Pavement preparation for laying tiles. Leveling the site for the foundation

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Laying paving slabs, paving stones or wild stone is the last stage of paving the territory. To use all the strengths of the tile, it is necessary to properly prepare the base.

After reading the article, you will learn the sequence of preparing the base for laying paving slabs, what tool they use for this, and learn how to do all the necessary work with your own hands.

To calculate the material, measure the area of ​​the work area, then determine the thickness of the crushed stone layer. A minimum layer of 7 cm provides minimum performance.

The optimal layer is 12 cm. It provides good water drainage and sufficient rigidity of the base for the movement of pedestrians and rare cars.

A powerful layer is 18-20 cm. It is made up of two or three layers of crushed stone of different fractions. The bottom layer is 7-8 cm crushed stone of fractions 25-30 mm. On top of it is a layer 5-7 cm thick of crushed stone of a fraction of 15-20 mm. The top layer is 5-7 cm from crushed stone of fraction 5-10 mm.

Determine the volume of sand, it depends on the fraction of crushed stone of the upper or single layer. For crushed stone of a fraction of 5-10 mm, a layer of sand is 3-4 cm. For 15-20 mm, the layer thickness is 4-5 cm, 25-30 mm, the thickness of the sand layer is 6-8 cm.

Determine the number of tiles, to do this, divide the total area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe site by the area of ​​​​an individual tile. Increase the amount by 5 percent. This is necessary to compensate for tile trimming and damage to individual elements. Calculate the number and size of the border. To do this, determine the length of the perimeter of the site, divide by the length of the curb, and increase the number by 5 percent.

If it is impossible to create a layer of crushed stone of the required thickness, reduce the thickness of each layer by one and a half times and cover the bottom of the trough with geotextile before filling the crushed stone layers.

We prepare an earthen trough

An earthen trough is a trench in the size of the site on which paving work is carried out. It is necessary to lower the underlying (gravel and sand) layers to the required depth. This will avoid excessive raising of the tile level.

Earthen trough

First, mark out the area. The size of the trough is equal to the size of the plot plus one meter (length and width). To outline the site, step back from the border 10 cm, drive pegs into the ground and pull a rope between them. After that, prepare a place for storing soil. Then determine the depth of the underlying layers. The thickness of the gravel layer is 7-20 cm. The thickness of the sandy layer is 5-10 cm.

The thickness of the crushed stone layer depends on the density of the soil and the crushed stone fraction. The denser the soil, the smaller the layer of rubble. On dry clay soils, 7-10 cm is enough, on soft and loose (chernozem) - 10-20 cm.

If you are paving a small area (5-20 square meters) and you have enough strength, you can remove the soil layer of the required thickness with a pickaxe and a shovel. If you cannot do the excavation work yourself, contact an excavation organization or hire a crew.

After removing the soil, clean the bottom of the trough to remove bumps and bumps. Rent a vibrating plate or a mechanized hand roller. The cost of renting devices for preparing the base for paving slabs is 1-10 thousand rubles per day, excluding collateral. Without these tools, it is impossible to qualitatively compact the surface of the earthen trough. Laying underlayments and tiles on uncompacted soil will cause subsidence of individual sections of the pavement.

If you are laying storm drainage under the base, then dig trenches, lay pipes, then continue work. Seal the bottom of the earthen trough. To do this, walk on it with a vibrating plate weighing up to 60 kg 20-25 times. If the vibrating plate is heavier than 60 kg, 18-20 times is enough. If you have rented a manual mechanized roller with a vibrocompaction function, pass it over the entire area of ​​the trough 5-7 times. A roller without vibration compaction must be rolled 10-15 times.

If you want to raise the paving much above the ground, then an earthen trough is not needed. Enough to compact the soil.

Curb installation

After compacting the earthen trough, dig it around the perimeter with a trench 30-40 cm wide. The side of the trench closest to the trough should protrude 5-7 cm beyond the perimeter line. The depth of the trench depends on the size of the curb. Subtract from the height of the curb the thickness of the underlying layers, taking into account compaction, the thickness of the tile and add 3-5 cm to the remainder.

To install the curb, concrete is required, which consists of:

• one part of cement grades M-300 - M-500;
• three parts of sand;
• three to five pieces of rubble.

The amount of water depends on the moisture content of the sand. Knead the concrete so thick that it does not drip from the shovel, stretch the cord clearly around the perimeter of the paving area, lay the concrete in a trench with a layer of 7-10 cm and install the curbs along the cord. The corner of the inside and top of the curb should touch the cord.

