Laying paving stones with your own hands. Step-by-step instructions and installation technology

Paving slabs firmly occupy a leading place among construction products used for covering city streets, squares and individual plots. Indisputable proof of such popularity is evident in any city, town and private backyard. In this article we will look at how to lay paving slabs on a concrete base.

Most often, tiled covering is arranged:

• on sidewalks and squares;
• around administrative buildings, offices, shopping, sports and entertainment complexes, train stations, airports, educational institutions and other places with high traffic volumes;
• in public parks, lawn and garden paths on private plots;
• private car parking areas and parking lots for large equipment;
• when improving suburban areas.

Main types of products

Depending on the manufacturing methods, the following varieties are distinguished:

• vibrocast;
• vibration-pressed;
• hyperpressed;
• polymer sand.

The composition of paving slabs usually includes sand concrete with the addition of granite chips, limestone, slates or rubber crumbs. Basalt chips are added less frequently.

• sawn paving stones with all edges smooth;
• sawn and split with a smooth bottom and top edge;
• chipped, with uneven edges.

In the first two types, the flat top surface can be subjected to heat treatment, which makes it non-slip.

The most common square paving stones with sides of 10 cm and a thickness of 3 to 10 cm.

In what cases is it necessary to lay paving slabs on concrete?

The following can be used as a base for tile covering:

• crushed stone or gravel-sand cushion;
• concrete, reinforced with steel mesh or individual rods, composite reinforcement or vibrating fiber to increase strength.

The tiles can be laid on existing concrete screeds or on newly installed ones.

Although in the first case the work is much easier and faster, laying tiles on concrete is necessary to ensure a stable and durable coating in the following cases:

• the presence at the work site of soils with increased susceptibility to shrinkage (recently filled embankments, silty sands, peat);
• heaving clay soils, characterized by uneven swelling in certain areas;
• a concrete base for paving slabs is installed when the surface is exposed to significant loads, for example, parking for a car;
• when facing on existing solid concrete bases, when their dismantling is impractical and is highly labor-intensive (blind areas around the house, existing concrete coverings, floors in garages and outbuildings). The decision whether it is possible to lay paving slabs on concrete is made after a thorough examination of the existing old concrete pavement. Laying over old concrete allows for significant savings on building materials, protects the existing coating from further destruction and significantly improves its appearance.

Advantages and disadvantages of laying paving stones on a concrete base

The concrete base for laying paving stones has the following advantages:

• high strength and resistance to the application of significant loads and mechanical stress;
• durability;
• installing tiles on a concrete base minimizes the risk of shrinkage;
• ease of implementation, allowing you to lay paving slabs with your own hands;
• there is no need to use complex expensive technical devices;
• resistance of the base to chemical influences, water washout, temperature changes;
• on a solid concrete base, the process of leveling tiles in a single plane is much easier, resulting in a clear, straight shape and a perfectly flat surface
• absence of failures caused by poor-quality compaction of the base;
• environmental friendliness of paving with tiles.

Existing disadvantages:

• the technology for laying paving stones on a concrete base is more complicated than on sand and crushed stone pads;
• the need for reliable drainage systems. Having seeped through the seams in the coating, water will remain between the concrete base and the tiles and, when freezing temperatures set in, it can swell and even split the paving stones. To avoid this, paving stones are laid with certain slopes, point water inlets are laid in the concrete, and stormwater systems are installed;
• a concrete base for paving stones is more expensive than a simple base of crushed stone and sand;
• If the technological process is disrupted, coloring of the concrete base may occur after the end of the first winter.

What requirements must paving slabs meet?

When using any types of products for paving, they must meet the following requirements:

• when laying tiles outdoors, frost resistance ≥ 200 cycles;
• compressive strength ≥ 30 MPa;
• water absorption by weight ≤ 5%;
• abrasion during annual operation ≤ 0.7 g/cm 2 ;
• the purchase of products must be made from one batch, since in different ones, even from the same manufacturer, the tiles will differ in geometric dimensions and color saturation;
• environmentally friendly cleanliness of products, when used both for external and internal work with the installation of cobblestone flooring in warehouses and utility rooms;
• lack of porosity on the surface;
• strict adherence to geometric dimensions with evenness of all edges;
• absence of internal and external cracks, as well as chips;
• naturalness and uniformity of coloring.

Technology for laying paving slabs on a concrete base

The following methods of paving on a rigid base are distinguished:

