Ways of laying paving slabs on different bases. Paving slab laying technology and step-by-step guide An easy way to lay paving slabs with your own hands

Paving slabs are an ideal option for covering paths and areas in front of country house. She's different increased wear resistance, practicality of operation, highly aesthetic appearance. Its installation is not a very complicated process, while laying paving slabs do-it-yourself requires compliance certain rules, which are described in our step-by-step instructions.

In our article, we will tell you how to properly lay out paving slabs with your own hands, what tools and materials you will need for this, and also give useful advice in video tutorials.

Main advantage self-assembly is the maximum reduction in the cost of the process. For any work you need to pay, and services of specialists today cost a lot. In addition, with self-laying, you can do everything without haste, following all the recommendations.

At the same time, it is quite difficult to find workers capable of laying the slab with high quality and correctly. The desire of any team is to complete the order quickly in order to receive payment, quality often suffers from this. With self-laying, the owner will be able to take into account all the features of his site, because only he knows the weaknesses well.

It is unlikely that a team of hired workers will take these nuances into account so carefully, unless they demand sky-high pay for their work.

The disadvantage of self-assembly is the need for a thorough study of the rules, additional expenses for the purchase of a special tool for the job.

Main types and selection rules

The composition of the paving slab is cement mixture with the addition of various dyes, mineral components, plasticizers. Use of raw materials High Quality guarantees compliance with GOST, therefore, the durability of the coating.

Proper dosage, adherence to technology - quality assurance, therefore, it is worth purchasing material from trusted manufacturers, not chasing the cheapness of handicraft production.

It is advisable to give preference to the option that has additives of granite chips, polymers, high-quality clay. It is better to refuse the option consisting exclusively of a concrete-sand mixture, since it will not last long.

Modern manufacturers offer the consumer There are two main types of paving slabs:

It has most often a rectangular, square or diamond shape, uniform colors.
It is made by hand, so it differs more colors, the maximum variety of forms.

When choosing, the quality of the base is taken into account, functional purpose of coverage areas. Experts advise choosing material small size because it is more resistant to cracking. It is important to consider the thickness of the blocks. The minimum is three centimeters, for parking and car passages - at least 5-6 centimeters.

The color and shape are selected in harmony with the decoration of the building of the house. considering your own preferences. The installation of a diamond-shaped and rectangular slab is more complicated, it requires the use of some work skills. It is easier to lay the curly one, because the flaws are less noticeable.

IMPORTANT. When choosing a stove, one should take into account its environmental friendliness, since heating the surface in summer will cause emission harmful substances which will adversely affect the health of the family.

Each plate is carefully examined, its quality is evaluated. It is worth refusing to purchase material that has the following disadvantages:

Inhomogeneous structure of the outer side.
Too bright color.
Uneven coloration.
Spots dark color on the other side.
Clots of material in the structure.
Smooth, high gloss surface.

ADVICE. By knocking two copies against each other, you can determine their quality: a dull sound indicates the fragility of the material. A high-quality plate should be sonorous.

We will tell on the pages of our site everything about! You will learn many useful tips and recommendations.

Preparatory work

Before starting work, you need to purchase tiles, expendable materials, instruments.

How to calculate the amount of material needed

The calculation method depends on the drawing that is supposed to be posted. Complex compositions require a special approach and specific recommendations. The quantity is calculated based on the selected pattern, after drawing up a preliminary sketch plan of the entire site.

If selected simple shapes, it is worth remembering the school course of geometry and calculate the area of a particular geometric figure, which is a site or its individual parts.

The area of all parts that need to be covered will be taken as a basis. Number of tiles per one square meter manufacturer indicated on the packaging, therefore, by simple mathematical operations, it is calculated required amount purchased kits.

Experts advise to purchase material with a margin one square meter for each part of the surface to be covered. This is necessary so that there are fewer joints in non-right angles.

REFERENCE. There are special online calculators that automatically calculate the number of tiles after entering parameters (lot area, block size). Using it, they make accurate calculations.

Additional border available, which is set to prevent blocks from moving around the edge. Its quantity is calculated according to the length of the perimeter of the covered area.

