Concrete paving stones on garden paths, how to choose the right concrete paving stones, how to lay the concrete paving stones correctly
The winding paths between the shady trees in the garden give the plantings a well-groomed and cozy look. Walking along such paths under the canopy of linden and bird cherry in the summer heat is a pleasure. The only condition is the proper design of garden paths and the right choice of durable material. Among hundreds of materials offered by manufacturers, we can separately note concrete paving stones, which not only look extremely stylish and neat, but also have a decent life.
Content
- Types of concrete paving
- Preparation of the base for laying
- Paving
- Laying pavers - how our grandfathers paved it
- DIY paving stones
- Paving stones, paving slabs, how to make a DIY video
Types of concrete paving
Paving stones differ in shape, method of surface treatment, the presence or absence of a chamfer, color and thickness. The standard thickness of the elements is 6-8cm. The greatest demand is for products that have a simple shape without complex bends and patterned combinations. Paving concrete straight refers to this particular group and it is most often acquired for independent paving of paths.
The rectangular shape of the elements and a single color, allow you to stack the components of the cobblestone paths without a long selection of the necessary shapes and colors. Any novice builder who does not have basic technology knowledge can master the laying of concrete paving.
Preparation of the base of the track for laying
In order for the garden path to have a neat and well-groomed appearance without pits and hollows, it is necessary to carefully prepare for the process of laying paving stones and make a reliable base for it.
The soil for laying concrete paving stones will be removed to a depth of 45-50cm. After the track is dug up under the track, it is necessary to compact the earth and make a small transverse slope to drain the accumulating water. Along the edges of the dug ditch, you must immediately install a curbstone. If there is no curb made of concrete or decorative stones, you can use wooden saw cuts cut into pieces a little more than 60 cm long. They are also installed along the edges of the track under the track. After installing the curbs, it is necessary to sprinkle the base with a sand and gravel mixture. The mixture is poured in layers of 10-15 cm and carefully rammed. In the absence of a mixed type of filling, you can first fill up the sand (layer 15-20cm), compact, and crushed gravel from above.
You can tamper the base with the help of an independently made rammer from a heavy, wooden chock, on which a square section of the board is stuffed from below, and handles are firmly attached to the top.
In places with high traffic on top of the sand-gravel mixture, sand-cement mixture, abundantly moistened with water, is also poured. For garden paths, such precautions are not required, as the number of passers-by is limited to one family.
Paving
After preparing the base, you can begin to lay paving stones. Pre-selected elements are placed on top of the base and deepened, gently tapping with a rubber hammer with a hammer.
If necessary, cut the element, use a grinder, the main thing is that the diamond disk is stored in advance. After all the elements of the track fell into place, it is necessary to once again compact the pavement. To do this, you can use the previously made rammer, you just need to nail a piece of thick rubber onto its base. After the elements of the paving stones are compacted, you need to fill the track with fine sand and carefully place it so that it fills all the holes and the gaps between the concrete tiles. To top it off, you can water the track so that the sand settles down properly.
DIY paving stones
It is quite possible to make concrete paving slabs, paving stones with your own hands so as not to spend extra money on the purchase of this material.
For the manufacture of home paving slabs, the following materials will be needed:
- Tile Sizing Form
- Cement
- Sand
- Water
- Dye (if necessary)
As a form for paving, you can use any suitable size container. To create a corrugated pattern, you can use an old car mat that fits on the bottom of the mold and is poured with mortar. If there is no suitable mold, it can be put together from boards or welded from scraps of metal plates.
The solution for casting pavers is prepared in the following proportions: 1/3, where 1 cement, 3 sand. Water is added until the solution looks like thick sour cream.
To make stronger tiles, you can add a little fine gravel to the solution. This will not only improve the appearance of the elements, but also significantly strengthen the product. The proportions of the solution with gravel vary significantly and amount to 2/2/2. This means that all the components are added equally, and the water is added to the solution to a sour cream density.
To strengthen the pavers, wire trimming can be placed in each mold. This will give the tile the necessary rigidity and strength. The wire is laid on a half-layer of cement mix pre-filled to half. Then it is poured on top to the desired level. At the time of drying the product, it must be closed with plastic wrap, or constantly watered. This will help to prevent cracking of the tiles during drying.
This process, in spite of the time spent, will make it possible to produce concrete paving stones, the price of which is already not so high, half as much.