1. A dry mixture of 1 to 5 cement with sand is poured over the concrete base, the thickness of such a dry solution is taken to be up to 5 cm. Due to the difficulty of creating the necessary slopes for water drainage, a slope of 2 to 5 degrees is created in the process concrete foundation installations. To prevent moisture from being retained under the tiles, pieces of polymer or asbestos pipe, 1 piece each, are placed vertically into the concrete screed. for every m2.
   After the concrete mixture has hardened, the top of the pipes is cut off at the level of the top of the concrete and the holes are filled with fine crushed stone. Laying paving stones begins directly from the curb; after laying 4 elements, a check is made to maintain the specified level using a building level. Ensuring the quality of the fit is carried out using a rubber hammer; by lightly tapping, the tile is sunk into a mixture of cement and sand or, if necessary, raised with a sprinkle of dry mixture (prance) or a cement pad. With this method of paving, labor costs are significantly reduced and costs for materials and labor are saved. Laying is done in front of you, moving along an already paved surface. The downside is the need to thoroughly compact the mixture, and then the finished cladding.
   Tamping can be done with vibrating plates, or if they are not available, you can use a piece of thick, wide board. The method is most repairable, as it allows easy replacement of individual damaged tiles.
2. For mortar, it is widely used for paving large areas. The cement-sand mortar is applied to the base in a layer of up to 3 cm per reachable area by the master and leveled using a notched trowel.
   Laying paving stones on concrete using this “wet” technology is carried out first in whole tiles, taking into account the desired pattern, all mortar is removed from unpaved areas with trowels, cut tiles are installed on fresh mortar after the base mortar has hardened under the solid tiles. Compliance with the required slopes and the flatness of the coating are checked using a level and rules.
   In all methods, the tiles are laid with equal gaps (5 mm), the resulting seams in both of the above methods are filled with grit or simply sifted quartz sand and spilled with water. Movement of people on the laid surface is allowed no earlier than after 24 hours.
3. Glue the tiles to the concrete using a special construction adhesive. With this method, it is possible to create the necessary slopes only on a concrete base, since the glue is spread in a very thin layer (from 5 to 10 mm) on the surface of a small area (≤ 1 m2), since the hardening time indicated on the attached instructions application, small. For the same reason, paving slab adhesive is diluted in small quantities to avoid hardening.
   The seams are filled with the same glue or you can use a garnet, as in previous cases. Cured special construction adhesive provides a strong and reliable connection with concrete, so this method is used quite often, but it will not be possible to replace a damaged element without its final breaking.

Step-by-step instructions for paving on a concrete base

Composition and sequence of work:

1. Laying out areas and paths on which paving is planned, securing the markings with wooden or metal pegs. The boundaries between the pegs are covered with lime or chalk.
2. Removal of the fertile soil layer with the construction of an earthen trough, taking into account the location of reinforced concrete curbs or curbs. The depth of the trench under the curbs depends on their height; the top of the curb, to ensure drainage from the paving surface, should be 2 cm below the top of the tiles and rise above the level of the lawn.
3. Installation of curbs or curbs. A strong cord is pulled onto the hammered pegs at the height of the curbs, taking into account the required longitudinal slopes. To collect water flowing from the tiled surface, it is recommended to provide trenches for laying storm system trays close to the curbs. Reinforced concrete elements are installed in trenches on a compacted sand base with a small layer of lean concrete or mortar laid on top of it. The elements are fixed with wooden pegs and pouring concrete mixture.
4. Construction of a concrete base. The soil in the earthen trough is carefully compacted and covered with geotextiles to prevent weed germination. Concrete is laid on a compacted bed of sand or crushed stone ≥ 10 cm thick.

In some cases, curbs are installed by craftsmen after the base has been concreted. This option, if you do the work yourself, is not recommended. To protect the edges of the platforms from soil shedding and create a concrete base with smooth edges, formwork is installed from boards 40 mm thick, which will have to be carefully secured. If the curbs are installed immediately, they themselves will serve as formwork. The advantages of this option:

• there are no costs for purchasing materials for formwork;
• time is saved on its installation and subsequent disassembly;
• the concrete mixture will be poured without seeping into the cracks between the boards;
• additional fixation of curbs in the required position.

Concrete is poured no earlier than 24 hours after fixing the curbs. The break can be used for reinforcement (paths that will not be accessed by vehicles and heavy equipment do not need to be reinforced). The concrete thickness is assumed to be 15 cm in the absence of reinforcement and 20 cm in the presence of reinforcement. In the presence of moving heaving soils, the thickness can increase to 40 cm.

Reinforcement is carried out with meshes connected from steel or composite reinforcement with a diameter of up to 10 mm and cells from 15 to 20 cm. The meshes are located at the top, at a distance of about 5 cm from the top of the concrete, with laying on concrete pads. You can perform the pouring in two stages: lay a layer of concrete about 10 cm, carefully level it, lay nets on the fresh concrete and pour the concrete mixture to the required level.

When pouring large areas, every 3 m it is necessary to install expansion joints from boards laid over the entire thickness of the concrete. On paths, such seams are made every 6 m. Before hardening begins, the concrete boards are removed, and the resulting seams are filled with hot bitumen.

1. After what time can I lay tiles? Concrete will gain the minimum required strength in about three days, so you can’t start work earlier. A suitable laying method is selected; if traffic on the pavement is high or it is planned that vehicles and heavy technical equipment will enter it, then it is preferable to paving with tiles using cement mortars or construction adhesives. If there are obstacles in the lining area (sewage hatches, flower beds, drainage holes, etc.), they are lined with whole tiles.
   Before completing the work, the final design of the junctions of the required configurations is carried out with cutting of the tiles using a grinder with a concrete wheel or a circular saw. Upon completion of installation, the joints are filled. You should not walk on the paved surface for about 3 days to avoid damaging the edges of the tiles. If necessary, the required passages can be carried out by laying sheets of plywood over the paving surface.
2. Finally, after 3 days, construction debris and debris are swept away, after which the entire surface is washed with water under pressure from a hose.

