Laying paving slabs on the ground with your own hands. Laying paving slabs - how to make your yard and garden comfortable and beautiful? Step-by-step instructions for laying paving slabs - video

How to lay paving slabs with your own hands. Step-by-step instructions, video.

It is well known that with the development of mini-productions, paving slabs are becoming more accessible to a large number of the population. More and more owners country cottages and dachas, paths are laid out using ready-made cement-sand tiles.

Paving slabs will last for decades

If you choose a thicker option, you can line the entrance and parking area with them. And you can simply lay out the yard and pedestrian paths with them in an original way. Perhaps it will even occur to you to lay out your dacha with paving slabs?

But is it possible to do this on your own? We will give you some tips on how to lay paving slabs correctly.

Laying paving slabs

Currently, tiles, otherwise called paving stones, have become widespread. Paving stones are rectangular or any other shaped tiles. More often rectangular tiles found in sizes 20x10xh cm. Such tiles can be laid using a variety of schemes. The simplest and most popular are “brickwork”, “herringbone” and “column”. What is so attractive about paving stones? It is very easy to install and is well suited for arranging any type of path. There are also schemes with a paired arrangement of tiles. In such paths it is better to use two or more colors of tiles. Such schemes are most suitable for car parks and sites.

Laying paving slabs is a difficult task that requires serious attitude and a certain amount of skill. The service life of paving slabs is quite long and depends on the quality of the work performed. Therefore, if you want to save on tiles, you should not save on laying them. The basis for laying tiles is always a mixture or cushion of crushed stone and sand. This is done regardless of whether you plan to lay the tiles on a dry mix or mortar. In some cases, to strengthen the sand and gravel base, a concrete screed is installed.

How to lay tiles. Technology for laying paving slabs

Paving slabs are laid using the following technology. As already mentioned, paving slabs are laid on a concrete sand or crushed stone base. The type of base depends on the requirements for the tile and the thickness of the tile.

Let's consider general case technologies for laying paving slabs.

The turf is removed to a depth of 15 centimeters. At the same time, there should be no roots or seeds of plants or debris left at the bottom.
It is necessary to carry out longitudinal and transverse leveling of the bottom of the trench with calculation of the slope for water drainage. It is desirable that the bottom of the trench has a slight slope. If too much clay soil you need to make drainage in the part where the trench is deeper.
The next step is to compact the bottom of the trench. You can do rolling and vibration compaction, if available. necessary equipment. The tamper can be made with an ordinary piece of a small log, nailing a handle to it at the end, which will serve as a handle.
If a geometric path is being made, grooves are dug for the side stone or curb.
The bottom of the ditch is compacted and a five-centimeter layer of sand is poured onto the bottom.
The side stone is installed in the groove on the concrete pad. The bottom of the trench is also filled with a large number of liquid concrete and the stone is laid.
To avoid deformation of the road surface, we cover the subgrade with geotextiles. This method is mainly used if the soil is slightly heaving. 2 layers of black mulch material Agril, Spandbond or Agrotex are used as geotextiles.
We fill the bottom of the trench with crushed stone, a small fraction from 5 to 20 mm thick, take a layer of 20 cm, taking into account the arrival of vehicles. Then pour water directly onto the surface and tamp it down. If the soil is not heaving, you can cover the bottom of the trench, after slightly moistening it with coarse sand, a layer thickness of 15 cm, you can use 3 methods:
1. pouring moistened sand 5 cm thick onto the compacted layer of crushed stone and leveling it with a lath;
2. We moisten the sand surface, roll it, level it and cover it reinforcement mesh 50 x 50 mm without bundle. Fill the dry mixture with a thickness of 3-4 cm and moisten it using a watering can.
3. the tiles are laid on a mortar 2-3 cm thick, directly on uncompacted crushed stone, without covering it with sand. The solution is prepared from M150 cement (cement: sand, 1:3). There is an option using tile adhesive, which of course will be a little more expensive, but will also be more reliable. But in this case, the glue is applied to concrete screed 5-10 cm thick.
Paving slabs are laid on the prepared layer and compacted using a vibrating plate or a heavy wooden or rubber mallet. You need to carefully monitor the level of laying paving slabs or immediately give the path the required profile. Basically with a slight slope from the center to the edges for water drainage.
A dry mixture of cement and sand is scattered onto the surface of the laid tiles and distributed along the seams between the tiles.
The surface of the laid tiles is carefully and thoroughly swept with a brush, cleaned of any remaining dry mixture and watered so that it penetrates into the cracks. It takes some time for the mixture to harden.

Small tricks when laying paving slabs

When purchasing paving slabs, make calculations in such a way as to take into account the waste that will be generated when laying and cutting the tiles. The amount of waste depends on the shape and size of the surface, as well as on the installation method. If laying is carried out diagonally, there will be more waste than if laying is done in parallel.

It will be easier to split paving slabs if you first cut them with a grinder. It should be taken into account that when cutting, a large amount of dust is released. It is to avoid dust that you only need to cut the tile and then break it.

A path made of paving slabs laid on a dry mixture or a solution on a crushed stone bed can support the weight of a passenger car. The slabs laid on a concrete base and a 1.5 times reinforced cushion will withstand the load from truck. The most important thing to remember when laying paving slabs is to lay the tiles strictly according to technology and to properly prepare the base. The service life of the tile depends on these factors.

High quality paving slabs, laid in compliance with all recommendations and rules, with proper drainage, will serve you faithfully for several decades without losing their aesthetic qualities. Enjoy your walks on beautiful and durable paving slabs!

Do-it-yourself country path

In terms of livability summer cottage or a country house, an important role is played by beautifully designed paths connecting the house with other buildings or recreation areas. The path not only provides ease of movement, but also becomes one of the most colorful decorative elements of the backyard landscape.

In order to lay out paths on your site, you can invite specialists who will do their work competently and competently, but sidewalks made with your own hands and according to your own ideas will always please your eyes and remind you how diligently and with soul you took this work .