After installing the curb, fill the trench with concrete to the level of the bottom of the earthen trough. After three days, fill the curb outside with soil to ground level and proceed with laying the gravel layer.

crushed stone layer

The purpose of the crushed stone layer is to evenly distribute the load on the soil and drain storm and melt water. If you are laying one layer of crushed stone, use material with a fraction of 20-30 mm. If you use 2-3 layers, lay first large gravel, then medium, then small. This order is called cleaving, it provides a uniform distribution of the load of the upper layer on the lower one.

Pour the amount of crushed stone necessary for one layer into the trough and level it. After that, pour water at the rate of 0.3-0.5 liters per square meter and compact with a vibrating plate or a manual mechanized roller. The number of passes is similar to soil compaction. Then pour out the crushed stone for the next layer, level and compact, then lay the top layer in the same way.

When compacting near a curb, be careful not to damage or move it.

To create crushed stone layers, buy washed crushed stone. In the uncleaned a lot of dirt and dust. When the rains pass, the dust will wash away, and the gravel layers will sag, and the tiles will sag behind them. If it is not possible to purchase washed crushed stone, visit the nearest asphalt plant to buy crushed stone that has been cleaned with a screen.

sand layer

Pour the required amount of sand into the earthen trough, level and compact it. To do this, pour sand with water at the rate of 0.5 liters per square meter and after 10-20 minutes walk on it with a vibrating plate or a skating rink. The number of passes is two times less than for soil and crushed stone.

Do not neglect the compaction of soil, gravel layers and sand. Otherwise, the tiles will sag after 3-4 heavy rains.

For the sand layer, use washed or screened sand. If you don't know if the sand is clean or not, pour it halfway into a glass jar and fill it with water to the top. Stir the sand vigorously. If after 10 seconds of mixing the water is clear, it is washed sand. If the water clears after a minute, it is sand cleaned with a screen. If the water doesn't clear after a minute and a half, it's dirty sand.

What you need to prepare the base for paving stones and paving slabs and how to do the laying correctly, you will learn in the following video:

The reliability of laying tiles depends on the preparation of the base. It does not matter with what diligence the master laid out the patterns from the tiles if the base was prepared with errors. A few heavy showers will break the pattern, because part of the tile will sag. If the base is prepared correctly, using appropriate materials, with a quality seal, then nothing threatens the tile pattern.

Many owners of private houses are interested in how to lay paving slabs. This finishing material is now very popular for the design of local areas. Paving slabs allow you to create not only ordinary masonry, but also a kind of multi-colored mosaic of irregularly shaped elements.

The main advantages of paving slabs

Not everyone knows how to lay paving slabs correctly. After all, this is a relatively new material. However, paving slabs have already become more in demand than the well-known paving stones.

Among the main advantages of paving slabs, one should name such properties as:

• low cost;
• simple laying technology;
• durability;
• environmental friendliness;
• resistance to aggressive environmental influences;
• variety of shapes and colors;
• the ability to create bright and original elements of landscape design.

To lay out a path or a platform with paving slabs yourself, you do not need special technical skills and knowledge, only the ability to handle conventional tools. If during the installation process you strictly follow the procedure and try a little, everything will definitely work out.

How to choose a tile

Thick tiles (more than 60 mm) can withstand the weight of a truck with a full body. Such tiles are usually in the form of small bars. This gives the cladding additional strength.

It is not difficult to figure out how to properly lay paving slabs. The main condition for a novice master is to choose a small area for the first experiments. The garden path is the best. It is better to choose a tile in one color, square or rectangular.

Site marking and base preparation

First you need to calculate the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe track or area. It calculates the required number of tiles. You need to purchase material with a margin of 10-15% in case of damage to the material. In order not to be mistaken in the calculations, you can draw a plan for the future site. This will facilitate the necessary calculations and calculations.

Curbs are needed along the edges of the path. This will help maintain the integrity of the structure. The border should be several times thicker than the selected tile. It is necessary to lay tiles only on a properly prepared base, not only the appearance, but also the strength of the structure depends on this.

The right base for paving slabs

To perform all the necessary work, you will need the following tools:

• shovels - shovel and bayonet;
• grinder saw;
• spatulas;
• rule;
• building level;
• roulette;
• rubber mallet or mallet;
• twine or cord, woods;
• Master OK;
• rake;
• mixing container.