When purchasing material and planning the size of the coating, you need to try to make calculations in such a way that there is no need to lay cut copies around the edges. The fewer cut pieces will be in the coating, the more aesthetically pleasing it will look.

What you need

Do-it-yourself installation of paving slabs requires using special tools:

Rammer
Roulette.
Rubber mallet.
Line or cord for marking.
Rule.
Level.
Bulgarian with discs for concrete.
Master OK.
Rake.
Broom.

In addition to tools, consumables are purchased:

Sand (on a standard plot 2-3 tons).
Cement.

Foundation preparation

Careful preparation of the base is the key to high-quality laying. After making a plan, marking is carried out using pegs with a thread stretched over them. Preliminary assessment of soil quality various parts, the sides of the slope are clarified. If it is located towards the house and yard buildings, a drainage system is preliminarily thought out.

Sites are carefully leveled., the soil is removed with a height of 15-20 centimeters. Then the surface is compacted. At the same time, drainage and sewer pipes are being installed.

After leveling and tamping crushed stone pillow is poured. For garden paths from paving slabs with their own hands, the thickness of the layer is 10-15 centimeters; for parking lots and the roadway, the thickness of the crushed stone is doubled.

The pillow is rammed by a special machine, is covered with geotextile, which will prevent the penetration of sand between the rubble. In areas with weak, loose soil, geotextiles are additionally placed under crushed stone.

The prepared pillow is poured with a cement-sand mixture (1X5), sand is poured on top of such a height that, before tamping, the plates are 1 cm above the surface.

ADVICE. To prepare the base, it is advisable to use guides from boards along the height of the pillow. Particularly careful preparation requires a foundation in the event that the site has soft soil. It is rammed after moisturizing.

The whole further process will depend on the quality of the preparation of the base.

Important to avoid mistakes! If you want to know how to lay paving slabs with your own hands, watch the video of a person who decided to lay it wrong:

Safety

The organization of work requires compliance with safety measures:

The workplace is freed from foreign objects.
If the slab is placed on concrete base, notches are made in goggles.
All work is carried out in rubber gloves so that the skin is not injured or corroded. cement mortar.
The sorting of the material and the processing of the edge of the tile is carried out in tight mittens.
Knee pads are used to protect the legs.

On our site you will also find out! How to work with such surface paving elements?

About the features of laying porcelain stoneware and how to properly prepare the base for this material - read.

You will learn how to make steps from paving slabs with your own hands by reading our next material:

How to lay correctly: technology and work procedure

After preparing the base for laying tiles with your own hands, the following steps are necessary:

Pull the cord along the edges of the tracks and platforms with the help of stakes.
Install curbs along the borders, digging them into the soil to the desired height. For greater stability, the curb is fixed with cement mortar.
Arrange drainage for the outflow of water. The pipe is wrapped with geotextile, placed in a prepared trench next to the curb.
Further, starting from the curb, begin to lay the slabs. Rows can be arranged diagonally or in a straight line. The rows are laid away from themselves so that the prepared base does not collapse when the workers move along it. The laid paths must be strictly parallel to the stretched cords.
For the uniformity of the gaps between the tiles, special crosses are used.
The slab is laid on a sand cushion, tapped on top with a hammer for a snug fit to the surface. If a distortion of some specimens is noticeable, the blocks are lifted, a cement-sand mixture is poured under them for leveling. The building level is used to control the horizontal.
If corners or obstacles are encountered along the laying path, they should be bypassed with whole specimens. Then the remaining places are filled with suitable fragments. The tile of the required shape for these purposes is cut using a grinder with a disc for concrete. These areas are filled as a last resort.
After laying all the rows on a continuous area, the seams between the tiles are covered with a mixture of sand and cement. Excess that did not wake up in the cracks must be brushed off with a broom.
After all the gaps are filled with a sand-cement mixture, the surface is poured with water from a hose so that the blocks are fixed together. It is imperative to put a diffuser on the hose so that the jet of water does not knock out the filling mixture.

