Well, invest in a pointing gun. Just like a giant syringe, you fill it with mortar, squeeze the copper nozzle to the width you require and point away. This saves A LOT of time. Believe me. You also realise how important it was to get the sub base at the correct height, so you have less depth underneath the flags. Yep, you find these things out the hard way. And even after reading this I bet you do it again anyway!

Once the pointing is in, leave it to go part-set. Once it has stiffened up, you can use your pointing trowel/tool, whatever you want to call it,(I've used the handle off an old land rover boot once - perfect width!) and finish off. Make sure you wipe up any spills with a damp cloth, as if you leave any to set on the flags you will have to acid etch it off which can leave horrible marks on some stone.


Congratulations! you have a patio! and if you used all the methods above you can probably park a tractor on it and she won't budge an inch. I do stress the probably part....

Felting a Shed Roof

Tool List:

• Hammer
• Clout nails (check the length - they shouldn't be poking through the inside of the roof!)
• Stanley knife or something equally as vicious
• Step Ladders
• Roof Felt

This method is for an Apex shed (pointed roof). For a Pent (flat roof) roof shed, well, you should be able to suss it out!

When your shed needs a new layer of felt, start by pulling off any edging trims that may be in place. Check if they need replacing and do so if you need to. These trims keep the wind from ripping the felt up from the edges of your roof. You can find more information on Garden Sheds and Re-Roofing here.

Firstly, if you are re-felting an old shed, don't be tempted to just place the felt over the old stuff. Its had its day, and it needs to go. If you leave it there all it will do is help keep the roof timbers damp, and all the bugs/leaves and other debris that has accumulated over the years. Take it off and strip all the nails off as well. Brush off any extra debris that is left behind, and if possible leave to air dry if the timber is damp.

Next, cut your felt into adequate lengths, allowing a 2"-3" overhang at each end and down the bottom edge. Place the first piece on the roof with the overhangs equal. Tap a nail in the top edge of the felt at each end, making sure you get it tight first.

Follow along the top edge of the felt pacing nails every 6"-8". then do the same down the ends and finally the bottom edge. Repeat this process for the other side.

You should now have a partially felted roof. The next step, depending on the width and length of your shed is to either repeat the process untill you reach a few inches from the middle of the roof on each side, or cut a piece for the centre strip which should cover the apex.

Make sure you allow the same overhang as the other pieces, 2"-3" at each end. Place the strip along the centre and align it with even overlap down each side of the roof. Once it is in place, tap a nail into each corner, pulling the felt tight when you do so.

Now you may have to get a little limber for the next part depending on the size of shed. Hammer in one clout nail every 4"-6"(less if in a particularly windy location) along the bottom edge of each side of the central felt strip. If you do have to walk on the roof, take care where you put your weight, try and keep your feet above the wall panels as they offer more strength.

Once all the felt is nailed in place, replace the trims. Trim any excess felt which is protruding from the bottom.

This new layer of felt should last on average 5 years, depending on weather and location.

Preparing a Shed Base

So, you need some more storage space. Or perhaps you're sick of cluttering your back door with garden tools, or need a more secure home for them. Well, a Garden Shed certainly solves that problem! You can browse a variety of garden sheds and other buildings here
But now you have to decide where to put it to maximise its use and make sure it stays as fresh as possible. A few key points to consider are:

1. Ground level - Is the area you are going to use suitable? If the area sits in two feet of water for half the year, then probably not.
2. Tree cover - Trees not only shed leaves, which help keep your roof damp and increase the chances of rot, they can drop limbs in strong winds. Also, any small surrounding trees will one day be big surrounding - or even imposing - trees.
3. Access - Can you easily get to and from your shed, without it blocking the view of your garden from your house? Also, all the base preparation in the world won't make it possible to get an 8 foot square panel through a 6 foot doorway, so make sure you can get the building to the site!

Once all these factors are considered, the type of base should be decided upon. Lets start with the cheapest, simplest and most practical method (after all, you're never going to see it again):
Dry Base
This consists of dry sand, with concrete flagstones laid on top. You can either mix some cement into the sand, or use a grit sand on its own which once compacted won't move anywhere.
The method is to dig out the turf on the area you wish to lay your base on. Give yourself an extra few inches all around, as you will have to get your hands around to put the flags down.
Once the turf is gone, make sure the soil beneath is suitably firm. If it is not, you may have to put some hardcore (crushed stone) down and compact this. Alternatively, you could use landscaping fabric on the soil and put the sand directly on top. This will prevent the sand and soil mixing while you work on it.
Next, spread the sand across the area at a depth of around 2 inches. Try to level it out as best you can with a rake or straight edge.
You can now start laying the flagstones. Work from one corner, and check each one for level as you lay them. Use a rubber mallet to tap the flags down firm on the sand, and make sure they are level. (Tip - Raking the sand into even ridges with your fingertips makes it easier to bed each flag properly)
Once all the flags are laid, check across the whole base with a straight edge to ensure it is level. Do not walk across the flags, this method is designed to have weight spread across the entire base evenly. If you put pressure on individual flags, you will find they can easily drop in the corners.
Concrete Base
A solid concrete base is a worry free but slightly more expensive method of providing a shed base. For a solid slab concrete base:
Once again, cut turf from the area you require. Cut slightly deeper this time, as you want a decent depth of concrete, preferably 4-6 inches. Give yourself a few inches again all around.
Using timber, create a form-work to the size you require. allow at least one inch extra all around than the size of your base.
Using wooden pegs, secure the form-work along one edge. Now using a tape measure, measure from corner to corner and make sure your base is square, and fix using more pegs. (Tip - Use more pegs than you think you need - concrete weighs a lot and will cause the timber edges to bow if not properly supported!)

Once base is square, check it for level all the way around. The best way is to start at the highest point and chase yourself back to that point, fixing the form-work to the pegs with large nails or screws. Double check for level!
Now, providing there aren't any gaps underneath your form-work edges, you are ready to concrete. Fill the form-work, and use a long straight edge piece of timber to tamp the concrete. This means you start at one end, and tap up and down on the concrete while moving along to get any bubbles out. Repeat this process a few times to make sure you have no bubbles/voids.
Now, using the same piece of timber, start at one end and gently scrape the timber along the length of the base while moving from side to side. If you find there are holes appearing in the surface, scrape some concrete from a high point and fill them in. Repeat the process until you have a smooth surface.
Cover the concrete with a waterproof sheet and allow to set.