Laying tiles on a concrete blind area

Blind areas around buildings are usually made up to 1 m wide. First, the condition of the blind area is examined, after which the following operations are performed:

• the concrete is cleaned of dirt, existing cracks in it are cut out;
• the entire surface of the old concrete is filled with a 2 cm layer of cement mortar;
• the boundaries of future paving are marked with driving in pegs;
• The location of the curb along the edge of the site is planned; the top of the curb should be located taking into account the slope away from the building of 2 cm for each linear line. m. and below the top for paving stones by 3 cm. Then a mark is marked on the base equal to the sum of the height of the tile and the thickness of the preparation for it, to which a strong cord is attached, the second end is tied to pegs at the planned height of the top of the curb;
• according to the arranged markings, a trench is developed for the curbs, then an earthen trough is developed between the edge of the blind area and the curbs;
• Then the work is carried out in the order described above when installing a concrete base and paving with paving slabs.

When performing the work yourself, the cost of paving is reduced by at least 2 times. Additionally, you can read technical literature or consult with specialists about how to properly lay paving slabs; this will help avoid damage to expensive materials and ensure the durability of the coating.

Paving slabs in a country house or in the courtyard of a country house can perform 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.

How possible is it to lay 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, it is necessary to calculate the required number of 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 a concrete base is already available, and when it is installed specifically as a substrate for tiles. This method is 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 - in severe frost it freezes, causing the path to deform.

On a cement-sand cushion. Another sand layer of 3-4 cm is poured onto the prepared base (with the soil removed, leveled and compacted), and a reinforcing mesh is placed on it. 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 the initial row of material will be aligned. 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 of the correct processing of the 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.

Laying paving slabs - a modern analogue of paving stones - on sand is advisable only if paths are made in the courtyard of a private house or cottage, because this technology is designed for objects with light loads.

Tiles look much more attractive than concrete or asphalt. The variety of shapes and the ability to paint this building material in different colors make it possible to create surfaces that not only fit organically into the design of any site, but also serve as its decoration.

How to properly lay paving slabs on sand and what material will you need for laying? We will answer these and many other questions in our article.

First of all, let's figure out whether it is possible to lay paving slabs on sand and how advisable it is.

In a short time, paths made of modern paving stones laid on sand have gained great popularity. Here are the main points that give this technology an advantage:

• the sand cushion provides effective drainage - when it rains, moisture goes into the seams between the paving stones, so there are no puddles on such paths;
• since the surface of the path and its internal structure are not monoliths, when the soil moves, it does not crack due to the fact that its elements are mobile relative to each other
• Since the paving stones are not attached to the base, the path is very easy to maintain - a deformed slab can easily be removed and replaced (provided that there is a product of the same shape and size in stock).

Such structures are also not without their drawbacks:

• if high-quality drainage is not provided, water flows poorly and accumulates; over time, a structure with a sand base may collapse, because water can wash away anything;
• the surface does not tolerate exceeding permissible loads - if you drive along a pedestrian path in a car, the result can be very disastrous;
• Owners of garden plots often complain that ants drag away sand in significant quantities from under the paving stones.

Consumables and tools

Before laying paving slabs on the sand, you need to collect the necessary equipment. So that there is no downtime and all work is carried out easily and efficiently, in advance You will need to stock up on the following tools and materials:

• pegs and durable cord for marking the boundaries of a path or area;
• building level;
• tamping (automatic or manual);
• Master OK;
• rubber mallet;
• plastic crosses or thin wooden wedges;
• irrigation hose with shower nozzle or watering can;
• broom;
• rake;
• sand of different fractions;
• cement M500.

Read about it on our website. We'll tell you what to look for when purchasing.

Calculation of the quantity of materials

Calculations begin with measuring the perimeters of future paths and calculating their surface area. If shaped elements are provided that are located around flower beds and other objects on the site, they need to be divided into simple parts and the surface area must also be calculated.

All subsequent calculations are made on the basis of the resulting figures, which are converted into meters.

• The amount of curb stone is the length of all perimeters minus the length of the places where the surface abuts the foundation of the building and other structures. In this part, the foundation itself will be the border.
• The area of ​​the required paving slab is the area of ​​all planned sites and paths plus 5% for undercuts. But this percentage can only be used by using simple laying schemes and hoping that all the delivered paving stones will be intact. In addition, during the work process, unaccounted for points may be discovered that increase its consumption. Taking into account such nuances, 10% should be added to the calculated area. Such a volume will not lead to excessive overpayment, but the purchased slabs will definitely be enough and there will be some left over in case of repairs in the future.
• How much sand is needed to lay paving slabs? The components of the sand cushion are calculated taking into account the expected thickness of the sand under the paving slabs. For example, to calculate the volume of crushed stone that will be laid in a layer of 5 cm, we multiply the area of ​​all paths and platforms by 0.05 (this is 5 cm converted to meters). The resulting value will indicate how many cubic meters of crushed stone should be purchased. The amount of sand is calculated in the same way.