Process proper styling You can watch paving slabs with your own hands in this installation video tutorial:

Another useful video tutorial on how to properly lay paving slabs with your own hands - what you need for this and how to lay it correctly:

IMPORTANT. When laying each section at the end of the day, it is covered with a sand-cement mixture and thoroughly swept. If this is not done, moisture that accidentally enters can spoil the appearance of the coating even before the end of all work.

Coating care

For durability of a covering and preservation of its beautiful appearance you must follow the rules for caring for him:

In fact, this is a simple process that you can completely handle on your own, but you should not rush. The work requires thoroughness, painstaking work, it is better to do the work slowly, carefully following the recommendations of specialists.

Want to learn how to lay out paving slabs with your own hands and be satisfied with the result? The simplicity of technology wide selection and low cost source material will allow you to perform this work quickly and efficiently - it requires minimal repair skills and simple tools.

How to lay out paving slabs - we choose the material with our own hands

Pavement tiles look great both on the site and as finishing material for paths, courtyards and playgrounds in private homes. The obvious requirement to start such work is sufficient area outdoor surfaces for cladding, small areas and hard to lay out, and the design effect leaves much to be desired. Bad weather will complicate our installation, so it is advisable to work without wind and rain. The range of paving slabs is huge - both in terms of the size of the elements, and in their color, texture and complexity of articulation. When choosing, you should take into account the strength of the future track, it directly depends on the thickness of the elements:

Up to 40 mm inclusive allows walking and cycling;
Tiles up to 50 mm thick can withstand a passenger car;
Bars from 60 mm can easily "cope" with the weight of the truck.

To master the laying tricks, it is reasonable to choose a simple, rectangular or square tile. It is better to start such work when facing the path - on a narrow "front" it is much easier to understand how to lay paving slabs with your own hands competently and consistently. Extensive surfaces of carved multi-colored concrete are often laid by entire construction teams, and without experience, and even more so alone, it is not recommended to pave your own yard.

The number of rectangular tiles for a straight path is easy to calculate by setting a reserve of 10-15% for a possible marriage during delivery and installation. Borders will definitely be required - they will become natural boundaries when laying, strong side surfaces to prevent the “spreading” of our mosaic team. The height of the borders should be several times the thickness of the selected tile, this is necessary for the competent laying of the multilayer base. Round and curly bars are best left for the next stages of landscaping. Diagonal or circular laying is not only associated with a large consumption of material, but also with the difficulty of cutting and mounting curved elements.

The price of paving slabs depends on its resistance to abrasion, impact resistance and the cost of color pigments. In general, the material is inexpensive; it is quite possible to choose high-quality samples for the mounting “pen test”.

How to lay paving slabs - we prepare the base with our own hands

How to properly lay paving slabs without prior experience in such work largely depends on the quality basis. The preparation of many types of repairs is much longer and more difficult than the work itself - the same kitchen panels or laminate on a flat base are mounted quickly and easily. With paving slabs, the picture is similar. Everyone preparatory stage must be performed responsibly and without haste, solidity is more important than speed records.

How to prepare the basis for paving slabs - a step by step diagram

Step 1: Markup

We drive in the pegs and visually outline the route of the future track with twine or cord tied to them. You should walk along the marked area, assess its width and the presence of problem areas. It is much easier to move a few pegs with twine than to uproot a century-old stump at the place of future laying with heroic efforts. Do not consider markup as something monolithic - it is quite amenable to adjustment, and more than once.

Step 2: Drainage - is it ours or not?

Drainage works during self-laying of paving slabs are divided into two types. Internal drainage is necessary for clayey, swampy soils. It must be carried out immediately after digging a trench, laying a slope during earthworks and laying drainage drains (pipes).

External drainage is the same slope, but already the tiles themselves to one of the edges of the sidewalk. With a small paving width and a dry climate, it can be neglected, but a long-term and competent solution is to slope the sidewalk surface to the curb for further water flow. The slope is quite 2-3˚, in addition, part of the moisture will leave through the slits between the tiles.

