If the installation does not represent special labor, then you need to approach paving the yard more responsibly. The area is large, the loads in the form of cars are considerable, and the coating should look beautiful and neat. The most reasonable choice in this case is paving slabs. Unlike concrete, the work can be carried out in stages; the tile itself is quite durable and can be easily repaired if necessary.
Materials and tools
The thickness of the tiles can vary from 2 to 6 cm. For a yard where cars can drive, it is worth choosing tiles 4 cm thick, as thinner ones may crack. Tiles 2-3 cm thick are only suitable for paving areas that will not bear increased loads. Vibro-cast tiles are a little more expensive than stamped tiles, but stronger and more beautiful.
The color, shape and pattern on the tile are selected based on exterior finishing Houses. Gray is the cheapest. The easiest way to lay shaped tiles with your own hands is to lay small diamond-shaped and rectangular tiles. The required number of tiles is calculated depending on the area of the yard; the calculation method may differ among different manufacturers.
In addition to the tiles you need:
- sand without clay impurities (2-3 tons for an average yard),
- cement,
- border for fencing off the site,
- fishing line or strong thread and pegs for marking,
- for cutting concrete,
- rubber hammer or mallet,
- shovel,
- press for compacting soil and sand,
- rule length 150-200 cm,
- roulette and level,
- trowel or trowel,
- old hard broom or brush,
- protective gloves.
Preparatory stage: marking and compacting the site
The turf is removed from the area on which the tiles will be laid and upper layer soil. A layer of sand or small crushed stone 5-7 cm thick is placed in the resulting pit.
Before starting work, it is necessary to determine whether the site has a slope, due to which water will not collect. The best option– a slope of several degrees towards the street. If the yard has a slope towards the house, then you will have to take care of drainage.
The lowest point of the site is taken as the zero mark, and the line to which the plane is inclined is taken as the zero line. Two pegs are driven in at its ends, and a thread is pulled between them, which must be strictly horizontal (this is checked by a level). Another thread is tied to one of the already hammered pegs and pulled perpendicular to the first. Its other end is attached to a peg so that the entire thread has a slope of several degrees to the zero line.
The thread is again tied to the third peg and secured parallel to the zero line strictly horizontally. The fourth and first pegs are connected to each other, forming the outline of the area within which the tiles will be laid. If the site has a shape other than a quadrangle, then it can be visually divided into parts and a contour can be built for each of them.
For ease of work, the entire site is divided into strips 10-20 centimeters wide (already the rules). This is done by laying equal distances on the threads perpendicular to the zero line and driving in pegs. The pegs are connected by a thread that is located horizontally and at the same level with the threads forming the sides of the rectangle.
Marking is a painstaking and tedious stage, but only with it correct application the tiles will be laid with professional quality.
After marking, the sand is leveled on the site. They remove it where it reaches the thread and add it where it is far from it. As a result, there should be a distance of 8-9 cm between the thread and the surface along the entire length. The sand is thoroughly leveled and pressed down.
Laying tiles
Before laying, the tiles must be inspected and any defective or broken ones must be eliminated. Suitable tiles are laid out in stacks around the perimeter of the site, taking into account the color and pattern, so that when laying you do not have to go after them every time.
Immediately before installation, prepare in a ratio of 6:1. It is better to take sand wet. To prevent it from drying out, prepare a little for each strip.
The cement-sand mixture is laid out on the first strip, leveled and compacted well. At the beginning of the strip, add more mixture, compact it with your hands and level it using the rule. Lay the tile, making sure that its sides coincide with the marking threads. Press down on it, sinking it into the mixture, and tap it with a mallet. Adjacent tiles are laid in the same way, and then the rows. The distance between the tiles is about 5 mm. In those places where the tiles will experience increased loads - near curbs, gates - it is worth laying them not on a mixture, but on a cement-sand mortar.
Rows of tiles are laid out from themselves in order to move along the already laid one. Obstacles in the form of hatches, covers, pillars are treated with whole tiles. All work on finishing and cutting pieces is best done at the end. The tile is cut with a grinder with a diamond blade and then broken off.
The seams between the laid tiles must be filled with a cement-sand mixture. It is scattered on top of the tiles, and then swept into the cracks with a hard broom or brush. If the work drags on for several days, then this operation is repeated at the end of each day. This backfill additionally fixes the tiles.