The volume of waste when laying paving stones greatly depends on the laying pattern (with the diagonal method, the amount of waste increases) and the size of the laid surface (the wider it is, the less there is).

Preparing for work

Preparing the work area is an important stage. A high-quality foundation is the key to the success of all other work, so first you need to carry out work to prepare the soil:

1. Remove the top layer and make a trench in the soil 20 cm deep. This indicator is conditional - there are no universal solutions and there never will be. The depth of the trench depends on many characteristics: soil composition and freezing depth, groundwater level, and terrain. For hard soil, 20 cm is enough; for loose soils, increase the depth. The average for paths is 20 cm, and for a car area or driveway the trench needs to be deepened another 7–10 cm.
2. Carefully remove the roots of grass and plants from the bottom of the trench, stones, soil, wet it with a watering can or hose and walk over it with a tamper, which will allow you to avoid subsidence of the soil in the future.
3. Line the bottom of the trench with geotextile or agrofabric. They will not retain water, but they will also not allow the roots and seeds remaining in the soil to germinate and spoil the path. In addition, geotextiles will prevent the interpenetration of continental soil and sand.

Step-by-step instruction

All subsequent work consists of several stages, each of which should be carried out with the utmost care, because the quality and durability of the structure depends on this. Even if it was decided to save money on the slab, this should not be done on installation.

A high-quality base will not sag or deform, will allow moisture to pass through well and withstand expected loads.

Installation of curbs

Curbs are limiters that prevent the future sidewalk from moving away. To install them, grooves are dug along the prepared trench, the bottom of which is reinforced with crushed stone.

The voids in the crushed stone are filled with sand. Curbs are placed level on the crushed stone and secured with cement-sand mortar. You shouldn’t fill all the curbs with ready-made mortar at once.- each is individually reinforced with a concrete lock.

At the end of the work, the height of the curbs to ensure good drainage should be level or 10–20 mm below the top edge of the paving stones. The height is primarily regulated by the depth of the dug grooves. Concrete castles take about a day to dry, then the grooves with curbs are filled with soil to the general level of the bottom of the trench.

A gutter is laid along the inside of one of the curbs, towards which the path will need to be sloped.

Making a pillow

Coarse-grained material is poured onto the geotextile sand 5 cm layer. Its surface is leveled with a rake and abundantly moistened with water. Before the next stage of work, in cloudy weather you need to wait a day; in sunny weather, 2–4 hours is enough.

Then the surface is leveled with a profile or pipe and a layer of crushed stone 10 cm thick is poured onto it. The crushed stone is compacted. You cannot lay crushed stone directly on geotextiles to avoid damaging the latter.

Another 5 cm of sand is poured on top of the crushed stone, which is distributed so as to fill all the voids. This layer is needed to loosen the crushed stone and bring the base to zero. The surface is again compacted, spilled with water (as a result of which the sand will partially go into the spaces between the gravel) and leveled.

The result will be a perfectly flat cushion on which the slabs will be laid.

On the pages of our website you will find out what types there are. Find descriptions and characteristics in our review.

DIY styling technique

So how to properly lay paving slabs on sand?

To avoid trampling on compacted sand, products are laid away from you. The master, being on the already laid surface, lays the paving stones in front of him, slightly pressing them into the sandy base, and moves forward along it.

A gap of 1–2 mm is left between the plates. For convenience, use matches, thin wooden pegs or crosses for ceramic products. Some manufacturers produce products with stops on the sides that allow you to maintain the required distance.

The horizontalness of each row is checked with a building level, using a rubber mallet, sand and a trowel, the surface is adjusted:

• if the slab protrudes above the others, you can deepen it by knocking with a mallet or removing a layer of sand underneath it;
• if the slab is recessed compared to the others, it should be raised and the layer of the cushion increased.

The pavers may need to be trimmed. To do this, apply it to the desired place in the track, make a mark, and only then cut off the excess part.

A grinder is used to cut tiles, but if you cut through the tiles completely, cracks may appear in the future. Therefore, only an incision is made with a “grinder”, and then the product is carefully split.

Sealing seams

To prevent the tiles from moving relative to each other, they are fixed by sprinkling the surface with sand so that all the gaps are filled. The sand is distributed evenly with a brush or broom, and then the surface is spilled with water - this will compact the backfill. The procedure may have to be repeated 2-3 times, and subsequently carried out after heavy rainfall.

Sometimes the gaps are sealed using a mixture of sand and cement, which is then spilled with water so that the cement “sets” and the tiles adhere better to each other.

But such a technique impairs the penetration of moisture into the drainage, and therefore it is not practical to use it in private areas and paths with low traffic.

Important nuances and measures to prevent errors

The quality of work is affected by the shape and size of the tiles. If you have to make frames around objects already located on the ground or the paths are winding, small paving stones will do, but using large tiles will result in too much waste.

Ideally, you should choose a material that contains elements to create curves. For a platform under a car, the paving stones must be wide and thick (at least 6 cm), then the wheels will not push through the coating. The thickness of the sand cushion is made at least 30 cm.

Since the technology of laying paving slabs on sand involves the use of water as one of the sealing agents, It is better to carry out work only in warm or hot seasons when wetted building materials dry quickly. When it rains, work is stopped because it disrupts production technology.

