Mr Grinch's Garden

Hi Jack,
These are 600x450mm slabs. Bloomin heavy, will the coat hanger job work still ?
The base is now solid so would you just level with sand or chisel away and bed down with mortar ? Final thing, there are several other slabs that clunk (slab touching the base) a bit when you walk on the edges. Annoying more than disasterous, i dont really want to have them up so do you think time aswell as a bit of kiln dryed sand around the edges will sort this ?
Again, i do not know what has happened here, ive done nothing different to all the other patio's i have done

 

Kemosabi I speak in Feet and Inches

So a slab 2' x 18"
Can you not get a spade,in the gap and lever it up ? Keep a garden fork handy or another spade to shove under the small gap to stop it dropping back down whilst you go to lift it out/pull it upright

Heavy ? I am 65 and I carry these four at a time to where they are needed

Others clunking, so not bottomed level, I understood that is why you lay them on a bed of sand, so they bedded in

I can not give you professional advice as I am new to gardening , and an office clerk to trade
Just my opinion of how you could do it, being old, and lots of life experiences
As a Scot, If there is 2p under that paving stone up she comes
As a Sailor If there is a can of beer under that paving stone up it comes

Jack McH

 

Jack, you wouldnt carry four four these beleive me !! Im 6,2 and 16 stone, i struggled with two.
I think i can get it up, the hire shop has a "lifter" that they often hire out to the council to lift paving slabs. I'll give it ago both ways before splashing the cash thow.
Yep, i think a couple have dropped ever so slightly, as you say couple of mm but that would be enough for them to make that noise. They were all bedded down on a mix of sharp sand, builders sand and cement. The patio is ever so slightly higher that the surrounding, a straight mix of sand im not in favour off as over time when weather, ants and worms get to work, the foundation becomes weak and often they drop or sink. With this method, the things are on a solid base but also should have been bedded down onto this mix "sticking" to it. Bloody annoying that a couple have minutly dropped. Never had this problem before.
Will try and sort it Saturday.

 

Could you try a lawn edger down the gap, which is straight rather than curved like a spade? Not sure if it would be strong enough but worth a try if you buy a cheap one?

 

I have one so will give that a go also

I had a little look at it again last night and few slabs are moving. Only a little in a few corners but just enough to make that clunking noise as slab hits the base. It can only be a few mm drop. I just dont get whats gone wrong. None are as bad as the one that dropped massively (and will have to be lifted) but still VERY annoying none the less.
Here are my options:
1. Leave them, finish with kiln dried sand (its finer than normal sand and will fill the gaps and hopefully percolate under the slab an act as a cushion stopping the clunk and slight movement) and put up with it.
2. Have up all the "clunking" slabs, chisel out and re-bed with wet mortar. Obviously doing this runs the risk of making others loose, thus chasing everything.
3. Have all the loose ones up and re bed with sand, this acting as a cushion and stopping the movement.

Any support or advice guys will be greatly received. As i say, ive done 2 patio's in exactly the same way and never had this problem. HELP. I will be tackling this tomorrow.

G

 

Well, another knackering day but its finished !!
The wobbly slab came up no probs, it was chiseled out and re layed on mortar. All the rest were layed, with no major issues. Used a wetter mix this time and this seemed to bed them down a lot better. All i need to do now is to finish with kiln dried sand in the gaps. A couple of slabs, i ummed and arred about, whether they should come up and be re layed but in the end i left them. The slabs have a natural stone look so a bit up and down, to get a perfect finish was immposible so gone for the naturel look.

Pic's to follow.

 

Was wondering how you were getting on Mr G...sounds like a good job well done

 

Havnt walked on it yet !!

 

Busy day again. I grouted with Kiln dry sand today. Made a big difference. I dug out the front mini border for the Boxus and tidied up the edges. Mowed the lawn aswell. All i need to do now, is give it another sweeping of sand in a week or so and plant the Box. I then need to enlarge the NE facing border (to the right as you look) to match the size of the opposite border. Just evens it up with the patio.







G

 

Cracking job Mr G...looks great

 

Been pottering over the last few days. The Box have now been planted around the patio. I might need to move a few of the bigger ones to the front but will decided that at the weekend. I just need to divide a couple of large clumps on perenials to the right of the patio and jet wash the existing one and then give it all a new dressing of kiln dry sand and it will be done. Hopefully, all finished by next Tuesday.

Pic to follow.
G

 

The box balls do not really fit in. They are round and the overall garden is square, so i may grow them out and trim to a larger square shape.

G

 

Looks amazing, I am green with envy, how I want my garden to look when I buy a house

 

Divided a few more perenials up today to tidy up the right side (as you look), still not 100% with it. A few plants may have to go. The Rhodo has never done very well in its spot and there's two roses that may have to go also.

G