Paving slabs is the person of a residential building, public institution or street. No wonder Old Town tiles are so common and loved a large number of buyers. It differs from other types of tiles in its originality, but because of this, the installation of paving slabs in the Old Town has many variations that are even difficult to imagine. And, adding to big picture colored tiles Old town, you can create a more colorful look. It is worth considering in more detail the options for combining colors and styling.
Schemes for laying paving slabs “Old Town”
This type of scarf is unique in terms of the set of items included in it. concrete tiles. It consists of sets with dimensions:
- tiles size 118*178*60,
- tiles size 118*118*60,
- tiles size 88*118*60.
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Because of this, the tile laying patterns also turn out to be quite original. It’s not always easy to figure them out in your head; you need to sit down and draw them on paper or look for options on the Internet. We offer you several popular and beautiful ideas to choose from:
In addition, this tile can be combined with the usual Brick or other types - this way you can reduce the cost of the project and make it even more interesting and original.
Preparing the surface for installation
Let's look at how to lay paving slabs in the Old Town with your own hands.
- Initially, it is worth making an objective assessment of the old surface.
- Next, you need to accurately mark the area on which the paving slabs will be laid; it is better to use construction fishing line - it is more reliable.
- Using a stretched fishing line, a place for the curb is prepared; do not forget about a gap of 2-3 centimeters, which will be used to accurately position the curb.
- The curb itself must be fixed with a cement-sand solution in a ratio of 1:4 - this is the most common and reliable combination. You shouldn’t start working on the tile base right away; you need to wait until the mortar and the curb adhere.
- The base should consist of screenings or sand, to which cement is added in a ratio of 1:6. The finished mixture should be covered with a six-centimeter layer and perfectly leveled. 6 centimeters of the mixture will cope perfectly with drainage.
- To avoid subsidence of the tiles after laying, the surface must be moistened generously with water.
- To compact sand, it is better to use a special vibropress; it can be rented. It can be manual or mechanical, they have electric or gasoline engines. Experts choose a mechanical vibropress (tamper).
Stages of laying tiles
Once you have obtained a perfectly flat and compacted surface (layer 1), you can already prepare the second surface (layer 2). There is no need to compact it, but the composition should be cement and sand, proportion 1:5, thickness no more than 2 cm. The second layer can be laid using beacons, but each specialist works with a tool convenient for him. After the work has been done, you can begin laying the tiles.
Scheme for laying paving slabs Old city will not create much trouble; when working with tiles, you just need to follow the pattern. There are several ways:
- Rubber or wooden hammer. The tiles are laid in place and compacted;
- Vibrating rammer. All the tiles with the pattern are laid completely, then a sheet of rubber is laid under the tamper, and we go over all the tiles.
The final stage is grouting
For this stage, it is better to take dry river sand and sweep everything thoroughly with a brush, but you can also use a regular broom. Afterwards, moisten everything with water.
The sand will definitely fall through in some places and the procedure should be repeated again after a while. Having gone through all the stages, the tile will not wobble underfoot.
In this simple way you can get an amazingly beautiful paving pattern, after which you can proudly tell all your guests that you did the Old Town tile installation yourself!
For clarity, you can also watch the video instructions:
Handsome and cozy yard- my cherished dream. Greens beautiful lawns and old, unusable asphalt is very difficult to combine. Therefore, it was decided to replace the hard surface of the yard completely. Asphalt or tiles?
Of course, asphalt, I thought. The price for high-quality paving slabs is higher than for asphalt, and it was not entirely clear how to lay paving slabs. But having thought it over carefully and weighed all the pros and cons, I liked the option of paving slabs more. Paving slabs have a number of advantages:
- attractive appearance;
- has more high heat and frost resistance;
- doesn't highlight harmful substances when heated;
- has better water permeability (water does not accumulate on the surface).
In order to save some money, it was decided to lay the paving slabs with our own hands.
Calculation and selection of paving slabs
The choice of tiles should be taken seriously, the work is done on long years. There shouldn't be any mistakes. After reading a lot of people's reviews on the Internet, I settled on vibro-pressed tiles.
If you need to find out how to make paving slabs yourself, follow the link -
Such tiles have high hardness and resistance to atmospheric influences. The thickness was chosen according to the manufacturer's recommendations. For areas where a car will drive – 6 cm, for pedestrian paths– 4 cm. The most universal form is “Old City”, such tiles can be laid practically, eliminating waste. Therefore, I decided on the shape of the tile very quickly. Color – grey. Tile requires minimal care behind you.