To create a straight path, its boundaries are easy to mark taut rope. If you have planned a winding path that runs between plantings or trees, then you can use a rake with a marking strip attached to it for the selected path. The nails leave a uniform mark that will be used as a marking line.
You make the width of the sidewalk according to your idea and desire, but usually a width of about 70 centimeters is enough. The soil is removed from the markings of the future path and a trench 30 centimeters deep is made, maintaining the relief gradient of the site.
To construct the drainage necessary for the outflow of water during rains, the bottom of the trench is lightly compacted and filled with crushed stone. It is best to use large crushed stone that can easily pass moisture and filter the soil. Instead of crushed stone, you can make drainage from construction waste, such as stone, expanded clay, concrete residues, paying attention to the fact that this waste should not absorb moisture, but easily allow it to pass through, and also have increased strength.
Having finished arranging the drainage, you can begin to cover the path. In this work, you can use all your creative abilities, or look at samples in construction catalogs. Material for country paths can be very diverse. This could be the popular rubble stone or paving slabs. It can be laid with a mosaic made of various solid materials, or it can simply be filled with concrete.

In any case, the sidewalk paths on your site, created with your own hands, will delight your eyes for a long time and will even become a source of pride in your own creation.

Pebbles in the garden

Nowadays, you won’t surprise anyone with paths made of paving slabs in your summer cottage. Another thing - decorative pebbles, which looks very beautiful and original. When working with such material, you will reveal your talent as a designer. Pebbles allow you to lay out non-standard ornaments and do not restrain your creative impulses.

In addition, to give your site even more attractive, it is possible to use stone elements with a variety of patterns. So what procedures should you start with when laying pebbles? Firstly, it is necessary to responsibly select the necessary material. There are two types of pebbles on the market: river and sea. It can be rough, polished, processed or in its natural state. Natural stone is an alternative to pebbles and is artificially polished to create a rounded appearance.

When selecting color range You should opt for contrasting shades. Typically, pebbles come in white, black and brown colors. You can also find burgundy, gray and red-orange shades. It is necessary to follow some rules in order to correctly line up the fragments of the ornament. To lay out a simple design you will need: rope, wooden pegs and a tape measure.

More complex ornaments need to be drawn in advance on a sheet of paper on a one-to-one scale, and then transfer this drawing to personal plot. After these steps, work is carried out on the site itself. It remains to determine what will be needed for them:

Accurate marking of the perimeter of the paths;
Prepared walking paths three hundred millimeters deep;
Carefully spilled and compacted soil;
Waterproofing;
A compacted layer of sand of one hundred millimeters on the surface of the soil;
A layer of crushed stone of two hundred millimeters, and the crushed granite fraction should be from twenty to forty millimeters;
After falling asleep, the crushed stone must be compacted taking into account the slope for the outflow of precipitation;
The final layer is filled with a pre-prepared solution of cement and sand in a ratio of 1:3.

After this, we proceed to leveling using a long level, taking into account that a certain amount of the prepared composition should penetrate into the spaces between the granite pebbles, and the remaining part should protrude above the surface by about half a millimeter. It is intended for attaching pebbles to it, taking into account the selected ornament. During installation, special attention should be paid to maintaining neat rows, and the size of the pebbles should be the same.

After you finish paving the path, thoroughly water it and let it sit undisturbed for about three to four days until the pebbles have completely settled. Now you just need to check whether the ornament is securely fixed. If this is not the case, and you find loose stones, then the procedure must be done again.

Extremely simple technology laying paving slabs in the courtyard of a private house allows the work to be completed by an individual developer without the involvement of specialists. It is enough to organize the slopes of the pavement, install a storm drain, choose a rational layout scheme and the material to be used for paving, depending on the operational loads.

Before you start decorating your yard with FEM shaped paving elements, you need to learn how to properly plan the topography of the site and reduce the budget for landscaping the area. FEM is a budget finishing option in comparison with asphalt concrete pavement; it allows you to level out unevenness by terracing and making slopes of 4 - 7 degrees, necessary for the gravity removal of rain and melt runoff.

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

Important! Storm drainage (point or linear) is necessary in any case, since FEMs 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 technology features:

Advice! It is better to calculate 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 area.

Yard marking

At this stage, it is necessary to create a single horizontal level of the yard, create slopes and outline the paving area with cords. To lay paving slabs on granular mixtures, 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 to transition between terraces. It is better to make them from FEM elements in order to maintain the unity of the landscape design style.

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. To do this, pegs or cast-offs are used, the cord is pulled along the outer edge of the curbs or storm drainage trays.

Base requirements

If there is clay in the soil, it will swell in winter and destroy the coating. On a fresh embankment, on the contrary, the soil will subside over time. Therefore, in the first case, part of the soil (upper 40 cm) is replaced with an inert material that does not contain clay and swelling is minimized.

In the second option, the black soil is also removed, but to a depth of 0.6 m, a 15-20 cm layer of crushed stone is poured and a 10 cm footing 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 paving (1/6 cement, sand, respectively) with a thickness of 10 cm minimum. All layers are necessarily compacted with a vibrating plate.

Preparing the mixture

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

Preparation of prancing from cement and sand.

Curbs and storm drains

The resource and quality of paving directly depend on the technology for installing storm gutters and garden borders. These elements are higher than paving slabs; for them, trenches will have to be deepened along the perimeter of the paving area. When laying them on the base, you should follow the following technology:

The laid curb is covered from the outside with soil, from the inside with non-metallic material (sand or crushed stone) at the same level with the surface of the underlying layer. Storm drainage trays and storm water inlets are installed at the lowest points of the paving area. To reduce the landscaping budget, storm drainage trays can replace curbs on one side of the yard.

Laying solid tiles

The paving stones are laid on the manufactured base using the following technology:

Rice. 8 Alignment of the prancing rule

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

The rule is made from flat, dry edged boards, 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 right away, so it’s easier to work with the work in front of you. This makes it possible to level the entire paving surface along the beacons and lay the FEM elements in one go, which dramatically increases productivity.