The edges of the area on which the tiles were laid are bordered. A narrow trench of appropriate depth is dug under it, a little solution is poured into it and a curb is installed. Empty spaces along the border are filled with cut tiles or special “halves”, which each manufacturer has.
Finishing touches
After laying all the tiles and borders, the seams must be filled again with a mixture of sand and cement. If possible, it is worth walking over the laid tiles with a vibrating press, this will press them even more firmly into the base. The finished area is watered generously with water - it washes away the sand and, penetrating under the tiles, helps it adhere more firmly to the sand cushion.
Paving slabs in the country house or in the yard country house is capable of performing not only a decorative function, but also a utilitarian one. In order for it to look beautiful and easily withstand the load placed on it, it must be laid correctly.
Many homeowners prefer to have hired specialists handle the process, believing that they will perform all the necessary operations in the best possible way. But some people do not trust hired workers and prefer to carry out all important manipulations themselves.
To the extent possible, install paving slabs with your own hands? It is quite possible to do this, the main thing is to have step-by-step instructions at hand. It describes in detail the sequence of all upcoming operations and the order in which they are performed.
Laying the yard with paving slabs: preparation
Before starting work, you need to think it through carefully and draw up a plan. This will guarantee a long and reliable service life of the manufactured coating. Tiling the entire yard is not very rational or cost-effective. 
But paths are necessary on any site - it can be quite difficult to do without them. Therefore you need to calculate required amount paths, their size and configuration, so that they connect the residential building with various utility and other buildings.
Then, in any weather, the homeowner and his household will move along neat, clean paths. And green spaces will suffer much less.
Why paving slabs? This material is increasingly used in both industrial and private construction.
The advantages of such a road surface are obvious. The installation work is not particularly difficult. The tiles do not “float” during hot weather and do not burst from severe frost.
It looks beautiful and is easy to care for. The tiled area allows moisture to pass through well, which is beneficial for both the soil and plants.
Step-by-step instructions for laying tiles
Important notes to help you lay tiles correctly
You should not start work immediately after rain, especially during it. The soil and pad must be well dry. To prevent the tiles from starting to creep after some time, humidity levels should be minimal.
Laying paving slabs: progress of work
To carry out the work you will need cement, curbing, sand and the tile itself. The required tools are pegs, usually a tamper, a broom, nylon thread, a rubber hammer, a trowel and a level.
We start by marking the site, or rather, by determining the contour of the future path. 
The site is marked with wooden pegs, which are connected with a nylon cord. It must be properly tensioned and level, as it will become a guide when laying the tiles.
To properly arrange the base, you will have to cut and remove the layer of turf, then level the resulting surface, moisten it and compact it with a special tamper.
- If the soil is dense enough, then often it does not need such manipulations. Plant roots and stones found in the soil must be removed.
- If the soil is not removed, the path will seem to be slightly raised above the surface of the site. The consequence of this may be its erosion by rain or melt water.
- The resulting compacted bed is covered with gravel or crushed stone 15-20 cm high.
- If the path is intended for the movement of cars, then this figure should be increased to 40 cm. (Geotextiles can be laid under and on the gravel).
- To level, sand is poured on top - its thickness should be approximately 2 cm.
Border for paving slabs
What is the border for? Its purpose is to prevent the tiles from spreading and highlight the path. Is its use mandatory?
No, often when laying a path with tiles they do without additional finishing. The base under the curb must be carefully leveled. It is best to place it on a special concrete castle. For paving slabs in a private area, it is quite possible to use a plastic border.
Preparing the base: options for laying paving slabs
The bases for paving slabs can be different - there are three types in total. Depending on the type of base chosen, the method of laying the tiles also changes.
On the sand. The space between the stretched cords or borders is filled with sand. The thickness of such a pillow should be 5-6 cm. The sand is well soaked and left to dry, after which it is leveled and compacted. The tiles are placed on slightly damp sand (never wet).
On concrete. There can be two options: when concrete base already exists, and it is installed specifically as a substrate for tiles. This method considered not very rational. 
The point is that the cement monolith retains water (does not allow it to pass through). It accumulates between the tiles and the base - when severe frost freezes, causing the track to deform.
On a cement-sand cushion. On the prepared base (with the soil removed, leveled and compacted), another sand layer of 3-4 cm is poured, and the reinforcing mesh. Next, a mixture of cement and sand in a ratio of four to one is placed on it.