Preparing the base before laying paving slabs
Having assessed the condition of the old asphalt, it was decided to remove it completely. The work turned out to be quite difficult, despite the fact that over many years of exposure to frost and hot sun, the asphalt peeled off from the base and was easily removed in large layers. Having removed all the asphalt, I marked out the area for laying the tiles, and the places where the curb will lie using construction fishing line. Following the marked line, a place was prepared for the curb, with the expectation that the distance from the line to the base is 2-3 cm greater than the height of the curb. A gap of 2-3 cm will allow you to quickly and evenly install the curb. For good and strong fixation of borders, I used a cement-sand mixture in a ratio of 1:4. After installing the border, you need to give time for the solution to set. After which you can begin preparing the base for the tile itself.
For the base I used a dry mixture of fine screenings of granite and cement in a ratio of 1:6 (instead of screenings, many use sand). Ready mixture transported it in wheelbarrows, and then leveled it using an aluminum profile. The thickness of the base layer should be at least 6 cm for good drainage. The base must be well compacted to avoid subsidence after laying the tiles. To do this, before tamping, the surface must be moistened with water from a hose and then begin work.
Tampers can be manual or mechanical (with an electric or gasoline engine). I advise you to use a mechanical tamper (vibropress), rather than a manual one. It can be rented at construction companies or stores. A vibropress will save a lot of time and effort.
Laying tiles
Having obtained a flat surface after compaction, you can begin laying paving slabs. To do this, you need to prepare a thin layer of a dry mixture of cement and sand, but in a ratio of 1:5. I used aluminum beacons 2 cm thick, along which I pulled the dry mixture.
The difference between the first and second layers is that the second layer does not need to be compacted. Having finished with the preparation, you can begin laying the tiles.
During installation, you need to follow the pattern; with the “Old City” tiles this is not very difficult. There are two ways to lay paving slabs. The first is to put the tiles in their place and compact them with a wooden or rubber hammer. As you go, you need to monitor the level and avoid protruding or fallen tiles. The second one, which I used, first lay out all the tiles, but do not compact them. Then attach a sheet of rubber under the vibrating rammer and carefully walk over all the tiles. Using a tamper, all tiles will be placed on the same level.
Grouting joints
After laying the tiles, you need to grout the seams.
For this you need river sand and a brush. The sand should be dry, so it is better poured into the seams between the tiles. Use a brush to thoroughly sweep everything, then moisten the entire tile with water. In some places the sand will fall through. And you will need to repeat the grouting procedure again. After completing the grouting stage, the tiles will be well fixed and will not wobble underfoot.
If during the installation of borders you get seams between them, then they need to be sealed using a cement-sand mixture in a ratio of 1:4.
Paving stones are a popular building material used for landscaping pedestrian areas, blind areas, parking lots and platforms, approaches to various outbuildings. The paving stone road surface has whole line advantages over traditional asphalt:
- long service life;
- high load-bearing capacity;
- material strength;
- attractive appearance;
- environmental Safety;
- resistance to temperature changes.
On the market building materials there is a huge selection of paving slabs for paving sidewalks, garden paths, platforms. Manufacturers offer paving slabs of classic rectangular shape, hexagonal paving stones and the like.
In addition to the configuration, the consumer is provided big choice size range. The size of paving slabs is of no small importance; the smaller the dimensions of the paving stones, the more evenly the load on the pavement is distributed. Small tiles are indispensable when paving road surfaces with an arcuate configuration, but for arranging straight sections, the size of the paving stones does not play a special role.
Variety of shapes and color solutions allows you to create your own original drawing. Patterns for laying paving slabs such as diamond, old city, and brick are in great demand.
The process of laying paving stones does not require the use of heavy special equipment and special professional skills; laying paving stones with your own hands is within the power of a home craftsman.
Depending on the material used, paving stones can be:
- concrete;
- clinker;
- granite.
The technology for the production of concrete paving stones consists of vibration casting of concrete with the addition of pigments and other impurities that provide performance material. Concrete paving stones are highly durable, but are susceptible to acidic conditions. With prolonged contact with acid, traces of corrosion appear on the surface of concrete paving slabs.
Clinker paving stones are made from special clay rocks by firing in a blast furnace. The product is resistant to ultraviolet rays and low temperatures, to mechanical damage, does not absorb precipitation.
Clinker paving stones
Granite paving stones are made from natural stone, granite coating is the most durable and durable. The service life of granite road surfaces exceeds 50 years. Depending on the production technology, the following types of granite paving stones are distinguished:
- chipped - a product with uneven edges, obtained by splitting a block of stone into elements;
- sawn - machine-cut stone is distinguished by six perfectly smooth edges.
Methods for laying paving stones
There are several ways to lay paving stones:
- on a sand cushion;
- for cement-sand mixture;
- on a concrete base.
The method of laying paving stones on sand is used for paving walkways, garden plots and other areas with low traffic load. When arranging parking lots for passenger cars, paving stones can be laid on crushed stone or on a mixture of sand and cement.
The technology of laying paving stones on a concrete base is considered the most reliable; road paving laid on concrete is resistant to subsidence. The method can be used to cover heavily loaded road sections.