Tool-free laying of paving stones on leveled and compacted sand

Advice! At quality leveling along the beacons of prancing 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 avoid cutting figured paving elements only in areas of regular geometric shape, and even then, not for all FEM collections. Trimming of paving slabs is necessary at junction points:

at curbs, foundations, plinths;
near rainwater inlets and at intersections;
on radial, winding sections.

The FEM is cut using a diamond disc or an angle grinder using stone tools. Unlike some curbs, paving slabs do not have reinforcement and are quite easy to cut.

For some modifications of FEM, manufacturers produce halves, which allows you to do without trimming.

At the last stage, the laid facing material must be additionally protected from displacement during operation. To do this, the seams should be filled with quartz or washed quarry sand. Particles of these materials have torn edge, therefore they self-weed inside the seams under their own weight, are not washed out by rain and are not blown away by the wind.

Backfilling of joints with FEM.

Sand is poured in heaps over the paving area before compacting the lining with a vibrating plate, and swept with a brush over the entire surface of the yard. Bulk material penetrates into the seams on its own; after treating the surface with a vibrating plate, the remaining bulk material is swept away.

Interface with blind area

If you plan to pave the entire courtyard area 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 greater than the projection of the roof onto the ground;
the slope of the blind area should be from the walls outwards within 4 - 7 degrees;
the topography of the courtyard area, in turn, may have a slope towards the cottage.

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

Interface unit for the blind area and paving of the yard with storm drainage elements.

Important! At the stage of manufacturing the underlying layer, pipes are laid drainage sewer from storm water inlets towards an underground reservoir for receiving and storing wastewater.

Thus, paving the yard with paving slabs on our own does not pose any difficulties 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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Laying paving slabs in the yard is an excellent solution to improve the area, make it beautiful, cozy and comfortable. You can do the installation work yourself; it’s not difficult to do; this material is not only beautiful, but also reliable, and if everything is done correctly, it will serve for a long time.

Laying paving slabs with your own hands is done quite often, since this is a simple process, and any home craftsman can master it. There is a large selection of paving slabs available in stores, and you can choose them to match the exterior of your yard. Laying paving slabs with your own hands in small areas can be done without assistants, but if you need to cover a large area, you will have to hire a helper.

Before considering the rules for laying paving slabs on sand, you need to know that there are two main types: vibrocast and stamped. If you want such a coating to serve you for a long time and look beautiful, then it is better to buy vibro-cast tiles, although keep in mind that their price will be higher than stamped ones.

The specified coating may also differ in thickness, which usually ranges from 20-60 mm. If you are planning to make paths in the garden, then it will be quite enough to lay paving slabs on the sand, and their thickness can be only 20 mm. For a private yard where a passenger car will move, it is necessary to lay tiles with a thickness of 40-45 mm. If it is expected that heavy vehicles will move on this surface, then it is necessary to use tiles with a thickness of at least 60 millimeters.

Although the patterns of such a coating can be very different, if you are a beginner, it is better to start with a simple shape and not take on forms in the form of a “diamond”, “brick” and “paving stones” since it is quite difficult to correctly lay paving slabs of this type.

If we talk about the color of such a coating, then it can be very different, and you can choose the one that is suitable specifically for your yard. Take into account the fact that colored tiles will be more expensive than gray ones, although the technology for laying paving slabs with your own hands does not change.

What is needed to get the job done?

Exist different ways installation, but to perform the specified work you will need the following tools and materials:

sand, depending on the size and landscape of the yard, you may need quite a lot of it;
cement;
paving slabs, required amount which is calculated taking into account the area of the yard;
border;
pegs and thread or fishing line;
grinder with diamond wheel;
rubber hammer;
rule and building level;
tamping;
Master OK;
broom and shovel.
For ease of work, you need to purchase knee pads.

To prevent water from stagnating on the site, it is necessary to make a slight slope; usually it is done towards the street, but in each individual case a different decision is made.

If you decide that the slope should be towards the street, then the street will be the zero level, and a slight elevation must be made towards the house.

Two pegs are driven in along the selected zero line and the horizontal thread is pulled; its position must be controlled using a level. Now a thread is tied to the peg, perpendicular to the existing one, and a peg is placed at the other end so that the inclination of the thread is several degrees; this will be enough to prevent rain and melt water from stagnating in the yard.

It remains to hammer in one more peg and stretch a thread to it, which will be parallel to the zero line, so you will get a rectangle, which is marked on all sides by lines and the laid tiles will be in the same plane.

Leveling the site

After you have marked out the dimensions of the area, you need to divide it into strips, the width of which should correspond to the length of the rule you have. The division is carried out parallel to the zero line and a separate thread is pulled for each strip.

Regardless of what methods of laying paving slabs you use, the next stage of the work is leveling the area in accordance with the markings. First, leveling is carried out by adding soil; it is necessary that it be below the mark by approximately two tile heights, but you should not achieve particular accuracy at this stage.

To compact the soil, you need to use a tamper, which you can make yourself. Now you need to prepare a dry sand-cement mixture, using 6 parts sand and 1 part cement. Mix everything on the ground; it is better that the sand is slightly damp, so such work is not recommended in very hot weather. When answering the question of what kind of sand is needed, it is worth noting that it must be clean, free of organic inclusions and slightly damp. This mixture is evenly distributed over the outer strip.

Laying technology

It is necessary to place a metal pipe or a wooden block along the border of the strip, with a gap between them and taut thread should be a sentiment less than the thickness of the tile. Now we put the rule on the pipe and add the prepared mixture, which we tamp with our hands, as a result of which we get a finished strip on which the paving slabs are laid on the sand.

In order to make it convenient to work, it is necessary to inspect the condition of each tile and lay it in stacks near the area where the work will be carried out. If you come across a concave, convex or curved tile, it is better to put it aside. Then it can be used when small parts are needed.