First you need to outline the location of the track or platform. To do this, pegs are driven into the ground on both sides of the track. A cord or twine is tied to them. You need to walk along the marked area in different directions in order to determine the correct marking and the optimal location of the site or track. In the course of work, the markup can be adjusted.

drainage system

Do-it-yourself technology for laying paving slabs requires drainage work. On clayey swampy soil with a high location of groundwater, internal drainage is necessary. To do this, in the process of excavation, the required slope is formed, drainage pipes are installed to drain the water.

On dry soil, it is enough to arrange external drainage. To do this, paving slabs on the path are laid with a slope of 2 or 3 ° towards the curb. Some of the water will seep through the seams between the tiles.

Foundation construction

Under the foundation you need to dig a ditch. The top layer of soil is removed to a depth of 20 cm. Remains of vegetation must be removed. The bottom must be leveled and compacted. If the soil is very weak, a concrete screed is laid under the future construction of paving slabs. This will strengthen the foundation and ensure the longevity of the walkway or playground.

Reinforced concrete base under paving slabs

Then the curbs are installed. Between them, a pillow of fine-grained (10-20) crushed stone or gravel is poured. Bulk material must be leveled and slightly compacted.

Borders on both sides of the track must be installed in parallel. The internal space between them should accommodate the required number of tiles. In this case, it is necessary to take into account mounting gaps of 2-3 mm. Then a mortar for concreting curbs is prepared. Cement grade M300 or higher and sifted sand are taken. Proportion 1:2.

The gravel pad at the bottom of the trench is covered with coarse wet sand, which must be leveled. The thickness of the sand cushion after sand compaction should be at least 3-5 cm. To control from the top edge of the curb down, you need to measure 1.5 tile thicknesses.

Tiles are laid on top. If its position exceeds the desired level by 1 cm, the sand can be compacted. To do this, the finished pillow must be moistened abundantly and left for several hours. Tamp tightly. A day later, you can start laying tiles. The main thing is that the concrete poured under the curbs is completely frozen.

Laying tiles on sand and gravel

Tiles are laid in clear, dry weather. Wind, rain, dampness complicate the installation process and can worsen the result, especially if the master does not yet have the necessary skills. The path is laid out in the direction away from you, it is impossible to stand on a sand and gravel cushion during work.

Before laying paving slabs with your own hands, you need to prepare the mounting mixture. For it, dry, sifted fine sand and cement are taken in a ratio of 3: 1 or a ready-made composition purchased at a building materials store.

Laying tiles on cement-sand mixture

So that the track can be dismantled later, the tiles need to be laid only on the sand. Dry mix or sand is poured to a thickness of not more than 4 cm, you need to level the pillow. When backfilling, you can use guides from reinforcing bars, tubes, etc. The mixture is distributed over the working surface with a trowel or rake and leveled using a rule.

If the path is narrow, sand is poured between the curbs and leveled with a trowel. With the help of the level, you need to arrange a drainage slope. During work, the master moves along the length of the path, holding a bucket of sand and tools at hand. On a wide path, the dry mixture is poured over the beacons. The height of the beacons is reduced by 1 cm every meter of the width of the future track to ensure water flow.

Alignment of the base on the beacons

On top of the finished masonry, you need to fill in the sand and grout the laid out surface with a hard mop. Instead of sand, special grouts can be used. The order of work with them is indicated on the packaging.

Laying tiles on a concrete base

Preparatory work for laying paving slabs on a concrete base is carried out in a similar way. First, the tile is laid on a work surface covered with sand.

To prepare the mortar, use M500 cement. It must be diluted with water to the desired consistency. It is better to mix the solution with an electric drill or a construction mixer. Gradually add sand to the mixture of water and cement. It should be 4 times more than dry cement.

When laying on concrete, a strict sequence must be observed. Tiles are removed one by one from the sand cushion. For 1 time, you need to remove 4 elements of preliminary masonry. A solution is applied to the vacated area. It needs to be evenly distributed. Having laid the tiles on top of the mortar, it is necessary to trim and lightly press down with a mallet. When laying between the tiles, special spacers made of wood are installed to obtain the necessary gap. When the entire track or platform is laid out, the remaining solution must be removed from the surface.

Some rules for laying tiles

In order for the laid material to be even and beautiful along the entire length of the track, it is necessary to carefully lay out the initial row of tiles. Across the track, you need to stretch the fishing line with a drainage slope towards the curb. The first tile is installed 0.5 cm from the curb. In the longitudinal direction, laying is controlled by the level.

On the path, the tiles are laid diagonally and rammed with a mallet. Between the elements you need to leave a gap of 2 mm. The laid out row must be carefully examined and all errors immediately corrected. It is usually enough to correct the amount of sand under protruding or sinking elements. An evenly laid initial row is a guarantee that the entire path will turn out neat and beautiful.