Important! Paving work should be carried out in dry weather.
How to properly lay paving stones on a concrete base
Laying paving stones with your own hands is done using the following tools and devices:
- shovel;
- mallet;
- building level;
- Master OK;
- pegs;
- cord;
- broom;
- rake;
- manual or vibration tamper;
- slats;
- Bulgarian.
Vibrating tamper
List of building materials:
- paving slabs;
- cement;
- sand;
- crushed stone;
- curbs.
The technology for laying paving stones includes four main stages:
- preparation of the base;
- device concrete base;
- installation of paving stones.
Preparing the base
On preparatory stage land plot cleaned of roots and various types of vegetation. Mark the area for laying paving stones using pegs and a cord. The soil is excavated, the depth of the pit is about 25-40 centimeters.
At the stage of preparing the base for paving slabs, it is worth taking care of the drainage of atmospheric precipitation. Water flow can be organized in the transverse, longitudinal or transverse-longitudinal direction. The slope for water drainage must be at least 5 0.
Using a manual or vibrating rammer, the soil is compacted. To prevent weeds from growing through the seams of the paving slabs, the land area is covered with a layer of geotextile.
Geotextiles
Next step preparatory work- creating a sand cushion. A layer of sand is poured onto the previously prepared land area, the thickness of the layer is about 10 cm. Sandy base moisturize and compact.
A layer of fine-grained crushed stone (crushed stone fraction 5-20 mm) is poured onto the laid sand. The surface is leveled and compacted using a tamper. A layer of crushed stone is poured cement screed. After the solution has dried, a second layer of crushed stone is applied, bringing the crushed stone cake to a height of 15 cm.
Construction of a concrete base
Preparing the concrete base is carried out in the following sequence:
- formwork is installed along the perimeter of the site to be paved with paving slabs;
- prepare concrete mixture. The concrete mixture includes cement, sand and crushed stone in a ratio of 1/3/2;
- concrete mixture is poured onto the previously prepared crushed stone cake with a layer thickness of up to 5 centimeters;
- to strengthen the structure, a reinforcing mesh is laid on the concrete base;
- a second layer of concrete is poured on top of the reinforcing mesh. The thickness of the concrete layer is from 5 to 10 centimeters.
When settling in concrete base need to be given Special attention the issue of drainage. Experts recommend providing point moisture inlets or storm drains.
The paving stones are laid out two to three days after the concrete coating has hardened, but before that the curbs are installed.
Installation of curbs
Before laying the curbs, the formwork is dismantled, a trench is dug along the concrete base, and the ditch is backfilled with fine crushed stone.
The height of the curb must correspond to the height of the finished road surface; to maintain the required level, a cord is pulled.
Curbs are placed on concrete mortar, this method of fixation will ensure the durability and strength of the structure. The elements are placed at a distance of about 3 mm from each other, driven into a fresh solution using rubber mallet. The concrete curb must dry; after the solution has dried, the gap between the walls of the trench and the enclosing elements is filled with sand. The sand is moistened with water and compacted by compaction. Then you can proceed to the next stage of work.
Laying paving stones on a concrete base
There are several options for laying paving stones on a concrete base. One of them involves the installation of paving slabs on a dry mixture of cement and sand (prancing method), the second - on cement-sand mortar.
To install paving, a layer of dry cement-sand mixture is laid on top of the concrete base. The thickness of the layer ranges from 5 to 6 centimeters. The paving slabs are laid on the edge, in accordance with the selected pattern, and compacted using a rubber hammer. Installation of paving slabs is carried out from the curb, moving from top to bottom towards the drain.
Paving with cement-sand mortar is considered more reliable and durable, however, it will no longer be possible to dismantle the coating without damaging the tiles. The technology for installing a coating on a ready-made solution is as follows: prepare cement-sand mixture, which is laid out on the prepared base using a trowel. The layer of solution should be two to three centimeters. The paving stones are pressed into fresh mortar, and the position of the tiles is adjusted using a mallet. The distance between paving elements should not exceed 1-2 mm. Adjusting paving slabs to size is done using a grinder. During the work, the correct horizontal laying is checked with a building level.
A paving machine is used for paving large areas. Laying paving using mechanized means can significantly increase the efficiency and speed of work.
After execution installation work, the seams between the paving elements are covered with a dry mixture of cement and sand. With the help of water, the layer of prancing is compacted. The procedure is repeated until the seams are completely filled with the mixture. The pavement area paved with paving stones must be used in two to three days.
Filling paving joints with a mixture of cement and sand
There are many types of patterns for laying paving slabs, one of the most popular types paving stones is the "old town". Old Town paving tiles are a set consisting of 3 or 4 elements with rounded corners. The stones differ in size and color.