The tiles are laid on the prepared base, tapped well rubber mallet and lowers to the marking level, its position is checked using a level. Depending on the chosen scheme for laying paving slabs at the dacha, the following tiles are laid sequentially. It is recommended to carry out the installation away from you, so that you can then move along the already laid area. Having thus completed one strip, they move on to work on another strip.

If you encounter an obstacle on the way in the form of a hatch, a pipe, or something else, then they first go around it with whole tiles, and the adjustment is done after the main part of the work is done. Although there are different ways of laying paving slabs on sand, the most commonly used is a diagonal pattern, which ensures maximum strength and stability of such a base, and when a car moves on it, it produces minimal noise.

The final stage

Some experts recommend filling the seams at the end of each working day, others do this after completing all work. Regardless of this, this process consists of filling the seams with a sand-cement mixture, first spreading the mixture over the surface, and then sweeping it with a broom. The gap between the tiles should be about 3-5 mm.

To fill the gaps as much as possible, the mixture that gets into them is moistened; after it settles, the sweeping procedure is repeated; this may need to be done several times. Usually a mixture of sand and cement is used in a ratio of 6:1, and in places of high humidity, it is necessary to use a mixture of 3:1.

It is almost always necessary to trim the tiles; this is determined separately in each case. It is best to cut tiles using a grinder with a diamond wheel installed on it.

Laying paving slabs without a border can be done, but if you want to make flower beds, you will have to use a border. In this case, a small trench is dug along the edge, into which a curb is installed and fixed with thick cement mortar.

Now all that remains is to use the trimmed tiles to lay all the remaining spaces and fill the seams. At the edges, as well as in places where the tiles approach the entrance gates, experts recommend laying them not on a dry sand-cement mixture, but on regular cement mortar, in this case the ratio of cement and sand should be 1:3. This will ensure its more reliable installation, and it will be able to withstand heavy loads.

Until the joints are completely filled, vehicles should not be allowed to drive over the tiles, as this may cause them to move. The seams must be filled with high quality to ensure elastic interaction between adjacent tiles. If this is not done, the tile may become damaged and may rise as there will be no room for it to expand.

It’s not difficult to lay tiles in the yard, the area near the house or garden paths, you just need to follow the rules described and then you can do it yourself this work, without involving specialists in services, which are not cheap.

Paving slabs - modern type material that is excellent for refining small plots, such as paths in squares and parks, entrances to garages, decoration local area on suburban area. It is no secret that now manufacturers offer a wide variety of shapes and types of tiles that can create an individual design style on your site. Various color and patterned textures are used to highlight originality and preserve unique style. Laying paving slabs with your own hands determines not only the architectural ensemble of the future site, but also its durability. Therefore, it is important to follow the installation technology and not neglect simple and mandatory rules. But, in general, the technology itself is quite simple and does not require special knowledge in the construction industry. In this article, we will reveal a step-by-step work plan and find out what is needed to lay out the tiles on your own, as well as what materials and tools will be needed for this.

Materials and tools

There are 2 main types of tiles used for laying sidewalks:

Stamped.
Vibrocast.
Granite.

The first type is more budget-friendly, special costs does not require production, however, the quality of such tiles is often poor. But tiles made using vibration casting technology, on the contrary, are famous for their durability, however, there is a small disadvantage of this type - it is a high price. Tiles can be the most different sizes and configurations, width and length.

The height varies from 20 mm to 70-80 mm. Considering the purpose of the site, it is worth focusing on the size and height. For small paths, high strength is not required from the tiles, so even thin tiles from 20 mm will do. But for platforms and driveways it is better to use thicker tiles from 60 mm.

In addition to the tile itself, you will need:

Crushed stone, sand. It is better to use a crushed stone fraction of no more than 40 mm.
Cement or special plaster mixture.
Geotextiles. It protects the tiles from sagging.
Borders are usually sold individually.

What tools are needed to lay paving slabs:

Hammer (rubber).
Level (preferably more than 1 m).
Grinder with a diamond wheel.
Several trowels.
Manual "rammer".
"Meter".
Shovel.
Rope (for marking).
Pegs.

NOTE
Additionally, buy rubberized knee pads and mittens. There is work to be done with water and electricity.

First you need to decide on the size of the plot and take into account all the nuances, create a plan drawing for convenience. Choose the type of tile, what pattern or color you would like. Taking into account the dimensions, we calculate the amount of material. It is also advisable to mark the area; for this, use pegs and rope.

Check all the nuances several times, take into account inconveniences and others. Pay special attention to vegetation; trees or shrubs should be bypassed or completely removed from the site, especially if they are young trees. As the roots of trees or shrubs grow, they will begin to lift the soil, due to this, swelling of the tiles will be observed, which will break, rise and sag in some places. Therefore, it is better to make a retreat from the seedling of at least a meter, and preferably more.

Before laying paving slabs, it is necessary to carry out work to prepare the soil. First of all, it is necessary to remove the top layer of soil, which will level out uneven areas, compact the soil and create a sand and gravel cushion. The characteristics of the site depend on the purpose of the site. For arranging sidewalks, make a platform 20 cm deep, and for car parking lots and entrances 27-30 cm.

After the hole has been dug, the soil must be compacted. To do this, you need to water it with a hose with a sprinkler, after which you need to walk with a tamper. The procedure, which is simple to perform, plays an important role in the durability of the paving surface, as it helps prevent subsidence, the process of subsidence of the site, which is observed over time in the operation of the road surface.

Types of paving slabs with their pros and cons

Modern manufacturers of building materials produce paving stones using different modern technologies. Depending on the characteristics of the technological process, sidewalk tiles are divided into 3 types:

vibration-cast;
vibropressed.

Vibrocast tiles produced using plastic compounds . The “filling” of the building material is poured using equipment into special containers - “vibroforms”. Paving slabs of this type have an attractive appearance; they imitate natural wood or brick. More often this type building material is used for individual construction. Vibro-cast tile elements are used for arranging personal plots country houses and cottages. They are also laid out on paths located in parks and garden plots.