Technology for laying paving slabs
The tiles should begin to be placed from the lowest point in the upward direction. Competent masonry should be carried out “on your own”.
In other words, when doing work, the specialist moves along an already laid path so as not to endanger the prepared foundation. If a circular method of installing tiles is used, then the activities begin in the center of the picture.
Individual tile elements should be placed diagonally, and not in even stripes. This will make it easier to align them during the process. First, a rope is pulled along the width of the future path, along which it will be aligned. initial row material. Every two or three times the correctness of the horizontal is verified by a level. 
The tiled element is placed in the place prepared for it, and brought to the correct position by soft tapping with a hammer.
If necessary, you can add sand underneath it. A gap of 2-3 mm left between the tiles is usually enough for moisture to escape. To ensure that the gap has the same size over the entire distance, you can use special crosses. But in practice they usually do without them.
Turnkey tile laying: grouting
In order for a hand-made path to be beautiful and wear-resistant, you will have to take care correct processing seams. They are usually filled in two steps.
First, dry sifted sand is applied to the freshly prepared path. Using a brush or broom, it is leveled over the surface and swept into the seams.
The next layer that should be poured onto the path is a sand-cement mixture or sand. They treat him the same way as the first.
Then, using a sprayer or using other available means, the path is moistened quite intensively - until puddles appear. If there is a border, then the distance between it and the tiles is also filled with the mixture. You can purchase a factory-made mixture for joints.
In order for a paving slab path to serve for a long time, you need to know how to properly care for it. This coating does not require any special procedures: it should be swept regularly and washed occasionally.
Then she will retain her original appearance and remain elegant for as long as possible. In winter, you should protect it from damage by not using rough metal products - shovels, ice picks and crowbars.
Paving slabs in the design of the territory of a private house are always a winning option. The work of installing it is not cheap, but this is not a reason to give up on your dream. Find out how to lay paving slabs with your own hands - implement your chosen design, saving a decent amount.
Arguments in favor of paving slabs
Advantages of paving slabs:
- Large selection of colors and shapes;
- Reliable and durable;
- Easy to install;
- Creates a neat and well-groomed look.
This type of decoration is very attractive - the entire yard is transformed, and the design possibilities are completely unlimited. You can lay out any pattern you want, using colors, shapes and paving methods.
Selection of clinker tiles
The laying of clinker tiles or clinker bricks. Even one batch of this material has different shades due to firing, which allows you to lay unique platforms and paths. The laying of such bricks is also called clinker paving stones. Retro style always relevant and looks very solid.
Laying - step by step plan
The only disadvantage of paving slabs is the high cost of both the material itself and the work involved in laying it. But if you study the technology of the case, you will see that there is nothing complicated about it. Laying paving slabs with your own hands in a small area is an interesting activity that saves your budget.
Tools for work
The set of tools and accessories for work is quite simple:
- Shovels;
- Rake;
- Rubber mallet;
- Wooden boards;
- Corners and channels;
- Level;
- Bulgarian;
- Master OK;
- Homemade tamper;
- Construction fishing line or nylon thread;
- Steel rods.
This entire set can be found in any garage, so there should be no difficulties at the stage of selecting tools.
Consumables
Having prepared all the materials, you can proceed to the practical part.
Planning and marking work
Laying paving slabs begins with planning on paper. In order to implement your design project, you need a diagram of exactly how each element will be located. This is a color scheme and the way you are going to lay the tiles - in rows, in a circle, etc.
After which the preparation of the territory and marking begins, the technology of which requires the use of steel rods, strong thread and a level. To do the work yourself, this set is enough to outline the contours of the site, height and slopes. Pegs (rods) are placed in the ground, and the thread helps mark the height. It is necessary to mark the slopes so that the water flows away from the house. If you lay tiles in this way, you will protect the foundation from moisture, but you should not make excessively sharp slopes or breaks.
Preparing the bedding layer
Now you need to decide on the removal of excess soil, since the technology of laying tiles involves installing a bedding (cushion) under it. The excavation is done in such a way as to bring the entire surface along with the litter to one level. For curbs, appropriate trenches must be dug.
How to make bedding correctly:
- For dense soil - a layer of sand of 5-20 cm;
- At loose soil– a layer of gravel 10-15 cm.