How to lay paving slabs on sand, watch this video:

Safety precautions when working

The basic requirements for safety measures remain the same as for general construction work. As for laying tiles directly, then general measures should be supplemented with the following requirements:

• It is prohibited to cut and trim tiles on your knees;
• when using a grinder or sandpaper, you should wear safety glasses and a respirator;
• work that does not require contact with water is carried out wearing protective cloth gloves.

Laying paving slabs on a sand bed yourself is not at all difficult, especially considering that there is no need to bring specialized equipment.

The main thing is not to neglect the little things in the process of work, because it is from them that the overall quality is formed, which will allow the product to serve for many years.

One of the most popular and simplest ways to decorate a private area around the house is to use paving slabs. Its prevalence is due to its spectacular appearance, durability, and ease of care. We'll figure out how to select and prepare the necessary materials and how to lay paving slabs so that they last as long as possible.

Decorative tiles have an impressive appearance and are easy to use. Source blokstroy-spb.ru

Criterias of choice

When choosing a suitable material, you first need to focus on its cost. High-quality tiles that will last for several decades are made mainly from natural raw materials and have a relatively high price. The following types of raw materials are most often used in the manufacture of finishing materials:

hard and soft varieties of natural stone;

fake diamond;

polymer sand mixtures;

concrete mixtures;

firing materials.

An additional criterion for choosing a finishing material is the thickness of the tile. To design, for example, narrow paths, it is quite possible to choose a material whose thickness does not exceed 0.4 - 0.6 cm. If you are laying a road or parking lot, you need to choose especially durable tiles, the thickness of which varies over 0.8 cm.

Mixed concrete tiles Source plitkaoskol.ru

Required Tools

Before laying paving slabs, you should prepare in advance additional materials and tools that will be useful primarily when performing the work, for example:

• curbs, which can be either plastic or stone;

  crushed stone, the fraction of which should not be more than 40 mm;

  geotextiles;

• a manual concrete mixer, however, if you don’t have one, you can do without it;

As for the amount of materials required to design the paths, before carrying out the work it is necessary to carry out preliminary calculations, taking into account the characteristics of the soil, the area of ​​the territory, and the features of operation.

Step-by-step instruction

To eliminate possible errors in work and prevent damage to materials, before laying paving slabs, it is recommended to carefully read the detailed instructions for this process.

To obtain a high-quality coating, it is important to follow the algorithm below for performing the work Source serp-art.ru

Marking

Immediately before starting work, you should mark the future territory or paths, which will subsequently be tiled. To do this, it is necessary to draw up a detailed schematic drawing on the site plan, taking into account the presence of plantings, buildings, and shrubs. When drawing up a plan, it is important to take into account the characteristics of the site, the presence of slopes and lowlands in which rainwater accumulates.

The second important nuance of drawing up a diagram is calculating the width of the tracks. The optimal option is 1 – 1.3 m. This width allows two people to move freely on the path. If you plan to create a road for a car, it is important to take into account that in addition to the vehicle, there may also be a person on the paved area, that is, the width in this case should not be less than 2.3 - 2.5 m.

After drawing up the diagram, you can begin marking paths directly on the territory of the area being improved. This must be done using a tape measure, rope and pegs. When installing pegs, it is necessary to add 10 - 15 cm on each side to the width of the path - this distance will be necessary in the future for installing curbs.

The first stage when laying tiles is marking Source optolov.ru

On our website you can find contacts of construction companies that offer. You can communicate directly with representatives by visiting the “Low-Rise Country” exhibition of houses.

Excavation

Before laying paving slabs with your own hands, you need to remove the protective layer from the area chosen for finishing work. The process in this case depends entirely on the characteristics of the soil. For example, if the top layer is made of dense clay, it is enough to simply level the surface to be treated. In other situations, it is necessary to remove at least 25–30 cm of turf or soil. Next, you need to pour a layer of sand no more than 3–5 cm thick, level and compact the surface.

The next stage involves laying geotextiles on the compacted surface of the paths. This process is not mandatory, but experts recommend including it in the algorithm of work being carried out. Geotextiles prevent the germination of weeds, soil shrinkage, and moisture penetration during spring floods.

When laying textiles, it is important to observe the following principle: the canvases must overlap each other at a distance of at least 15 - 20 cm. When decorating the edges of the path, it is also important to take into account the above rule. The use of geotextiles and their proper installation will significantly increase the life of the paths.

Before the main work, you need to remove the turf and dig a shallow ditch Source sovetclub.ru

Drainage

The next step before laying paving slabs with your own hands is preparing the drainage system. At this stage, it is necessary to pour a layer of crushed stone onto the textile-lined base, the volume of which should be about 12 - 14 cm. Laying it is necessary to absorb moisture, the freezing of which during cold weather can lead to the formation of unevenness and pits on the surface of the paths.

The crushed stone must be thoroughly compacted, then lightly sprinkled with sand, leveled and covered with a second layer of textile base, following the instructions given above. Laying textiles is especially necessary if the area to be improved is located in a lowland. The material will allow water to pass through, preventing its penetration onto the surface.