Vibropressed tiles made in a different way. The pre-prepared concrete mixture is poured into a special mold. After this, it is subjected to pressure, which is created by special equipment - a brick press. Thanks to special manufacturing technology, construction material has a strict shape with a rough surface. Vibropressed tiles are used to lay sidewalks, pavements, squares and roads in crowded and public places.

Modern consumers have access to a large number of product options in a variety of colors. Paving slabs also come in various shapes; the most popular are the following shaped paving elements:

honeycomb;
paving stones;
scales;
clover;
wave;
fleece;
gzhelka;
flower.

Depending on the material from which paving slabs are made, they are divided into several types. Relatively inexpensive building materials made of concrete and clay are popular among modern consumers. In the arrangement of suburban areas, clay paving slabs imitating roofing tiles are often used. To improve the technical characteristics of the building material, manufacturers can add a binder material, for example, granite chips, to the tiles.

The most wear-resistant is, characterized by excellent strength characteristics natural stone. It easily tolerates sudden temperature changes, due to which it has a long service life. Concrete plates become unusable after 3-4 years, the asphalt surface will begin to deform after 2 years, and granite tiles will last more than 25 years. Another plus of granite - it does not require additional funds protection from damage. The disadvantage of natural building materials is their high cost.

Stages of work on laying paving slabs

When arranging a suburban area of a public place or garden path, it is necessary to comply with certain rules and adhere to the recommendations of specialists. To perform high-quality and durable tile laying you must:

Make drains to remove atmospheric water. When laying paving slabs of any kind on sand, rain or melt water, it will flow into the gaps between the paving elements and be absorbed into the base. If the base is concrete, then it will collect between the tiles and concrete, which will lead to swelling of certain sections of the path. To avoid this, a slope is necessary, which can be longitudinal, transverse or transverse-longitudinal. The gap for drainage of atmospheric water should be between the tiles and the curb.
Compare the size of the tiles with the dimensions of the path. How more area and the width of the paving path, the larger the shaped tile elements should be. Large paving slabs do not make the installation process easier. Due to the fact that large tiles carry more weight, they are more difficult to transport, lift, move and level. While adjusting the height, you will have to repeatedly lift the heavy layer to add sand.
Choose the right track size. The width of the path should be selected taking into account the dimensions of the paving slabs and the width of the gaps between the paving elements. This will avoid unsightly and labor-intensive cutting of the tile material. This rule applies to laying tiles of the correct geometry. When creating circular patterns and imitating natural stone, you cannot do without the cutting process. In this case, it is necessary to think in advance about the location of solid and trimmed tile elements.
Bring all communications to the tile laying process. If you don't take care of this in advance, you will have to dismantle the tile covering and reinstall it. If on this moment there is no need for communications, it is recommended to create conditions for laying sewer pipes in future. To do this, it is necessary to lay inexpensive plastic pipes with a diameter of 50 mm or more under the path, in places where future communications will pass.
Lay a layer of geotextile. It must be placed between the base pad under the paving slabs and the soil to avoid subsidence of the path and grass sprouting between the shaped paving elements.

Stage 1 – Layout of paving slabs – diagrams, patterns, drawings

Manufacturers offer a wide range of paving stones and tiles, which allows you to obtain a durable and aesthetic coating in public places, in the local area of a private house or cottage. The main task of the designer is to choose the right tile design option and decide on the method of its placement. If you are engaged in the independent arrangement of a suburban area, you should first familiarize yourself with the types of tiles, paving methods and options for patterns of laying finishing materials.

Due to the standard ratio of the length and width of shaped paving elements (FEM), there are a large number of schemes for laying paving slabs. For example, using a single-color Brick, you can arrange paving elements in different ways - along the path, diagonally to the longitudinal axis, and lay out an original decorative pattern on any section of the road surface.

When using single-color figured paving elements, the following types of FEM Brick layout schemes are popular:

"Linear" masonry. The bricks are placed parallel to each other along the track line, with the seams of adjacent elements matching.
"Herringbone". The figured paving elements are located at right angles to each other;
"Brickwork. The orientation of the paving elements is maintained as in “linear” masonry, but a bandage of ½ or ¼ brick is added in adjacent rows;
"Block" masonry. Two paving elements are located parallel to each other, and the 2 adjacent bars are turned at right angles.

Helpful advice! If you add Cube tiles to the shaped Brick paving elements, you can significantly improve the quality and attractiveness of the exterior of the paving area.

When laying paving slabs of 2 or more colors, you can use a variety of paving options, allowing you to create a stylish and aesthetic design for your local area. If tiles of several colors or textures are used for landscaping, a tile layout scheme that is simple in execution and visually impressive is often used “ Chess board" The standard block scheme consists of pairwise oriented paving elements Brick or Cube.

When paving the sidewalk and garden paths With multi-colored curly elements, it is recommended to follow the following rules:

In suburban areas there are practically no flat sections of roads without elevation changes or intersections. In order to carry out a high-quality drawing of the paving area, you need to draw a sketch to scale or create a full-fledged project with the future order of the solar cells.
In order to stylishly arrange and decorate a large area, you need to choose an original large-sized design.
When arranging small sections of roads, it is recommended to use a small repeating pattern, design or ornament.

In almost every suburban area there are winding areas that need to be developed using paving slabs. Curly paving elements allow you to quickly create radius patterns with little labor. Laying paving slabs is carried out using a special technology, which includes the following steps:

creating a sketch in special program or to scale;
a contact layer consisting of granotsev, grazovka or sand or grazovka, is applied to the paving area, after which it is carefully leveled;
laying of FEM is carried out from a smaller radius to a larger one, provided that the paving elements are positioned with a side length along the path;
compaction – after filling, the seams are filled with washed quarry or quartz sand, after which the tile is compacted using an area vibrator.