Experts recommend laying bedding using gravel and crushed stone even on dense soil. This will help avoid deformation of the paved surface. If you lay the tiles on a poorly prepared surface, subsidence is possible.
As a cushion for laying clinker or regular tiles It is best to use triple bedding:
- Geotextiles (optional);
- A layer of coarse gravel;
- Small crushed stone;
- Sand layer;
- Sand-cement dry mixture.
Layers of gravel and crushed stone are carefully compacted, the surface is covered with sand and spilled with water. The last step is repeated until the sand stops shrinking. Properly executed technology will create a reliable foundation for any masonry. Professionals use special vibrating plates for tamping, but when doing the work yourself, you can get by with a simple tamper made from a handle and a heavy tile. The use of geotextiles is not necessary, but it prevents plant germination.
The last layer for installation is a dry mixture of cement and sand, which you can buy, but it’s cheaper to make it yourself. To do this, you need to take cement and sand in a ratio of 1:5 and add 3-4 cm as the last layer of bedding. The easiest way to distribute this mixture is with a rake, and level it using wooden planks and channel.
Border
The border helps give the entire area a clear geometry and a complete look. Tiles are sometimes used in this capacity bigger size. The border keeps the entire structure from spreading in different directions, especially if we're talking about about small areas.
It is correct that the tiles are placed not below, but above the curb by 3-5 mm.
The curb elements themselves are installed with M100 liquid solution, the sides are spilled with this composition and covered with sand.
Masonry
The main task when laying tiles is to minimize the gaps between elements. It is correct to work diagonally, laying each tile close to the previous one. The whole process occurs in a direction away from you, without disturbing the even layer of sand and cement.
You can start laying tiles only a day after placing the border.
A mallet will help you place each slab in its place, and if it doesn’t fit properly, you need to lift it and add sand and cement with a trowel. Upon completion of paving the entire area, you need to adjust the position of the tiles that are out of level.
For final compaction of clinker or stone paving stones, it is recommended to use a rubber-coated vibratory rammer. This stage will give the surface an ideal look, however, this is not mandatory stage, but desirable.
It often happens that some elements will have to be cut with a grinder, especially when the cutting requires complex lines. But it would be correct to lay all the whole tiles first. You should not cut by eye; you need to clearly draw a line, placing each element in its intended place.
Final stage
After eliminating surface defects, all cracks are filled with a mixture of sand and cement. The excess should be washed off with a hose with a spray nozzle, and the cracks should be well moistened. The mixture between the tiles may sag a lot, then you need to add a little more. Such care is not in vain, because the joints take on a considerable load. Therefore, do not skip this step, even if you are doing the styling yourself for personal use. It is important to use clean sand that is not contaminated with dust, impurities and salts. When filling the cracks with dirty sand, the area may begin to become overgrown with weeds.
Immediately after installation, you cannot walk on the paved surface - you need to wait 2-3 days.
Whatever tile you choose, doing the work yourself will save you a good amount. This is much better than saving on the quality of the material, limiting your desires. Paving stones or clinker tiles look great, creating a stylish design. Paving technology for different materials is no different, so according to the described scheme you can lay any tile with your own hands.
Most likely you also searched for:
Sidewalk modules have gained popularity among the country's population. Properly selected instructions and do-it-yourself laying of paving slabs will reduce landscaping costs local area and be proud of your own achievements as a builder.
Tile sidewalk coverings are an affordable, inexpensive material for decorating the area around a country house and driveways. Thanks to the parameters:
- frost resistance;
- practicality;
- resistance to mechanical stress;
- durability;
- other.
The construction market offers a selection of tiles based on color, texture, shape, and size. Picking up type of coating in accordance with the overall design of the site, create a single harmonious ensemble that will turn the country house and the yard around it into a complete picture.
The advantage of tiles is their durability summer heat, this material is not:
- softens;
- fades;
- deformed;
- highlights harmful substances.
Sand between the joints allows rainwater to freely seep into the ground, leaving no puddles and creating comfort in the area.
How to choose sidewalk modules
When considering a landscaping project suburban area mark areas of different loads:
- car parking lot;
- access part of the territory;
- area around the house made of tiles;
- pedestrian paths;
- relaxation area.