Rammer will speed up the work of laying paving slabs

If non-whole tiles are supposed to be laid out in the masonry, they should be laid out last. To correctly outline the cut line, the tile must be attached to the installation site. A hacksaw is good for cutting tiles, but the work will go very slowly. Therefore, you need to cut paving slabs with a grinder. A diamond disc is installed on it. You can use a special knife. You need to work in protective glasses.

Sealing seams and cracks

When the installation of paving slabs is completed, it is necessary to close up small gaps. To do this, you need to prepare a cement solution with a high content of liquid glass. This will give the structure resistance to aggressive environmental influences. A mixture of sand and cement or sand is poured into the assembly joints between the individual elements.

Sand for filling cracks and assembly joints can only be used clean. A small amount of organic elements or salts will subsequently lead to the appearance of small flora on a paved area. Plants will spoil the appearance of the structure and reduce its strength.

Compaction of sand is carried out with a hose with a narrow spray. The procedure must be repeated several times. Bulk material is added each time. The density of the backfill of the assembly joints will ensure the strength and durability of the entire masonry.

Options for laying paving slabs

Paving slabs allow you to create various shapes and ornaments in the local area. You can use ready-made laying schemes or come up with your own version of the design of the track or platform.

The most common options for laying paving slabs:

• herringbone;
• network;
• checkerboard;
• random mix;
• circular pattern.

Using multi-colored elements of different shapes, alternating styling options, you can create interesting compositions based on the principle of ordinary mosaics or puzzles.

Geometric laying of paving slabs

Curly masonry is best done first on a site near the work site. This will allow you to correct individual errors or change something in advance. When the work surface is ready, the tiles are gradually transferred to it and stacked in the desired order.

To tile a round area, you need to make a primitive compass from wooden slats with pointed ends. With its help, a circle is drawn on the prepared area over the sand cushion. Next, the tile is laid out from the outer edge to the center of the site.

Use and care

A freshly laid paving slab path will be ready for use 2-3 days after all work is completed. To remove dust and debris, the path is usually swept with a broom and washed with a stream of water from a hose. Deep patterns with bright colors need to be cleaned more often and more carefully than ordinary masonry.

The sand laid in the tile joints is gradually washed out as the path or platform is used. Therefore, it must be topped up as needed. Damaged structural elements (such as cracked tiles) are easily replaced with new ones.

Paving slabs are unstable to mechanical stress, so they cannot be cleaned with abrasive powder. It is better to use sifted river sand.

Do not use strong chemicals to remove stains. A mild soapy solution is sufficient. It is applied with a soft brush and then washed off with a hose.

In winter, snow and ice must be carefully removed without using metal tools. Can be used with rubber tip. This will save the decorative tiles. So that the path is not slippery, it must be sprinkled with ordinary clean sand.

The layer of sand is the final layer before laying the foam, its function is to bring the plane onto which the insulation will be laid as evenly as possible.

By mid-June, I planned to take a vacation just in time for the arrival of relatives so that they would help me with the foundation. The rains have taken their toll. I wanted to level the sand before they arrived so that we could immediately start formwork, but it wasn’t there)

In general, on the first working day of the arrival of relatives, we leveled and rammed the sand. In the Baucenter I rented a vibrating plate for 1950 rubles / day, which safely got into my car. Didn't have to pay for shipping...

Before tamping, the sand was scattered by eye over the entire area. And left a few more aside.

In addition, I bought 10 liters of gasoline for a vibrating plate, just this was enough for a whole day of work!

The work itself consisted in controlling the "crawling" of the slab on the sand. The plate vibrates and crawls by itself, it only needs to be directed, there is practically no effort, although the plate weighs almost 100 kg. Periodically, it was necessary to moisten the sand from the hose for better compaction.

After the first penetration with a slab, recesses and bulges were revealed, all this was cut off or filled up with the remains of sand. And in this way we walked 5 times. The layer of sand turned out to be only about 5 cm. It shrank about 2-3 times. And it became quite hard, leaving no traces when walking.

