How to Build a Patio

1/ Dig down about 6 inches below patio level.

Here a trenching spade is being used on particularly difficult soil. Check the level of this using a spirit level and wooden pegs. It is not important that it is completely flat, but a bump of soil will mean less hardcore and a less stable foundation.

Soil that is removed will have to be disposed of. Sometimes it is possible to do this in the same garden, filling a low area, building up beds, going towards a rockery or raised bed etc. More often it will need to removed in a skip.

2/ Hardcore is then laid and levelled before being compacted with a wacca plate.

Unless you are laying the patio over a short time period (and remember it takes the professionals a few days from start to finish) it might be a good idea to order heavy materials as and when they are needed. Hardcore first, then sand and cement and slabs later.

The alternative is that you may not be able to use your garage for a while as there's a few tons of building materials on the driveway- or half your front lawn gets killed while the materials sit there for an extended period.

3/ Lay slabs on a dry mortar mixture

1 part cement to 5 parts sand, using builders lines for reference at the edge of the patio.

The first slab down is the most important as the others are all referenced from this. Make sure it is the right height and at the top of the 1" in 6ft slope. If the patio is adjoining the house, this is where you should begin.

Make sure the slabs are below the level of the damp proof course

Fine adjustments can be made thanks to the mortar layer.

When placing slabs, take care not to stand them on edge and then lay them down, this will disturb the mortar layer unduly.

Always work from the mortar / hardcore side of the work, don't tread on slabs that you have already laid.

Remember the slope 1" in 6ft - away from the house (use a 1/2" piece of wood under one end of a 3ft spirit level - or proportionally for different sizes).

When all slabs have been laid, brush a dry mix of mortar into the joints between them.

6/ Slabs are big heavy things!

Take care in lifting and carrying them

Use a wheelbarrow wherever possible

Wear gloves when handling slabs (not like Sid here!)

Stack them on end leaning against each other

A small error is soon magnified when the patio is several metres across. Don't walk on the patio for a few days until the mortar mix has hardened.

When all slabs are laid brush a dry mortar mix between the gaps

If laid properly, you won't get any growth between the slabs and you will have extended your effective living area quite considerably.