Gravel patio over slabs

wittymoniker

Folks, I have a fairly large (1200' square) old patio. It's slabbed and has been there for quite a few years, so it looks like it has done all the settling that it needs to do. Having said that, it is uneven, dirty weedy and in need of an upgrade.

My intentions are to install a kerb around the perimeter and fill with gravel.

So:
Do I need hardcore first?
If so how deep?
If not, how deep should the gravel be?
I'm planning to get extensions for the shores but can I gravel over AJs and manhole covers? It won't be a heavy traffic area and I won't get pea gravel so there's a better chance of it being stable.

Any general advice or is it a daft idea that I'll regret and end up slabbing again?

Many thanks in advance.

ponddigger

hi any photos of patio .jack

wittymoniker

ponddigger wrote: »

hi any photos of patio .jack

Voila.

wittymoniker

ponddigger wrote: »

hi any photos of patio .jack

Another, thanks for your interest.

North West

Hi
Good pictures, I see what you mean. You will not be able to stone over slabs. There is a chance ofsomebody slipping on stone as there will be too much movement. There would be a weed problem as well. I would be inclined to lift the lot and sell them. Take what you get from them. Let the rest of the work be a project. I see by photos you have been doing a bit of work on garden and new fencing. ( looks good )
If it were to be done I would ( just an idea )
1. take away all slabs from door out Photo 2. spray ground and level put down weed barrier. raise gulleys slightly. Get a light frame made to cover manhole with an 1" projection. Stone the whole area out and continue up to seating area. Make a new area for table and chairs ( make a feature of it ). Continue timber fence along unplastered wall behind seating area.
2. Lift all slabs down rest of area photo 2, Put in nice stone feature kerbs up clay side. Spray and level area before putting down weed barrier. Get a load of stone or what ever you want finish with.

Just an idea depends of finance I suppose.
NW

wittymoniker

Thanks NW, that's very helpful, and yes isn't it always a matter of finance!

What are your thoughts on the gravel stabilization mats, would that be a compromise? I plan to put in some raised sleeper beds and paint our bare wall.

This has been taking up most of my efforts so far though!

North West

Hi Wittymoniker.
Looking at last photo, youve been busy coming on well. It takes time, but it's nice to be on that far. Anyway Those mats are good but you need a level base to apply them because they could be damaged under foot on unlevel surface. I would think they would be expensive enough to buy and if they did not work, you are still in trouble,
I would think the slabs have seen better days and I would suggest getting rid of them ( try to sell ) I think you are better starting fresh and redo the lot over a period, would work cheaper in the long run and will completely new. You can then forget about all the work and enjoy it.
By the time you buy the mats and fix up slabs to accept the mats, you would have a lot done lifting slabs and making surface level to recieve weed barrier and what ever stone you wish to use.
My opinion only
NW
What part of country are you ?

red sean

North West wrote: »

Hi Wittymoniker.
Looking at last photo, youve been busy coming on well. It takes time, but it's nice to be on that far. Anyway Those mats are good but you need a level base to apply them because they could be damaged under foot on unlevel surface. I would think they would be expensive enough to buy and if they did not work, you are still in trouble,
I would think the slabs have seen better days and I would suggest getting rid of them ( try to sell ) I think you are better starting fresh and redo the lot over a period, would work cheaper in the long run and will completely new. You can then forget about all the work and enjoy it.
By the time you buy the mats and fix up slabs to accept the mats, you would have a lot done lifting slabs and making surface level to recieve weed barrier and what ever stone you wish to use.
My opinion only
NW
What part of country are you ?

Following on from NW's advice.
If you lift the slabs and decide to sell them, give them a good power washing first. They'll look a lot more appealing to any prospective buyer

paddy147

Would graveling over existing slabs not create possible flooding/pooling issues.

As in the rainwater has no where to go??


Might be better to lift the slabs,and then do it from scratch with regards installing gravel/slate chippings

wittymoniker

Thanks folks, I really appreciate the advice. Looks like I'll pull them up and start again, probably better in the long run that I don't take the easy route.
NW, I'm fairly far from you in south county Dublin. I'll resurrect the thread when I've made some progress.

Thanks again.

red sean

I think Lidl or Aldi had patio slab lifters in the last week or two, may help to save damaging them when you're lifting them and also
be easier on the back!
May be worth checking.

ponddigger

hi if you are looking for gravel stabelizers ,you could use plastic pallets.they measure 1m by 1m .you would bye them for a fiver.see photo

deandean

Hi OP, I do not recommend you use gravel there. That is a back garden, yes?

Gravel is fine for a driveway to the front, where you can park your car and walk across etc.

But in the back garden you really need a hard surface. Gravel will drive you nuts, you'll be dragging dust/dirt into the house and the stone will catch in the threads of your shoe and mark your floors.

You have a fine size of a back garden, I recommend you remove the existing slabs and replace them with something like Indian sandstone (do a Google for that, and look at the images). It is not cheap, it will cost you quite a few euros for that area, but if you are in the house for the long-term it will be worth it. Done right, the paved area really becomes an extension to your house, you can have your barbecue, table tennis table,smoker, etc etc out there and make good use of the space.

[edit] or patterned & coloured concrete would work, you will need to pump it in, and lay in steel mesh to prevent cracking.

ihavethepower

I agree with dean dean, gravel is annoying. Why not lift all the slabs, clean them and relay them in a smaller kerbed area. Hire a consaw and put a curve in maybe. If it looks bad it hasnt cost you much.

wittymoniker

Some great advice there, thanks. I think the cost issue took over for a while, but I think you're all right. I have gravel at the front, and it probably should stay that way.
Think I'll lift and skip them, whack down hardcore and reslab. I was turned off sandstone as I'm told it tends to hold puddles.
Thanks again lads!

paddy147

wittymoniker wrote: »

Some great advice there, thanks. I think the cost issue took over for a while, but I think you're all right. I have gravel at the front, and it probably should stay that way.
Think I'll lift and skip them, whack down hardcore and reslab. I was turned off sandstone as I'm told it tends to hold puddles.
Thanks again lads!

Lift them and sell them on adverts.ie of donedeal.ie for a few quid.

There are allways people looking for used patio slabs.


A few quid in your back pocket and let someone else take them away aswell.:)

wittymoniker

paddy147 wrote: »

Lift them and sell them on adverts.ie of donedeal.ie for a few quid.

There are allways people looking for used patio slabs.


A few quid in your back pocket and let someone else take them away aswell.:)

Seems hard to believe, but I'll give it a shot, thanks Paddy!

paddy147

wittymoniker wrote: »

Seems hard to believe, but I'll give it a shot, thanks Paddy!

You would be surprised.


You have alot of unbroken slabs there that a quick blast of a power washer would sort out.:)

Theres a Recession and people dont have money to spend these days.

So used items like these will sell...so some money for them and taken off your hands is better than nothing.:)


Saves alot of skip space too.;)