At the end of the day, measurements were made with a level, the differences in the sand over the entire area were no more than 1.5 cm. As for me, this is a very good result, but as history will show later, it will lead to some difficulties when laying the foam. And I just don’t know how to level it so that it’s even smoother, it’s not realistic and in terms of time it’s most likely very inefficient and it’s not clear whether it’s expedient)

The next day, the entire area was covered with polyethylene. The seams were sealed with reinforced tape. Its purpose is to cut off the wetting of foam from the ground. The black polyethylene that I bought in rolls with characteristics of 200 microns turned out to be full of crap, and clean wiring. There weren’t any 200 microns there, as strong as a regular bag. which is easily torn in the hands. I had to buy ordinary polyethylene there, not in rolls, but cut into 10 meters, but already with exactly the declared characteristics of 200 microns. When you take it in your hands, you immediately feel its strength!

Often, people who were born and raised in the city refuse to purchase country houses and plots, since they associate the latter with dirt, damaged shoes, and many other moments that are unsightly for the townspeople. However, civilization does not stand still, and today the masters have at their disposal many ways to organize the space of a summer cottage and ennoble a suburban area, thanks to which you can forever forget about impenetrable dirt. One of these methods is the arrangement of the sidewalk with the help of tiles with strength, durability and high decorative characteristics. Despite the fact that laying paving slabs is not the only way to improve the backyard territory, it is often preferred because of its simplicity, relative cheapness and no need to use specialized equipment (for example, an asphalt roller when asphalting a site or a flat concrete rammer when concreting a territory). ). Another distinctive feature of the tiled pavement, which can be attributed to the advantages, is the ability to take a technological pause in the process of arranging the sidewalk, which cannot be said about asphalting and concreting. Given the relevance of the topic, we considered it necessary to talk about the process of laying paving slabs. Due to the fact that site preparation is an integral step in laying tiles, in this article we will answer the question: “How to prepare a site for paving slabs?”.

Requirements for the base under paving slabs

How to lay paving slabs and be satisfied with the result? To do this, it is necessary to comply with a certain set of requirements that are mandatory when laying the specified material. Many of them relate directly to the quality of the base for paving slabs. The basic requirements are as follows:

• Drainage, the need for arrangement of which is explained by the importance of diverting accumulated water and preventing its destructive effect on the sidewalk;
• The arrangement of the waterproofing system, namely the use of a special substrate, will prevent excessive accumulation of moisture;
• Organization of a drain, implying a slope of the terrain and a system of special runoff grooves;
• The surface should be as even as possible, which will ensure the ideal occurrence of shaped paving elements;
• The presence of a recess, which will provide an opportunity for arranging a drainage system and the absence of movement of individual elements and, as a result, deformation, in case of subsidence of the soil.

What needs to be prepared before laying tiles?

Before you start preparing the base for paving slabs on the street, purchase all the required tools and materials:

• Paving slabs and the corresponding estimated number of curbs required to finish the site allocated for paving;
• Metal or wooden stakes or pins;
• The horizontal level that will be needed to fit the horizontal paving stones;
• An ordinary watering can or a hose with a divider, necessary to moisten the sand cushion and base;
• A metal corner, a rake and a channel, necessary for leveling the bedding of the base;
• Broom.
• In addition, to mark the site, you will need twine, a shovel and other garden tools to remove the top fertile soil layer, build a trench and install borders.

How to prepare the ground for laying paving slabs: the main steps

Laying paving slabs is a multi-stage process that includes several stages:

• Site preparation for laying paving slabs;
• Arrangement of the so-called underlayment or cushion under paving slabs;
• Direct laying of paving slabs.

Soil stabilization and its subsequent preparation

Site preparation for paving slabs includes a set of measures, the complexity of which will vary depending on the initial state of the soil. If it is relatively flat, the preparatory measures will be quite simple: etching and uprooting of vegetation, final leveling of the soil (removing mounds and filling holes) with its subsequent tamping.

If, in the process of leveling the soil, you encounter large surface irregularities over large areas, it is necessary to use special construction equipment, such as excavators, scrapers and bulldozers, as well as modern instrumentation, for example, a laser level, called a level, to prepare the foundation.

Arrangement of the underlying layer

After you have stabilized the soil, having eliminated all the irregularities on its surface, and made its markup, followed by the installation of elevation marks, you can begin to arrange the underlying layer. This stage is just as necessary as the previous one, and it is impossible to level the area for paving slabs without arranging the underlying layer.

The underlying layer is a kind of multilayer cake, the installation of which will require a number of loose stone materials used to prepare the base for paving slabs. They are laid on stabilized soil in a certain order, depending on the expected loads on the sidewalk, followed by mandatory tamping of each of the layers. The thickness of each layer is also a variable parameter and depends on a combination of external factors. The function of the underlying layer is as follows:

Due to the presence of the underlying layer, the tile is protected from destruction due to ground movement in winter;

After the arrangement of the underlying layer, the smallest surface defects that remained unnoticed in the process of soil stabilization are visually leveled, as a result of which the surface acquires a more aesthetic appearance.