On our website you can find contacts of construction companies that offer the service. You can communicate directly with representatives by visiting the “Low-Rise Country” exhibition of houses.

Installation of curbs

After completing the drainage work, it is necessary to install curbs. To carry out the work, you can use various materials, including slate, artificial and natural stone, wooden elements, and bricks. A mandatory requirement in this case is that the finishing material for the borders be flat.

Within the construction market, concrete and plastic piece curbs are especially popular. They are easy to install, have an excellent appearance and a high level of wear resistance. When choosing borders, it is recommended to take into account their compatibility with tiles.

One of the most popular types of curbs is made of concrete Source vopros-remonta-info.ru

One of the important stages during installation is preparing the base. The strength of the paths, as well as the external qualities, depend on the correctness of the work carried out. The type of foundation should be selected in accordance with the expected level of load on the area being improved. For example, before laying paving slabs with your own hands to design paths that are not expected to bear significant loads, it is recommended to pour a sand base.

Source dinerocelo.weebly.com

If significant loads are expected on the surface of the tiles to be laid, for example, use as a parking lot, it is reasonable to choose a concrete base. It is the most durable, provides a long service life, but requires quite complex work. So, how to lay paving slabs by arranging a concrete base? In this case, it is important to follow the following recommendations:

Step one. The most important task is to reinforce the base. For this purpose, you can use both a ready-made mesh, the cell size of which is 10 by 10 cm, and suitable remains of building materials, fittings, and scrap metal. Before reinforcement, it is necessary to drive metal or wooden pegs into the ground so that the grid is 3 - 5 cm above the surface.

Step two. Next, the concrete is poured directly. This must be done in such a way that the surface of the concrete base is located at least 3 cm below the ground surface - this is the distance required for laying decorative tiles. Filling must be done at one time - it is important to take this into account and prepare a sufficient volume of the mixture in advance.

Source kirpich174.ru

After pouring the concrete, be sure to wait several days until the mixture sets and becomes sufficiently hard.

Video description

You can see the technology of laying tiles on a concrete base in the video:

The most common option for decorative walkways is a mixture of cement and sand. This type involves laying elements on a dry base made of sand-cement mixture. To prepare it, the following proportions must be observed: 1 part cement and 5 parts sand. The optimal thickness of the base in this case should not be less than 10 cm.

When choosing this base, it is especially important to first familiarize yourself with the recommendations on how to correctly lay paving slabs. Decorative elements in this case are laid strictly on a dry surface, that is, before filling the ditches for paths with the mixture, it is important to make sure that there will be no rain for two to three days. However, immediately before laying the tiles, it is necessary to slightly moisten the mixture and compact it additionally; this measure will significantly simplify the work process.

Source plitka-pol.ru

Video description

Video about laying tiles on sand:

Processing of decorative tiles

The next recommendation on how to properly lay paving slabs in the courtyard of a private house or in another area is to treat individual elements with compounds that will significantly increase the performance of the material, its wear resistance, and ensure moisture and frost resistance. Hydrophobic compounds are used for treatment, which also effectively protect elements from the appearance of mold stains and improve the appearance of the decorative coating as a whole.

The tile processing process is quite lengthy. It involves dipping each element one by one into a pre-prepared composition, then drying it thoroughly and repeating the procedure. When processing tiles, it is also recommended to inspect each element for cracks or chips. There is no need to throw away damaged tiles; they are quite suitable for laying on inconspicuous surfaces.

Laying decorative tiles

After long and careful preparation, we finally came to the most important and responsible stage - laying the decorative coating. Some features of the work depend on what type of base the elements are placed on. So, how to lay paving slabs correctly:

The laying of individual elements on concrete is carried out using the “on-your-own” method, that is, the work must be carried out by placing it on an already completed surface. Laying is carried out on a mortar made of cement. It is important to take into account that the thickness of the seams is no more than 3 mm, and they should be filled completely. After completing the process, it is important to additionally fill the seams with liquid mortar; this measure will provide special strength to the coating, turning it into a kind of monolith.

Laying on a base of sand or a mixture of sand and cement is carried out in compliance with slightly different operating principles. In this case, they should be performed while on the sand, laying and complementing the already finished decorative base in front of you. The seams are filled with a mixture of cement and clean sand prepared in a percentage ratio of 1:5. When choosing this method, it is especially important to carefully adjust the elements to each other, tapping them with a hammer and completely filling the seams. After completing the work, it is necessary to water the coating with water, leave it until dry, repeat the procedure at least three times, adding a small amount of the mixture if necessary.

Tiles laid in compliance with all rules will last for many years Source market.sakh.com

Concrete-based tiles are particularly durable, easy to maintain, and have a long service life. This decorative coating is not afraid of high loads and changes in temperature conditions. Its only drawback is its relatively high cost.

Video description

You can see the step-by-step installation of tiles in the following video:

Conclusion

Above are tips and recommendations on how to properly lay paving slabs, following which you can easily cope with the work yourself. However, it is important to remember that carrying out any work on preparing the base and directly laying decorative elements requires minimal practical skills. If there are none, it is better to entrust the work to specialists who will do it not only efficiently, but also quickly.