Based on the estimate received, the thickness of the fragments and the amount of material for the sand and gravel cushion are selected. Color tiles to be laid in harmony or contrast with the background of the house. If it is difficult to determine the color, it is better to opt for light gray tones - this shade is considered universal.
The quality of the future tiles plays a special role. Therefore, it is better to purchase or order coverage of the adjacent area through the online market from manufacturers, at the bases building materials. Read reviews from former clients, look at certificates, talk to neighbors and friends who have already encountered this problem.
- Do not save on purchasing tiles, because this material serves long years and looks attractive - the areas that are lined with these tiles are located in plain sight.
- Looks prettier, easier to style due to irregular shape- errors are not so noticeable. Square and rectangular fragments are more difficult to lay down; here the deviation from geometric correctness immediately catches the eye!
- If tile fragments are selected different shades, you can spend time, but lay out patterns or drawings.
- Based on the drawn up project, you should carefully calculate the number of tiles, the volume of sand, gravel or cement. You need to mark the area using rope and pegs. Making such devices is simple and quick, so there will be no delays.
- When laying the tiles, a gap of 2mm remains between the two segments. If the tiles do not fit tightly to the building fragments, cut them using a grinder using a stone circle.
Installation instructions
Correctly selected types of paving slabs - great addition design solutions plot, emphasize the relief of the territory and the originality of the created landscape. In order for this beauty to please the eyes of owners and guests, you should remember some rules for installing it yourself and competent instructions will help with this.
Required materials and tools
- Depending on the use of the future site, tiles or concrete pad.
- When choosing a coating, you need to take into account the external design, operational parameters products. The parking area is more durable than the pedestrian path.
- Before starting work, you should carefully study technical process, choose a tool that is comfortable to use with your hands.
- Before purchasing tiles for a site, they draw up a design for the location of platforms and paths to correctly calculate the amount of material.
- During installation of the tiles, a slope is made to allow unimpeded flow of water from the paths onto the lawn. The slope is maintained at 5mm per 1m.
Laying process
When laying tiles by hand, do not miss important points and do everything right. The first stage preparation of the base or cushion is considered. From the degree of quality preparatory work The beauty of the future site and the service life of the tiles directly depend.
We select excess soil from those areas where the tiles are laid with our own hands. If construction work is planned in these areas utility networks, lay the pipes in advance. Crushed stone and gravel are chosen in small or medium fractions. If they lay pedestrian path, the pillow is made up to 15cm deep. For parking, deepen the base to 20cm. These dimensions will be obtained after thoroughly compacting the poured material. Next, we prepare a sand cushion with our own hands, laid on a layer of gravel.
Step-by-step video of preparing the base for paving slabs:
However, there are situations when the soil on the site is difficult, there are many uneven areas, etc. Instructions on how to correct this point are presented below.
Having compacted the first layer, cover the area with geotextile to prevent sand from mixing with crushed stone in the future. Then the sand is compacted: a thick layer is not made here, 5cm is enough. Check the horizontality of the sites using a building level. Identified inaccuracies are additionally sprinkled with sand and compacted again.
If the soil in the work area is characterized as weak, geotextiles are laid in 2 layers: before and after gravel. This once again strengthens the strength of the base.
The base is ready, now all that remains is to prepare the mixture on which the tiles will lie. This mixture is prepared in the following ratio: 1 part cement and 5 parts sand. Spread the composition on top layer of the last pillow 5 cm and compact.
Now they begin, during which they should Constantly check the levelness of the site with a building level.
Video: laying paving slabs with your own hands
The process of laying the tiles is completed, now all that remains is to fill the surface of the laid covering with fine sand and rub it along the joints between the modules.
Paving slab repair
Care for this coating: can be swept, washed even with chemicals. If one or more tile fragments are damaged, it is easy to repair the coating:
Get the damaged fragments;
Level the sand cushion;
Lay new tiles;
Fill the seams with new sand.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I want to show one video on how not to lay paving slabs:
To ensure that paving slabs last a long time, do not work in wet weather, do not use backfill other than sand, and do not drive cement into the joints. After completion of the laying work, a trench is dug along the perimeter of the site, crushed stone is poured and installed curbstone. For strength, it is filled with cement. The construction of a border will prevent the modules from spreading and loosening. The platform will be given special strength by a 2.5 cm mortar cushion, under which there is reinforced concrete base.
