Side passage advice (concrete or slabs)

wolfyboy555

I am looking for ideas on how to sort out the two side passages I have. For the smaller one I was thinking of just digging out and mixing some concrete to make it easier to get bins in and out.

For the bigger area I have plans down the line to get a lean to built covering it and using it was general storage for bikes etc. Should I try to concrete route here or would slabs be a better idea?

Any downsides to either approach or maybe an alternative instead?

Also would drainage be an issue for either side?

Thank you for your input.

Padre_Pio

Im in the same boat.

Gonna concrete the side and add a drain so I can hose out the lean to.

I have a feeling that tiles will just be a pain. We get ants in the back garden and the tiles are a magnet for ants nests

wolfyboy555

im going to give the smaller area a go hopefully next week. Going to try and concrete it. I've read online about depths and have seen 100mm hardcore followed by 100mm concrete. Would these depths be needed for such a small section?

I was also thinking of putting some steel nails maybe into side of exisiting slab to try and tie it to new section. I'll just have some shuttering along the fence and leave a small slope for water to drain into gap ( might fill with decorative stones).

Also came across this video

https://youtu.be/tNoWVPVb6Mo?si=YIMg1IDVuwtn_2Yc

Could this technique negate the need for hardcore (and subsequent hassle of removing all the soil)

Lumen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122258674#Comment_122258674

That's a bit of a weird video. He says the important thing is prevent frost heave rather than bearing strength, and then goes on to test strength anyway and completely ignores whether the mudcrete thing actually resists water absorption (which is what causes the frost heave).

I've seen some of his other projects where he has to go back afterwards and re-do, it doesn't inspire confidence.

niallb

I wouldn't be putting the steel nails in in an attempt to bind them. The existing concrete looks stable as it is, and you'd be weakening it for little benefit.

Make the new pour stand on its own and put a flexible seal down between them like bitumen or tar or maybe a PVA Bonding agent here in the 21st century!! Epoxy grout rings a bell too, but it's been a while.

If the concrete goes right you'll happily forget about it quickly. If it doesn't you'll be cursing it daily for years, so it's worth taking your time!

wolfyboy555

Ok this is where am I at the moment. did a good bit of digging. Am I ok to concrete directly over those postcrete sections ? I still have to set up the shuttering. The postcrete makes it a bit awkward.

Gonna order some hardcore and gravel now. The gravels says it's already mixed with sand so would that be ok or do I need to order a bag of sand separate. If I just get the gravel bag would the mix be 5:1 ?

https://tjomahony.ie/gravel-jumbo-bag-178008.html

Lumen

Why do you need shuttering? Aren't you just filling a hole?

Perks

Why do you want gravel in the mix? You just want a sand:cement mix.

You only need shuttering for the front where you are cutting the grass in half.

In the back you want the cement to flow upagainst the postcrete sections and directly upagainst the side edge of current cement path.

Your back looks fairly sheltered prob get away with not fussing about drainage. You do have the option of connecting to current system in both front and back.

chooseusername

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122342278#Comment_122342278

You need batched gravel for concrete. A mix of sand and gravel. Sand on its own and cement is mortar, not suitable for op's job.

wolfyboy555

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122339472#Comment_122339472

I am going to use shuttering along fence to make sure I get correct level with a small fall away from house.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122346690#Comment_122346690

thanks for clarifying. I'm just waiting on a friend to drop over a mixer before I get going on it.

bfclancy2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122350189#Comment_122350189

don't mind shuttering just pour against the fence gravel boards, use a straight edge to screed using the existing fall on the path to determine the fall on the new concrete, don't over complicate it

wolfyboy555

Thought I'd update the thread. Gave it a go in the end. Pretty happy with result for first go at concreting. Luckily a friend gave a lend of a mixer.

Rows Grower

That's fantastic workmanship for someone that never did that work before, fair play.

wolfyboy555

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122535775#Comment_122535775

Cheers. It was a learning curve but enjoyable. Thank God for YouTube.