Important! If the bricks are oriented across the path, then a small radius row is laid first. In this case, the longitudinal seams of the paving elements are shifted in the form of a wedge of the required size.

Using the above-described laying technology, it is possible to lay the Brick element with a similar radius pattern on straight sections of the road in a large format. During the work process, it will not be possible to do without trimming some concrete products, which is why the pattern will contain pieces of small-sized paving elements. Despite this, the radius pattern will significantly increase decorative value and the attractiveness of the paving area.

Stage 2 – Preparation of material and tools for laying paving slabs

This is one of the most important stages in arranging a tiled paving area. In order to quickly and efficiently complete the work, you need to prepare everything necessary for laying paving slabs. For paving you will need the following materials:

sand;
tile;
cement;
border.

For self-installation paving slabs, you need to prepare the following tools:

nylon thread;
rubber hammer;
level;
pegs;
long rule;
Master OK;
tamping;
broom.

If you plan to trim shaped paving elements, you need to prepare a grinder with a disc for cutting concrete. It is also recommended to buy knee pads that will help protect your knees when working with emphasis on this part of the body.

Stage 3 – Marking for laying paving slabs

Marking the paving area involves determining the contour of the future sidewalk path. The marking location is indicated using pegs inserted into the soil, between which a nylon thread must be pulled. Since it serves as a guide for the subsequent laying of tiles, the thread must be pulled exactly level. During the marking process, the following rules must be observed:

The area for paving paving slabs must be marked with strips 1 - 1.5 m wide.
All paths located on a suburban area should have a slight slope towards the drainage, due to which sedimentary water will not negatively affect the coating and destroy it.
After laying paving slabs, you need to check the width and level of the paths, as well as the convenience of their location on the suburban area.

Stage 4 – preparing the base for paving slabs

Thanks to a carefully prepared base, the coating will last longer, guaranteed. Over time, the tracks will not sag and will last longer.
If there were already tiles on the site before, they absolutely need to be removed, and at least 25 cm of soil must be removed. Pay attention to the remaining roots or stems; all this should be removed without regret, so that in the future various plants will not grow from your tiles. Be sure to consider water drainage; even through small cracks, water will still get into the soil.

Important! It is necessary to ensure that the base for laying paving slab elements is perfectly level.

If clay predominates in the soil, then it is better to make a kind of hollow and drainage at the end of the trench. And in order for the water to flow into the drainage system, you need to make a slight slope along the edges with transverse and longitudinal drains.
The main feature of the “pillow” is that no matter what type of mortar will be used during installation, it is imperative to make a crushed stone or sand base. To ensure reliability, additionally make a screed from mortar.

Important! For areas where heavy weight bearing is expected, it is necessary to make a screed.

To begin with, on the first level we lay and carefully compact a layer of crushed stone or gravel. Next, a layer of sand is laid on this compacted base. Keep in mind that the sand layer should be about 3-4 cm after compaction. And the tiles should protrude beyond the overall height of the area, by about 1-1.5 cm. It is recommended to lay geotextiles between the gravel and sand, which will allow precipitation to flow freely, but will keep the sand from subsiding.
If the characteristics of the soil are not heaving, you can use only a layer of sand of 10-15 cm, but it must be moist. After scattering the sand over the site, it is generously filled with water, and after a few hours it is compacted. A top layer need to use ready mixture, or prepare your own sand-cement mortar, with a ratio of 3 to 1. You need to fill about 3-5 cm.

Helpful advice! To maintain a uniform level of embankment on the site, you can use a life trick, namely, build unique guides from pipes, which can then be easily dismantled.

Stage 5 – Technology for laying paving slabs

Remember one important rule: you need to lay the tiles only from yourself, thereby you will not disturb the base. Also, installation, regardless of the size of the material, must be carried out along a diagonal plane and each element must be tightly adjusted; this will help solve the problem of uneven seams. It is recommended to leave no more than 2mm between the plates so that there is enough space for the powder afterwards. It is better to compact the laid tiles wooden mallet. If the element does not lie evenly or falls through, carefully throw sand with a trowel and press it.

After all installation, we align the “swollen” tiles to the overall tone using a rubberized hammer and level. There are times when, to create a pattern, you need to cut the tile and trim it, so, do this only when all the solid-format tiles in the pattern are all laid out. It is better to use for cutting special knife, or in the absence of one, a grinder.

Important! Installation of paving slabs cannot be carried out during rain or immediately after precipitation, since the soil and the cushion placed on it must be dry. Optimal humidity- guarantee that the tiles will last for many years.

Adding a final touch to the design of the site will help by installing a border. These stones allow you to create a geometrically flat area. After laying all the material, a trench is dug along the edge for the installation of curbs. The border must be installed in such a way that the top of the tile itself does not rise above the stone. The curb stone is placed on a mortar with a consistency of at least M100. The side of the curb also needs to be filled with mortar and sprinkled with a small layer of sand on top.

After laying all the elements, we check the site to ensure there are no bulges or holes. If defects are found, we eliminate them and fill absolutely all the seams with sand or a mixture with the addition of cement. All excess can be easily removed with a broom, and then the seams should be thoroughly moistened with a hose. If after moistening the sand sag, it is necessary to fill it again to strengthen the coating. Otherwise, under the load of adjacent slabs, the canvas will begin to rise or sag and “walk.”

Important! Please note that the sand used for dusting should under no circumstances contain any impurities, otherwise vegetation may appear in the cracks over time.

You can begin to fully develop the site, that is, walk and drive on it only after a few days. This cannot be done before, as the solution must harden and dry. Do not forget that the tiles need to be cleaned and washed periodically. IN winter period Do not use metal scrapers or crowbars to clear the area - this will damage the surface of the slab. It is also strictly forbidden to use salt-containing mixtures, because over time they will destroy the coating. In addition, keep in mind that any tile is not “friendly” with varnish, paint and other chemicals.