Paving slabs – perfect option covering paths and areas in front country house. It is characterized by increased wear resistance, practicality of operation, and highly aesthetic appearance. Installing it is not a very complicated process, while laying paving slabs with your own hands requires compliance certain rules, which are described in our step-by-step instructions.
In our article we will tell you how to properly lay paving slabs with your own hands, what tools and materials you will need for this, and also give useful recommendations in video tutorials.
The main advantage self-installation is to reduce the cost of the process as much as possible. You have to pay for any work, and specialist services cost a lot today. Moreover, when self-installation You can do everything without haste, following all the recommendations.
At the same time, it is quite difficult to find workers capable of laying the slab efficiently and correctly. The desire of any team is to complete the order quickly in order to receive payment, but quality often suffers as a result. When installing it yourself, the owner will be able to take into account all the features of his site, since only he knows the weak points well.
It is unlikely that a team of hired workers will take these nuances into account so carefully, unless they demand exorbitant payment for their work.
The disadvantage of self-installation is the need to carefully study the rules, additional costs for purchasing special tool for work.
Basic types and selection rules
The composition of the paving slab is a cement mixture with the addition of various dyes, mineral components, and plasticizers. The use of high quality raw materials guarantees compliance with GOST, hence the durability of the coating.
Correct dosage, adherence to technology – quality guarantee, therefore, it is worth purchasing material from trusted manufacturers, and not chasing the cheapness of handicraft production.
It is advisable to give preference to an option that has the addition of granite chips, polymers, and high-quality clay. From a variant consisting exclusively of concrete-sand mixture, it is better to refuse, since it will not last long.
Modern manufacturers offer consumers two main types of paving slabs:
- . It most often has a rectangular, square or diamond shape, uniform colors.
- . In production manually, therefore differs more color scheme, maximum variety of shapes.
When choosing, the quality of the base is taken into account, functional purpose coverage areas. Experts advise choosing material small sizes, as it is more resistant to cracking. It is important to consider the thickness of the blocks. The minimum is three centimeters, for parking and vehicle driveways – at least 5-6 centimeters.
The color and shape are selected to be in harmony with the decoration of the house building, taking into account your own preferences. Installation of diamond-shaped and rectangular slabs is more complicated and requires the use of some work skills. It’s easier to install a curly one because the flaws are less noticeable.
IMPORTANT. When choosing a stove, you should take into account its environmental friendliness, since heating the surface in summer will cause the release of harmful substances, which will adversely affect the health of the family.
Each slab is carefully examined and its quality assessed. It is worth refusing to purchase material that has the following disadvantages:
- Heterogeneous structure of the outer side.
- The color is too bright.
- Uneven coloring.
- Stains dark color on the other side.
- Clumps of material in the structure.
- Smooth, high-gloss surface.
ADVICE. By knocking two copies against each other, you can determine their quality: a dull sound indicates the fragility of the material. High quality slab should be ringing.
We will tell you everything about it on the pages of our website! You will learn a lot useful tips and recommendations.
Preparatory work
Before starting work, you need to purchase tiles, Consumables, tools.
How to calculate the amount of material needed
The calculation method depends on the drawing that is supposed to be posted. Complex compositions require a special approach and specific recommendations. The quantity is calculated based on the selected pattern, after drawing up a preliminary sketch plan of the entire site.
If simple forms are chosen, it is worth remembering school course geometry and calculate the area of a specific geometric figure, which is a site or its individual parts.
The area of all parts that need to be covered will be taken as a basis. Number of tiles per one square meter indicated by the manufacturer on the packaging, therefore, using simple mathematical operations, the required number of purchased sets is calculated.
Experts advise purchasing material in reserve one square meter for each part of the surface to be coated. This is necessary so that there are fewer joints in oblique corners.
REFERENCE. There are special online calculators, which automatically calculate the number of tiles after entering parameters (area of the site, size of blocks). Using it, accurate calculations are made.
Additionally purchased border, which is set to prevent blocks from moving along the edge. Its quantity is calculated according to the length of the perimeter of the covered area.
When purchasing material and planning the size of the covering, you need to try to make calculations in such a way that there is no need to lay cut pieces along the edges. The fewer cut pieces there are in the coating, the more aesthetically pleasing it will look.
What you will need
Installing paving slabs with your own hands requires using special tools:
- Tamping
- Roulette.
- Rubber hammer.
- Line or cord for marking.