Step 3: Foundation

We remove sod, earth or any other old coating to a depth of about 20 cm with a good bayonet shovel. As a result of earthworks, an even and wide ditch should be obtained, we select the soil from its bottom with a shovel. At the same time we are engaged in the fight against the remains of vegetation. Roots or any sprouts should be removed so that later they do not justify the poetic lines "And trees grow on stones." Because your man-made path will become stones with a tree unexpectedly sprouting through them! Repairing a rooted pavement is time-consuming and complicated - you should try to avoid it even at the preparatory stage.

One curb is installed at the bottom of the trench (yes, yes, so far one), and a layer of gravel or crushed stone of fractions from 10 to 20 is laid - that is, quite small. Now you should choose the line for installing the second border so that the entire space is filled with whole tiles (here's another benefit of rectangular bars!). 2-3 millimeters in width are laid on the mounting gaps, no more. We install the second curb, strictly parallel, and firmly concrete both borders of the track. The solution is kneaded on the basis of cement grades of at least 300, the ratio of cement to sand is 1: 2.

We level the gravel layer, its thickness is about 10 cm. Now sand is poured onto the gravel cushion - coarse and wet, do not confuse it with assembly sand! In height from the curb edge to the sand base, approximately one and a half thickness of the tile should remain. The poured sand is plentifully watered and after a few hours rammed using a manual rammer. The solid foundation is ready. The next day, you can start laying the exclusive sidewalk itself, if the strength of the mounted curbs allows. If not, postpone the procedure for another day.

How to lay paving slabs correctly - laying instructions

A common mistake is an attempt to lay paving slabs with your own hands, being on a sand base. All installation is carried out without leaving the already laid tiles, and always in dry weather. Its sequence:

How to lay paving slabs - step by step diagram

Step 1: Prepare the mounting mix

As such, ordinary fine sand, always dry, is also suitable. It can also be laid on a cement-sand mixture, in a ratio of three to four volume fractions of sand per cement. But such laying will make our track non-separable in the future. The thickness of the dry mixture is about 3-4 centimeters.

Step 2: We expose the beacons and pour the mounting mixture

With a large track width, the sand is leveled along the lighthouses. They are installed according to the level, and one beacon should be higher than the other by an average of 1 cm per meter of track width, this is necessary for water to drain. As lighthouses, it is best to use steel or aluminum tubes (necessarily even!) - they are easy to remove from the sandy surface after it has been leveled. The installation of beacon tubes is carried out on two sand cushions, poured onto a prepared base.

For a narrow sidewalk, alignment is acceptable mounting mix directly between the curbs, again, it is necessary to make a slope for water flow. A bucket or other container with sand should be at hand, as well as a trowel, a mallet and the tiles themselves.

Step 3: Our first row is the most important

The accuracy, strength and aesthetic appearance of the entire tiled structure depend on the first rows. Measure and stretch the line to facilitate precision work. We take the first bar and install it 3-5 millimeters from the curb. The level checks the longitudinal quality of the installation - the transverse one will have a drainage slope, it is necessary to monitor its constancy. Therefore, the fishing line is pulled precisely in the transverse direction - it does not coincide with the horizon, but follows the set slope.

Install the bars tightly and evenly one to the other, leaving no more than a 2 mm gap, it is filled later with the same sand. Each tile is rammed with a mallet or rubber mallet in height, when there is no doubt about the accuracy of mounting on a plane. And it will be clear when the entire row is laid out from one border to another. The corner has failed - remove the bar and add sand. The element sticks out - remove excess sand from under it. Do not be afraid to redo the first rows several times, they set the quality of the entire tiled surface.

Step 4: Cuts and Seams

All non-integer elements are mounted last. It is easier to attach them at the place of laying and outline the cut line visually than to measure remotely and theoretically. Cut paving slabs with a grinder with a diamond blade. You can cut it with an ordinary hacksaw for metal, but the speed of such work will leave much to be desired. So it's wise to stock up on power tools, a few discs, and goggles to protect your eyes.

Small gaps at the end of work are filled with cement mortar with great content liquid glass for weather resistance. Mounting tile joints are covered with sand or sand-cement mixture. After that, from a hose with a narrow spray, you need to carefully go through all the seams, "pushing" the sand as deep as possible. A similar procedure is performed several times, each time adding a new portion of the loose mixture. The long-term integrity of our efforts depends on the tight filling of the assembly joints.