There are a number of technologies in accordance with which the preparation of the underlying layer is carried out. The choice of each of them depends on the expected load on the installed sidewalk and the conditions of its operation.

If the sidewalk will be affected by loads from moving trucks, or you are faced with problems with the natural soil on which the installation will be carried out, it is recommended to give preference to the first option, which involves laying the following layers:

• Cement mortar (layer thickness is 3 cm);
• Reinforced concrete (layer thickness - 10-15 cm).

If you plan to carry out the installation of a site intended for the movement of passenger vehicles, the preparation of the underlying layer involves laying the following materials:

• Cement-sand mixture (layer thickness not less than 3 cm);
• Sand or screenings (10 cm layer);
• Crushed stone, which is laid in a layer of 20 cm.

If the installed path is intended only for the movement of pedestrians, for its arrangement it is necessary to prepare an underlying layer consisting of the following materials:

• Cement-sand mixture, the amount of which should be sufficient to prepare a 3-centimeter layer;
• Sand (layer thickness is 10 cm);
• Crushed stone (layer thickness is also 10 cm).

How to choose the most suitable technology for the arrangement of the underlying layer?

As noted earlier, when choosing the necessary technology for arranging the underlying layer, first of all, it is necessary to take into account the conditions under which paving slabs and the path as a whole will be operated. If paving slabs will be used for the installation of footpaths only, the first option for preparing the underlying layer, which involves concreting, loses its relevance. This is due to the additional costs that concreting may entail.

Important! Often, the owners of suburban areas and plots located within the city had to deal with subsidence of the soil due to the high content of loam. In such cases, experts recommend giving preference to the second option for preparing the underlying layer, intended for the movement of passenger vehicles.

How to level the yard for paving slabs, if it becomes necessary to equip the underlying layer in accordance with various technologies? When one section of the territory, paved with paving slabs, is designed for the passage of passenger vehicles, and the other - only for pedestrian zones, it is quite logical that it is necessary to give preference to options that can withstand higher loads. However, experts believe that this is a waste of money and recommend combining several options at one facility. This will minimize the cost of laying paving slabs.

Laying paving slabs on the ground

If, during operation, the path paved with paving slabs is expected to be affected only by low and medium loads (traffic of people and cars), paving slabs can be laid directly on the ground. In this regard, it does not need to be stabilized by concreting with subsequent reinforcement of the base.

But, despite this, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the soil and the intensity of the loads placed on the track and, based on the data obtained, correctly select the materials for arranging the underlying layer and lay it. In addition, the modern construction market offers a range of underlayment materials on which paving slabs can be laid directly. The use of these materials ensures the natural circulation of precipitation, which allows the soil to "breathe", which is impossible when concreting or asphalting the soil.

Arrangement of the underlying layer: a brief description of the options

How to level the area under paving slabs? In modern conditions, the most popular options are the following:

• Laying of paving slabs on the carving;
• Laying paving slabs for elimination;
• Laying paving slabs on the sand.

Important! When using the same materials for the preparation of the underlayment, the parameters of the finished structure, such as the thickness of the underlayment, the presence or absence of geotextiles, may differ. All this is calculated in accordance with SNiP, taking into account the expected loads and type of soil.

Laying tiles on the deck

Laying paving slabs on the carving is relevant if the sidewalk is characterized by a significant slope. This is quite understandable. Gartsovka is a dry cement-sand mixture, the setting of which occurs under the tile during the first precipitation. A similar effect can be achieved by watering the tiles with a hose after laying. This technique will ensure reliable adhesion of the tile and prevent it from slipping in the direction of the slope.

In addition, experts recommend giving preference to this option even if the ground on which paving slabs will be laid does not have sufficient water absorption. In this regard, when choosing between two options - laying tiles on sand or on gartsovka, give preference to the latter, since insufficient water absorption of the soil can cause sand to be washed out from under the tile.

Important! When laying the tiles on the carving, remember that it is prone to rapid fading under the influence of the scorching sun, and therefore, when working under the scorching sun, try to speed up as much as possible and reduce the time of work, as well as provide shade. In addition, the use of wet sand reduces the storage time of the carving, which is due to the absorption of moisture by the cement and the start of its hardening process.