The layout of paving slabs depends entirely on the designer’s imagination. One of the options for the layout of Old Town paving stones is a combination of three colors (for example, yellow, brown and peach) in equal proportions, laid out in a chaotic manner. Another option is a paving scheme using a combination of two colors; stones of the same color are laid along the edges of the path, which turn into a different color towards the center.
We invite you to watch a video that shows the process of laying paving stones on a concrete base:
Old Town tiles are one of the most common and this is not surprising. Not only does this paving slab look very attractive, it has a large number of installation options. And if you use the combination various colors, then the Old Town will look amazing. In this article we will look at what the installation of paving slabs in the Old Town looks like, options for laying it and combining tiles.
The Old Town allows you to let your imagination run wild and create various designs and combinations of tiles. One pack of these tiles usually includes tiles of four sizes, but in some cases three sizes are possible - not available smallest option. The maximum set includes large tile, square, a tile having half the size of a large one and the smallest one, the surface area of which is a third of a large tile or 1/2 of a square. As you can see, there are plenty of options for combining the available sizes. You can also complicate things by adding a variety of color options.
If you want to see order in everything, then the pattern should be maintained in laying paving slabs in the Old Town. This applies not only to the selection of tiles by size, but also by color. The name paving slabs conveys the very essence of the installation - the old city. In those old days, roads were laid out of granite stones of different sizes and no one thought about any sequence, so the stones were laid out chaotically - this gave the road no less beauty. That is, laying paving slabs Old Town will look simply amazing if you make a little chaos in the masonry. The main thing is not to make “spots” from frequent repetition of tiles of the same size or color.
As can be seen in the diagrams above, with any type of masonry there is one pattern - the presence of transverse or longitudinal lines. These lines should be straight. It may seem like it's not that important, but it's not. Firstly, ready-made option will be clearly more attractive with straight lines, even if there is chaos in the masonry design; secondly, on large areas this may cause a problem. Which problem? The tiles may not fit well and may not fit in some places - trimming will be required, and this will not have a very good effect on the overall picture.
But it is also possible to lay paving slabs without following this line. This method can hide a lot of errors, you don’t have to stick to any lines, but in addition it is time-consuming.
Paving slabs are well compacted after laying with a vibrating plate. If it is made using technology, then no chips or cracks will form. If you are worried that marks will remain, then simply attach a thin sheet of rubber to the tamper tile.
In another, the Old Town is no different from laying tiles of other sizes and patterns. The only thing you need is imagination and, of course, patience. Usually, for laying this tile, installers charge a slightly higher price than usual.
The "Old Town" is varied.
With your imagination, you can post different drawings(fan, butterfly, flower, wave...) and do-it-yourself color combinations from these tiles. A pack consists of 4 tiles of different sizes, but sometimes there are 3 (there is no smallest one). IN standard set: large tile, 1/2 the size tile, square, small - 1/3 of the large or 1/2 of the square. There are enough options for combining and creating your own unique design. And in different color scheme a path, platform or pavement looks even more interesting.
Such figured paving elements are increasingly popular among developers. Paving slabs are cheaper than stone, they are stronger than brick, and with annual repairs and replacement of damaged elements, they will last about 15 years. It is used when laying garden paths or making playgrounds near private houses, or for paving streets, playgrounds for children, near buildings, etc. “Old Town” tiles are also used to pave roads; it can withstand the significant load created by the daily flow of cars . To do this, select a thickness of 80 mm.
The laying of Old Town tiles by private owners is often chaotic, with a pattern that they came up with. But laid vertically or parallel, it looks more harmonious.
Selection of paving stones by thickness
Tiles "Old Town" are produced different thicknesses: 40 mm – light load, 60 mm – medium, 80 mm – maximum. You will decide for yourself what thickness of tiles you need. If you plan to create a coating for sidewalks, garden paths and do not roll carts with heavy loads on it, do not drive a lawn mower or other heavy equipment, then a thickness of 40 mm is sufficient. If the load is greater (riding cyclists, for example), then take a thickness of 60 mm. And the strongest, 80 mm thick, is suitable for paving roads and car parking areas.
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Laying methods
To make your site or path look neat and orderly, follow a certain pattern when laying it. Select tiles carefully, taking into account color and size. In the Middle Ages, pavements were laid with granite stones, picking up pebbles different sizes, and attached little importance to the creation of some kind of drawing. But such roads looked colorful. Adopt this method and create some chaos of alternation when laying it. Try not to make repeating spots that are the same in color and size.
Consider the diagram. Please note that there are clear lines: transverse and longitudinal. Make them even. The laid out area looks much better with such clear lines. There is also a problem that without smooth edges in large areas you will have to make adjustments to the curb, cutting off part of it - this is not very aesthetically pleasing. Use brick as a border in figured masonry. You will coat it later. Border options are available.
You don’t have to follow these lines when laying, then you will hide some errors. Installing the Old Town takes a lot of time and is not cheap.