Often, people born and raised in the city refuse to purchase country houses and plots of land, since they associate the latter with dirt, damaged shoes and many other unsightly moments for city dwellers. However, civilization does not stand still, and today craftsmen have at their disposal many ways to organize the space of a summer cottage and improve the countryside, thanks to which you can forever forget about impassable dirt. One of these methods is to arrange the sidewalk using tiles, which have strength, durability and high decorative characteristics. Despite the fact that laying paving slabs is not the only way to improve a backyard area, it is often preferred due to its simplicity, relative cheapness and the absence of the need to use specialized equipment (for example, an asphalt roller when paving an area or a concrete compactor when concreting an area ). One more distinctive feature tiled covering, which can be attributed to the advantages, is the ability to take a technological break in the process of arranging the sidewalk, which cannot be said about asphalting and concreting. Considering the relevance of the topic, we considered it necessary to talk about the process of laying paving slabs. Due to the fact that an integral stage of laying tiles is preparing the site, in this article we will answer the question: “How to prepare the site for paving slabs?”

Requirements for the base for paving slabs

How to lay paving slabs and be satisfied with the result? To do this, it is necessary to comply with a certain set of requirements that are mandatory when laying the specified material. Many of them relate directly to the quality of the base for paving slabs. The basic requirements are as follows:

Drainage, the need for arrangement of which is explained by the importance of removing accumulated water and preventing its destructive effect on the sidewalk;
Arrangement of a waterproofing system, namely the use of a special substrate, will prevent excessive accumulation of moisture;
Organization of drainage, which implies a slope of the terrain and a system of special drainage grooves;
The surface should be as flat as possible, which will ensure ideal placement of the shaped paving elements;
The presence of a recess that will provide the opportunity for arrangement drainage system and the absence of movement of individual elements and, as a result, deformation in the event of soil subsidence.

What do you need to prepare before laying tiles?

Before you begin preparing the base for paving slabs on the street, purchase all the required tools and materials:

Paving slabs and the corresponding estimated number of curbs required to finish the area allocated for paving;
Metal or wooden stakes or pins;
The horizontal level that will be needed to fit the horizontal paving stones;
A regular watering can or hose with a divider, necessary to moisten the sand cushion and base;
A metal corner, a rake and a channel necessary for leveling the base bedding;
Broom.
In addition, to mark the site, you will need twine, a shovel and other garden tools to remove the top fertile layer of soil, construct a trench and install borders.

How to prepare the ground for laying paving slabs: main steps

Laying paving slabs is a multi-stage process, including several stages:

Preparing the site for laying paving slabs;
Arrangement of the so-called underlying layer or cushion for paving slabs;
Direct laying of paving slabs.

Soil stabilization and subsequent preparation

Preparing a site for paving slabs includes a set of measures, the complexity of which will vary depending on the initial condition of the soil. If it is relatively smooth, preparatory activities will be quite simple: etching and uprooting of vegetation, final leveling of the soil (removing mounds and filling holes) followed by compacting it.

If, in the process of leveling the soil, you are faced with large uneven surfaces over large areas, to prepare the foundation you need to use special construction equipment, such as excavators, scrapers and bulldozers, as well as modern instrumentation, for example, a laser level, called a level.

Arrangement of the underlying layer

After you have stabilized the soil, eliminating all unevenness on its surface, and have marked it, followed by setting elevation marks, you can begin arranging the underlying layer. This stage is just as necessary as the previous one, and it is impossible to level the area for paving slabs without arranging the underlying layer.

The underlying layer is a kind of multi-layer cake, the installation of which will require a number of bulk stone materials used to prepare the base for paving slabs. They are laid on stabilized soil in a certain order, depending on the expected loads on the sidewalk, followed by mandatory compaction of each layer. The thickness of each layer is also a variable parameter and depends on the population external factors. The function of the underlying layer is as follows:

Thanks to the presence of the underlying layer, the tiles are protected from destruction due to ground movement in winter;

After the arrangement of the underlying layer, the smallest surface defects that remained unnoticed during the soil stabilization process are visually leveled, as a result of which the surface acquires a more aesthetic appearance.

There are a number of technologies in accordance with which the underlying layer is prepared. The choice of each of them depends on the expected load on the installed sidewalk and its operating conditions.

If the sidewalk will be subject to loads from moving trucks, or you encounter problems with the natural soil on which installation will be carried out, it is recommended to give preference to the first option, which involves laying the following layers:

Cement mortar (layer thickness is 3 cm);
Reinforced concrete (layer thickness - 10-15 cm).

If you plan to install a site intended for passenger vehicle traffic, preparing the underlying layer involves laying the following materials:

Cement-sand mixture (layer thickness at least 3 cm);
Sand or screenings (10 cm layer);
Crushed stone, which is laid in a layer of 20 cm.

If the path being installed is intended only for the movement of pedestrians, for its arrangement it is necessary to prepare an underlying layer consisting of the following materials:

Cement-sand mixture, the quantity of which should be sufficient to prepare a 3-centimeter layer;
Sand (layer thickness is 10 cm);
Crushed stone (layer thickness is also 10 cm).

How to choose the most suitable technology for arranging the underlying layer?

As noted earlier, when choosing the necessary technology for arranging the underlying layer, first of all, it is necessary to take into account the conditions under which the paving slabs and the path as a whole will be used. If paving slabs will be used for installation only pedestrian paths, the first option for preparing the underlying layer, which involves concreting, is losing its relevance. This is due to the additional costs that concreting may entail.

Important! Often the owners suburban areas and areas located within the city had to deal with ground subsidence caused by high content loams. In such cases, experts recommend giving preference to the second option for preparing the underlying layer intended for the movement of passenger vehicles.

How to level the yard for paving slabs if there is a need to arrange the underlying layer in accordance with various technologies? When one section of the territory, paved with paving slabs, is designed for the passage of passenger vehicles, and another - only for pedestrian zones, it is quite logical that it is necessary to give preference to options that can withstand higher loads. However, experts believe that this is a waste of money and recommend combining several options on one site. This will minimize the cost of laying paving slabs.