Laying tiles on the sand

This method is traditional in the arrangement of sidewalks. Laying tiles on sand is in many ways similar to that when using carving. It is also produced on a layer of compacted gravel 10-20 cm thick, which acts as a cushion for paving slabs. In this case, the thickness of the sand layer should not exceed 10 cm, which will prevent excessive shrinkage. Having given preference to the technology of laying paving slabs on sand, it is necessary to exclude washing out of sand from under the tile in advance. To do this, along the perimeter of the area paved with tiles, it is enough to equip the curb, which is concreted from the outside with a mortar made on the basis of cement of a strength grade of at least M100.

A layer of geotextile laid under a layer of sandy embankment will also prevent sand washout. The laying of geotextiles can also be carried out using another, more advanced technology, which involves the use of two layers of geotextiles - one is laid directly on the stabilized soil, and the second on the compacted layer of crushed stone.

Laying tiles for screening

This option is considered the most budgetary alternative to the first two methods of laying tiles. Granite sifting is a material that is a waste product of crushed stone and consists of crushed stone sand and small fragments, so it can be used as a base for paving slabs, as well as a crushed stone and sand layer. At the same time, it is easily compacted and, unlike sand, has less shrinkage.

Important! Despite all the advantages of screening, its independent use is not welcome if the soil is unstable and has low water absorption. In such cases, a drainage layer of crushed stone is equipped, after which paving slabs are laid for screening. In these cases, the inclusion of geotextiles in the laying technology is also welcome.

Laying paving slabs on a monolithic base

This technology is considered one of the most expensive, but often it is impossible to do without it. We are talking about those cases when the operation of tiled paths will be carried out under conditions of increased loads that the rammed bulk base is not able to perceive.

The essence of this technology is to create a monolithic platform that is not susceptible to problematic soils that are prone to deformation, cracking and subsidence. In addition, the platform will contribute to the even distribution of loads on the sidewalk. The technology for creating a monolithic base includes two options:

• Laying paving slabs on asphalt;
• Laying paving slabs on concrete.

The first option is used in cases where the old asphalt pavement has worn out, but its dismantling is not planned. In this regard, the most worn-out sections of asphalt are removed and poured with concrete mortar. Existing pits are also filled with concrete. After that, they proceed to the direct laying of paving slabs on a 2-centimeter layer of mortar.

The second option involves the installation of a concrete cushion on a pre-prepared reinforcing mesh frame with a cell size of 10x10 cm. Laying tiles on a concrete monolithic base is most often practiced on unstable soils, as well as in places with constant heavy loads, for example, in parking lots.

After you have prepared the base in accordance with one of the technologies discussed above, you need to proceed with the direct laying of the tiles. There are many laying technologies, but we will consider the most common option - laying along the guides.

Pegs are installed along the perimeter of the area where the tiles will be laid. Subsequently, elevation marks will be placed on them, which are connected with nylon twine. Thanks to this technique, we get the top of the future tiled canvas. Tiles are laid in strips 3 m wide, the length of which is determined by the distance from one stretched twine to another.

Laying tiles is recommended to start from the corner closest to the front door of the house, or from the main element of the landscape. In the process of laying tiles, it must be pressed as tightly as possible to the base, while each paving element is compacted with a rubber mallet and a wooden block. To do this, the tile is laid on the base, after which, tapping with a rubber hammer through the bar, it is pressed to the maximum. Having completed the laying of the tiles, they make their final processing with the help of a vibrating plate, which will allow the finishing material to finally fall into place. Thanks to this technique, the surface of the tile will become as smooth and even as possible, and water will not accumulate on its surface.

When laying tiles, take care to purchase special corner tiles with rounded edges, with which corners and individual ornaments are laid out.

Upon completion of the installation, the tiles are covered with sand. For these purposes, you can use special colored sand to match the color of the tile or contrasting shades, which will give the coating the most decorative effect.

There are three types of bases for the subsequent laying of paving:

1. sandy, for fixing the coating on a compacted pillow without additional materials;
2. sand-cement, obtained by preparing a mixture of dry sand and cement for the purpose of its further laying as a top layer;
3. concrete, for laying tiles on adhesive mortars on a prepared hard surface.

Base options: sand, sand-cement and concrete.

It does not rot, does not decompose over time, has good strength and provides reliable protection against water. If you could not buy geotextiles, then the waterproofing layer can be laid from a polyethylene film folded in half.

The waterproofing layer should have a slight slope for more efficient moisture removal. This should be foreseen at the stage of installing a drainage cushion.

Three types of bases

As mentioned above, three types of bases for tiles are used for arranging paths and platforms. The choice depends on the thickness and type of tile. The sand base is used with a large thickness of the tile, which is also called paving stones.