For the construction of hard surfaces of paths and platforms, you can use traditional materials - asphalt and concrete.

Those who, in addition to functionality, are also interested in aesthetic advantages, have to use a more attractive solution - laying out the specified landscape elements with piece materials.

From this article you will learn how to lay paving slabs with your own hands, and what type of slabs it is advisable to use in a particular case.

Installing a coating made of this material cannot be considered an impossible task for a beginner, although it requires care and utmost attention.

As a result, you will get not just a path or area that is comfortable to walk on and on which there are never puddles, but also a real decoration of your own area.

However, no matter how hard the craftsman tries, the coating will not turn out to be of high quality and durable if the wrong material was used for its construction. Therefore, we will begin our story with how to choose the right tile.

Tile selection

There are three types of paving slabs:

• vibrocast concrete;
• concrete vibropressed;
• polymer sand.

Polymer is superior to concrete in a number of ways: it is plastic (does not crack on impacts), is more frost-resistant (because it almost does not absorb water), is lightweight and wears out less.

But it is less durable and, most importantly, changes greatly in size with changes in temperature. The latter circumstance makes the installation process more difficult: for a beginner who does not know some of the subtleties, the coating may warp.

Vibro-cast and vibro-pressed concrete tiles are very similar in characteristics, but very different in appearance. Vibrocast has a pattern on the surface, arbitrary or imitating, for example, wood.

Path made of concrete slabs

Such tiles are usually used in private households. Vibration-pressed tiles look simpler, but during their manufacture the dimensions are observed more accurately, and the surface is made rougher. This material is intended for the installation of coatings in publicly accessible areas with high traffic.

When choosing tiles, you need to pay attention to the following:

1. Roughness: some types of tiles become very slippery in cold weather, even with the slightest moisture. If you do not want to get a roller instead of a path, choose a rough material and ask in advance how it behaves at low temperatures.
2. Color: colored tiles are more expensive than gray ones. But on sale you can often find painted types that are practically no different in price from regular ones. Such tiles should be avoided: in their manufacture, a cheap dye was used, which not only fades quickly, but can also adversely affect some qualities of the base material, including strength.
3. Dimensions: the amount of work will be much smaller if the tiles do not have to be cut. To do this, its width and the width of the track or platform must be multiples. For example, for a path 80 cm wide, 20 cm wide tiles are suitable, but in the case of a 25 cm wide one, cutting is indispensable.
4. Shape and drawing.

According to the last feature, tiles are divided into two types:

• capable of supporting the weight of the vehicle;
• designed only for the weight of people.

Both types differ in thickness: in the first it is about 60 mm or more, the second can have a thickness of 20 mm.

Polymer sand tiles

Fans of highly artistic design should know that along with regular tiles, figured tiles are available, which allows you to lay out the covering in the form of an interesting pattern.

As for the pattern, you need to take into account that some of its types greatly increase the requirements for laying accuracy. Therefore they cannot be recommended to amateurs. This category includes “paving stone”, “brick” and “rhombus” designs.

It is highly desirable that all tiles belong to the same batch, since material from different batches may differ not only in appearance, but also in composition.

High-quality tiles make a loud sound when they hit one another. If, when tapping a block, the sound turns out to be dull, it is better not to buy the tile - the technology was violated during production.

Necessary tool

Now you need to prepare everything that will have to be handled during the installation process:

• bayonet and shovel shovels;
• rake (used to level bulk materials);
• rubber hammer;
• tamping (for a large area you will need a mechanical option);
• grinder with a diamond wheel for cutting stone;
• building level;
• marking kit: pegs or steel rods with twine and a can of spray paint;
• a long, even piece of metal profile, for example, a pipe or channel (it will be used to level the sand);
• a broom or brush for filling tile joints with sand.

When laying paving slabs, the master often has to lean on his knees, so it makes sense to get knee pads.

Marking the paving area

First, on the ground, you need to mark the boundaries of landscape objects that will be created using tiles. It should be taken into account that the covering on the side that is not adjacent to any building must be fenced with a curb. When planning, you also need to think about where rainwater will be drained.

First, the site is marked using spray paint or small mounds of lime. Then you need to check whether objects with such outlines will be convenient for use.

Planning before laying paving slabs

For example, if we are talking about paths, you need to walk along them. If necessary, adjustments are made, after which wooden pegs or steel rods are installed at the corner points of the contour and a string is pulled between them at a height of 5–7 cm.

The coating will need to be given a certain slope, so the string should be pulled strictly horizontally - it will serve as a guide. To control horizontality, you need to use a water level.

Paving slabs can be laid on different substrates - sand, crushed stone, concrete. is the most effective and popular.

Types of paving slabs and their characteristics are presented.

What can a mold for paving slabs be made from? The answer is simple - from almost everything. The main options - metal, silicone, plastic and others - are described.