Laying paving slabs on the ground

If, during operation, the path paved with paving slabs is expected to be exposed to only low and medium loads (traffic of people and passenger cars), paving slabs can be laid directly on the ground. In this regard, it does not need to be stabilized by concreting followed by reinforcement of the base.

But, despite this, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the soil and the intensity of the loads placed on the path and, based on the data obtained, select the right materials for arranging the underlying layer and lay it. In addition, the modern construction market offers a number of underlying materials on which paving slabs can be directly laid. The use of these materials ensures natural circulation of precipitation, which allows the soil to “breathe,” which is not possible when concreting or asphalting the soil.

Arrangement of the underlying layer: a brief description of the options

How to level the area for paving slabs? IN modern conditions the most popular options are:

Laying paving slabs on a track;
Laying paving slabs for screening;
Laying paving slabs on sand.

Important! When using the same materials to prepare the underlying layer, the parameters of the finished structure, such as the thickness of the underlying layer, the presence or absence of geotextiles, may vary. All this is calculated in accordance with SNiP, taking into account the expected loads and soil type.

Laying tiles on a border

Laying paving slabs on the edge is relevant if the sidewalk has a significant slope. This is understandable. Gartsovka is a dry cement-sand mixture, the setting of which occurs under the tiles when the first precipitation falls. A similar effect can be achieved if you water the tiles with a hose after laying. This technique will ensure reliable adhesion of the tiles and prevent them from sliding towards the slope.

In addition, experts recommend giving preference to this option even if the ground on which the paving slabs will be laid does not have sufficient water absorption. In this regard, when choosing between two options - laying tiles on sand or on a prism, give preference to the latter, since insufficient water absorption of the soil can cause sand to be washed out from under the tiles.

Important! When laying tiles on a tile, remember that they are prone to fading quickly under the influence of the scorching sun, and therefore, when working under the scorching sun, try to speed up as much as possible and reduce the working time, as well as provide shade. In addition, the use of wet sand reduces the storage time of the cement, which is due to the absorption of moisture by the cement and the start of its hardening process.

Laying tiles on sand

This method is traditional when arranging sidewalks. Laying tiles on sand is in many ways similar to that when using a pliers. It is also produced on a layer of compacted gravel 10-20 cm thick, which serves as a cushion for paving slabs. In this case, the thickness of the sand layer should not exceed 10 cm, which will prevent excessive shrinkage. Having given preference to the technology of laying paving slabs on sand, it is necessary to prevent sand from being washed out from under the tiles in advance. To do this, along the perimeter of the area paved with tiles, it is enough to arrange a curb, which is concreted on the outside with a solution made from cement of a strength grade of at least M100.

A layer of geotextile laid under a layer of sand embankment will also prevent sand from being washed out. Laying geotextiles can also be carried out using another, more advanced technology, which involves the use of two layers of geotextiles - one is laid directly on the stabilized soil, and the second on a compacted layer of crushed stone.

Laying tiles on screening

This option is considered the most budget-friendly alternative to the first two methods of laying tiles. Granite screening is a material that is a waste product from the production of crushed stone and consists of crushed stone sand and small fragments, thanks to which it can be used as a base for paving slabs, as well as a crushed stone and sand layer. At the same time, it is easily compacted and, unlike sand, has less shrinkage.

Important! Despite all the benefits of dropout, it independent use not recommended if the soil is unstable and has low water absorption. In such cases, a drainage layer of crushed stone is installed, after which the paving slabs are laid on screenings. In these cases, the inclusion of geotextiles in the laying technology is also welcome.

Laying paving slabs on a monolithic base

This technology is considered one of the most expensive, but it is often impossible to do without it. We are talking about those cases when the operation of tiled paths will be carried out under conditions of increased loads that a compacted bulk base is not able to withstand.

The essence of this technology is to create a monolithic platform that is not susceptible to problematic soils that are prone to deformation, cracking and subsidence. In addition, the platform will help to evenly distribute loads on the sidewalk. The technology for creating a monolithic base includes two options:

Laying paving slabs on asphalt;
Laying paving slabs on concrete.

The first option is used in cases where the old asphalt surface has worn out, but its dismantling is not planned. In this regard, the most worn areas of asphalt are removed and filled with concrete mortar. Existing holes are also filled with concrete. After this, they begin to directly lay the paving slabs on a 2-centimeter layer of mortar.

The second option involves installing a concrete pad on a pre-prepared reinforcement mesh frame with a cell size of 10x10 cm. Laying tiles on a concrete monolithic base is most often practiced on unstable soils, as well as in places with constant intense loads, for example, in parking lots.

After you have prepared the base in accordance with one of the technologies discussed above, you need to begin laying the tiles directly. There are many laying technologies, but we will consider the most common option - laying along guides.

Pegs are installed along the perimeter of the area where the tiles will be laid. Subsequently, elevation marks will be placed on them, which are connected with nylon twine. Thanks to this technique, we get the top of the future tile canvas. The tiles are laid in strips 3 m wide, the length of which is determined by the distance from one stretched twine to another.

It is recommended to start laying tiles from the corner closest to front door home, or from the main element of the landscape. In the process of laying tiles, it must be pressed as tightly as possible to the base, while each paving element is compacted using a rubber hammer and a wooden block. To do this, the tile is laid on the base, after which, by tapping it with a rubber hammer through the block, it is pressed as much as possible. Having completed the laying of the tiles, they undergo final processing using a vibrating plate, which will allow the finishing material to finally fall into place. Thanks to this technique, the surface of the tile will become as smooth and even as possible, and water will not accumulate on its surface.

When laying tiles, take care to purchase special corner tiles with rounded edges, with which you can lay out corners and individual ornaments.

Upon completion of installation, the tiles are covered with sand. For these purposes, you can use special colored sand to match the color of the tiles or contrasting shades, which will make the coating more decorative.