- Rule.
- Level.
- Grinder with discs for concrete.
- Master OK.
- Rake.
- Broom.
In addition to tools, consumables are purchased:
- Sand (for a standard area 2-3 tons).
- Cement.
Preparing the base
Careful preparation of the foundation is the key high-quality styling. After making the plan, Marking is carried out using pegs with a thread stretched over them. The quality of the soil in various parts is preliminarily assessed, and the sides of the slope are determined. If it is located towards the house and yard buildings, a drainage system is first thought through.
The sites are carefully leveled, soil 15-20 centimeters high is removed. Then the surface is compacted. At the same time, drainage and sewer pipes are being installed.
After leveling and compacting a crushed stone cushion is poured. For garden paths made from paving slabs with your own hands, the thickness of the layer is 10-15 centimeters; for parking areas and roadways, the thickness of the crushed stone doubles.
The pillow is compacted by a special machine, covered with geotextile, which will prevent sand from penetrating between the crushed stone. In areas with weak, loose soil, geotextiles are additionally laid under crushed stone.
The prepared pillow is filled with cement-sand mixture (1X5), sand is poured on top of such a height so that before compaction the slabs are 1 cm above the surface.
ADVICE. To prepare the base, it is advisable to use guides made of boards along the height of the pillow. The foundation requires especially careful preparation if the site soft ground. It is compacted after moistening.
The entire further process will depend on the quality of foundation preparation.
Important to avoid mistakes! If you want to know how to lay paving slabs with your own hands, watch this video of a man who decided to lay them incorrectly:
Safety precautions
Organization of work requires compliance with safety measures:
- The workplace is cleared of foreign objects.
- If the slab is laid on a concrete base, the notches are made using safety glasses.
- All work is carried out with rubber gloves so that the skin is not injured or corroded by the cement mortar.
- Sorting the material and processing the edges of the tiles is carried out using thick gloves.
- Knee pads are used to protect the legs.
On our website you will also find out! How to work with such surface paving elements?
Read about the features of laying porcelain stoneware and how to properly prepare the base for this material.
You can learn how to make steps from paving slabs with your own hands by reading our next material: .
How to lay it correctly: technology and procedure
After preparing the base for laying tiles with your own hands, the following steps are necessary:
- Stretch the cord along the edges of the paths and platforms using stakes.
- Install borders along the borders, digging them into the soil to the required height. For greater stability, the curb is fixed with cement mortar.
- To drain water, install drainage. The pipe is wrapped in geotextile and laid in a prepared trench next to the curb.
- Next, starting from the curb, they begin to lay the slabs. The rows can be placed diagonally or in a straight line. The rows are placed away from each other so that the prepared base is not destroyed when workers move along it. The laid paths must be strictly parallel to the stretched cords.
- To ensure uniform gaps between the tiles, special crosses are used.
- The slab is laid on a sand cushion and tapped on top with a hammer to ensure a tight fit to the surface. If any skew is noticeable, the blocks are lifted and a cement-sand mixture is poured under them for leveling. To control the horizontal level, a building level is used.
- If there are corners or obstacles along the laying path, they should be avoided in whole copies. The remaining spaces are then filled with suitable fragments. The tiles of the required shape for these purposes are cut using a grinder with a concrete disc. Filling these areas is done last.
- After laying all the rows in a continuous area, the seams between the tiles are filled with a mixture of sand and cement. Any excess that does not spill into the cracks must be brushed off with a broom.
- After all the gaps have been filled sand-cement mixture, the surface is watered with water from a hose so that the blocks are fixed together. Be sure to put a diffuser on the hose so that the stream of water does not dislodge the backfill mixture.
Process correct installation You can watch paving slabs with your own hands in this installation video tutorial:
Another useful video tutorial on how to correctly lay paving slabs with your own hands - what is needed for this and how to lay them correctly:
IMPORTANT. When laying each section at the end of the day, it is covered with a sand-cement mixture and swept thoroughly. If this is not done, accidentally introduced moisture can ruin the appearance of the coating even before all work is completed.
Coating care
For the durability of the coating and maintaining its beautiful appearance It is necessary to follow the rules of caring for it:
In fact, this is a simple process that you can completely handle on your own, but you shouldn’t rush it. The work requires thoroughness and painstakingness; it is better to do the work slowly, carefully following the recommendations of specialists.