Arrangement of the base

The design of the base, like the thickness of the tiles, depends on the load. Let's consider two options:

Base for a covering designed to support the weight of people only

If the tile will be used only for people and it is not planned to be used by vehicles, a less durable coating is made. The base for the coating is constructed as follows:

1. The soil is removed to a depth of 150 - 200 mm, the bottom of the excavation is leveled and thoroughly compacted.
2. The bottom and walls of the excavation are covered with geotextile panels. This material allows water to pass through, but at the same time it prevents the roots of plants that want to grow in the seams between the tiles from reaching the ground, and also prevents the bulk material located on it from subsiding into the ground.
3. A layer of gravel is poured and compacted, which should ultimately have a thickness of 100 - 150 mm. The gravel is laid so as to form a coating profile that allows water to flow from the center to the edges. A general slope of the path or site is also formed, thanks to which water will flow in the direction, for example, from the house, and not towards it. The slope should be approximately 5 mm per 1 m (when installing, we focus on a horizontally stretched string).
4. A layer of sand is poured, which is then leveled with a rake, well moistened and compacted. As a result, its thickness should be 50 - 100 mm.
5. A mixture of sand and cement (in a ratio of 6:1) is poured in, which is handled in the same way (including wetting). The amount of mixture should be such that after thorough compaction the thickness of this layer is 20 - 40 mm.

Leveling the site for laying paving slabs

It will be more convenient to lay bulk material in this and subsequent layers if the height of each layer is marked with paint on the walls along the entire perimeter of the excavation.

Base for a coating that can withstand the loads of vehicles

Obviously, it should be more durable, so they make it like this:

1. The soil is removed to a depth of 400 - 500 mm, followed by compaction of the bottom of the excavation.
2. A layer of sand is poured, which is leveled, wetted and compacted. Its thickness should ultimately be equal to 100 - 150 mm.
3. Gravel or crushed stone of medium size is poured and compacted, the resulting layer should have a thickness of 100 - 150 mm.
4. A knitted mesh of reinforcement with a diameter of 6 - 8 mm is laid on top of the gravel on special plastic bosses (can be replaced with wooden blocks). The cells in the grid should have dimensions from 80x80 to 100x100 mm.
5. Next, beacons must be installed on the “pyramids” made of cement mortar, with the help of which the subsequent layer of cement-sand mortar will be given the necessary slope. Beacons are long, even slats made of plastic or steel, which are usually supported on both sides when leveling the solution as guides. The upper edges of the beacons should be at the level of the surface of the screed, the thickness of which will be 100 - 120 mm. The required slope is given to the beacons using a level.
6. Wooden formwork is installed along the perimeter of the excavation at the level of the future screed.

It is better to wrap the boards in polyethylene - then they will not deteriorate from contact with a wet solution.

Pie diagram for laying paving slabs

After making sure that the solution under the lighthouses has dried, proceed to laying a cement-sand screed, in which cement and sand are present in a ratio of 1:3. The solution is applied above the beacons, then the excess is cut off using a rule, moving it along the beacons. Ideally, the entire screed should be laid in one go. If the work had to be interrupted until the next day, then the already laid solution must be covered with plastic wrap.

It takes 7–12 days for the screed to mature. To prevent it from drying out, it should be kept under polyethylene for the first 3–5 days and periodically moistened with water.

Laying process

The beacons are again installed on the mature concrete, only this time their upper edge is raised to a height of only 20 - 40 mm.

At the last stage, a dry mixture of cement and sand is poured in, which is leveled along the beacons.

Installing a curb

A border of small height is installed on the mortar on top of a gravel backfill (in the first version of the base) or a cement-sand screed (in the second version). But most often they use a high curb, which is more reliable and needs to be installed deeper.

According to the rules, 60% of its height should be under the paving, therefore, with a reinforced base, it is installed not on the screed, but on the underlying gravel backfill. In this case, wooden formwork for the screed will no longer be needed - the curb will simultaneously perform this function.

Installation of curbs

If we are dealing with a foundation of the first type, then after excavating the soil (remember that the foundation pit in this version is only about 200 mm deep), at the site where the curb will be installed, you will need to additionally dig a trench 100 - 150 mm deep. At the bottom of it, a 5-centimeter bedding of compacted gravel or crushed stone is placed, on top of which a border is installed on a thick cement mortar.

There is no need to wait for the solution to harden; you can immediately proceed to subsequent work.

Regardless of the installation method, the curb should be leveled using a rubber hammer.

Laying pavement tiles

How to lay paving slabs with your own hands? The tiles are laid row by row starting from the building or curb. The blocks are pressed against the base with moderate force and tapped with a rubber hammer. In this case, a gap of 3–5 mm wide is left between them.

The easiest way to lay paving slabs is that on the side edges there is a special narrow protrusion. Thanks to him, the gap is obtained automatically.

Scheme for laying paving slabs

Having laid a certain number of blocks, the seams between them are filled with a dry mixture of sand (it must be sifted) and cement, taken in the proportion (5 - 6): 1.

This process is called "sweeping" as it is carried out using a broom or brush.

Having poured the mixture onto the tile, spread it with this tool, applying some force. Having filled the seams in this way, proceed to laying the next section.

If the tiles need to be cut somewhere, for example, around a sewer hatch, then such blocks are made and laid out at the very end, when all of them are laid.

The same applies to the cutting parts of the figured tiles, through which the outer rows are aligned.

It is advisable to compact the finished coating using a vibrating plate.

Video on the topic

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