The sand-cement base is prepared for paving slabs of medium thickness. In turn, the concrete base is well suited for thin paving slabs, which are glued to it using adhesive solutions.

sand cushion

After the backfilling of the drainage layer and the waterproofing device are completed, you can start backfilling the final sandy layer. The best material to use here is sifted river sand.

To ensure good stability of paving stones, the thickness of the bearing layer must be at least 7 cm. It should be borne in mind that when laying the tile will partially sink into the sand, and pour a layer that will ensure that the upper level of the path or platform is 2-3 cm above ground level.

Backfilling of sand should be done in three layers of 2-3 cm. Each prepared layer, after backfilling, is poured with water and rammed.

For high-quality tamping, it is better to use a construction vibrator, but if it is not available, this work should be done manually, more actively spilling sand with water.

The top layer of sand must be carefully leveled using a plaster rule. It will be possible to start laying paving stones only after obtaining a perfectly flat surface.

The scheme of the sand-cement base for laying.

The device of such a base for paving slabs is carried out in the same way as a sand cushion, but a dry sand-cement mixture must be used as the top layer. To prepare the mixture, take one part of cement and three parts of sand by volume. This layer is also rammed like the previous layers.

Laying this layer should be done in dry weather, immediately before laying the tiles. Most often, the lower layers are filled and rammed, and the third, sand-cement, is covered in small areas immediately before paving slabs are laid.

Concrete, as a base, is used for laying thin paving slabs on an adhesive cement mortar. This preparatory work is carried out after you have been able to prepare a waterproofing layer, and consists of four stages:

• formwork installation;
• reinforcement;
• installation of beacons;
• pouring concrete.

Pouring concrete on a reinforced mesh, leveling.

The formwork device is necessary in order to prevent the spreading of concrete during pouring, if its upper level exceeds the ground level.

The installation of the formwork allows you to leave gaps for the subsequent installation of the curbstone and provides a smooth edge of the concrete layer.

Any flat material with at least one smooth side is used as a formwork material. These can be boards, chipboard, sheet plastic, etc. Sheets are fixed with the help of stakes hammered into the ground or by installing struts.

If you have wire, pieces of old pipes, rebar, steel strip, etc., then they can also be used for reinforcement.

The best material for reinforcing concrete is a ready-made welded wire mesh with a diameter of 6 mm and a mesh size of 100x100 mm.

All metal parts will need to be tied together with knitting wire. The mesh is laid on the bottom of the trench. It will be even better if you raise it a little by placing stones or pieces of brick from below.

lighthouses

After installing the reinforcing materials, you need to set the beacons. These are longitudinal metal slats, the upper level of which will indicate to you at what height the base will be located under the laid paving slabs. As beacons, it is very convenient to use a galvanized steel profile for installing drywall.

Lighthouses are fixed in hills from cement masonry mortar at the required height, parallel to each other. Gypsum mortars cannot be used to fix beacons.

Pouring concrete

In front of the tracks and platforms, it is necessary to install inserts made of sheet material 3-4 mm thick. After the concrete has set, they are removed and technological seams remain in the monolith to compensate for possible thermal expansions.

Accurate pouring of concrete on a reinforced mesh.

Concrete for pouring the base for laying paving slabs can be ordered ready-made, with delivery to the place of work. It is advisable to do this if the amount of poured concrete exceeds 3 cubic meters. With a smaller amount, you can prepare concrete yourself. This will require the presence of cement, sand, gravel and a mixer-concrete mixer.

The ratio of the components directly depends on the brand of cement. If you purchased M400 cement, then for each volume part you need to add 4.2 parts of crushed stone and 2.5 parts of sand, and for M500 cement, 4.9 parts of crushed stone and 3.2 parts of sand are required. As a result, you get M200 concrete, the strength of which will fully ensure the durability of your path or site.

First, all components are loaded into the mixer in a dry form, mixed, and only then water is gradually added until the required density of the mixture is obtained. Pouring is done in such a way that there are no voids left in the concrete mass. Surface leveling is carried out with a plaster rule or a solid wooden lath, by pulling it along the installed beacons.

Finally

Regardless of what type of base for paving slabs you make, you must strictly follow the technological process when performing the work described above. The quality of laying paving slabs and the durability of the coating depend on the quality of the foundation of the track and the platform.

High-quality preparation of the surface for laying paving slabs with your own hands is quite possible, but this work requires the application of great physical strength and the precise implementation of instructions.