You can walk along the new path in a couple of days, the structure should grab and settle. Paving slabs must be regularly swept and washed with a hose. How brighter paint- the more often cleaning, the deeper the patterns - the more difficult it is to extract pollution from them. AT winter time ice and snow are removed without the use of metal tools that can damage the paint layer. Pavement tiles cannot be sprinkled with abrasive mixtures and other chemicals - for anti-slip qualities it is better to use clean sand. With proper care, a man-made track will last for several decades.

Paving slabs are one of the most reliable and beautiful road building materials. It is often used for paving sidewalks and car entrances in the courtyard of a private house. The cost of laying tiles is not low, and not everyone knows how to lay paving stones. In order for the road product to be of high quality, it is necessary to follow the technology of work performance. Do-it-yourself paving stone laying is carried out according to the instructions and based on the recommendations.

It is important to know how to properly lay paving slabs so that they served for many years and had a beautiful appearance. The paving stone pavement will ennoble not only the yard of a private house, but also the adjacent territory on the street.

Types and benefits

Types of paving slabs according to the material of manufacture:

Vibrocasting.
Clinker.
Granite.

In addition to differences in material, there is a huge variety in color, shape and decor. Also, it differs in the way of laying and the technology of work.

Benefits of laying pavers:

High strength material.
Long service life.
Environmental friendliness of the material.
Great bearing capacity.
Low temperature resistance.
Beautiful appearance.
Ease of installation.
Possibility reuse material.

Disadvantages:

Material cost high enough.
Complexity of processing.
It is uncomfortable to walk on cobblestones in heels.
Possibility base washout and then the masonry sags or individual elements fall out.

Material consumption calculation

Before you start laying paving stones, you must buy all necessary material and buy a tool. It is important to accurately calculate the area of work in order to buy all the tiles in one batch. If sand or cement can always be bought in addition, then the tile will be difficult to find. If it is the same model and the same manufacturer, but a different batch, then it may not match the previous one in shade or size.

On a path paved with tiles from different batches, a shift can form and is quite noticeable. For this reason, paving slabs must be purchased immediately in full and even 10% more for stock.

Required material and tools:

Paving slabs.
Border.
Geotextile.
Sand.
Rubble.
Cement.
Shovel.
Rake.
Broom.
Wheelbarrow.

Vibrating plate (manual rammer).
Grinder with a diamond blade for cutting concrete.
Rubber mallet.
A hammer.
Metric tape measure.
Level.
Rule.
Bucket.
Trowel.
Irrigation hose.
Pegs and beacon cord.
Individual protection means.

Paving technology

There are several ways of paving paving slabs, they depend on the purpose of the road and the type of pavement. tile can be put on sand, cement-sand mixture (carving) and even concrete, at high loads on it.

Despite the fact that there are generally established masonry technologies, each master has his own characteristics in his work. Someone says: “I lay paving stones inexpensively,” and someone takes a high fee, but gives a long-term guarantee on the quality of the product. Therefore, in order not to think about how much it costs to lay paving slabs, you need to know for yourself how to lay paving stones correctly.

As a result, you can save on the work of the master and make quality paving but it takes a lot of hard work. To properly do all the work with your own hands, step-by-step instructions will be simply necessary, especially for a person who has never encountered this type of work before.

Work performance technology

Before laying paving slabs, must pass some training. Need foresee all the nuances in order to achieve the desired result. How to properly lay paving slabs is often indicated by the paving stone manufacturers themselves, but each master has already developed his own technology in practice.

Preparation for paving stones. First of all, you need to define - when to start work. It is recommended to start work in the spring. The purpose of the road is determined. If this is a walking path, then it will be enough to use tiles with a thickness of 40 mm. For a road that will be periodically operated by a car, thicker paving stones will be needed. Besides, if pavement will be subjected to heavy load, then the paving stones lie on concrete screed . The footpath can be laid on sand or a cement-sand dry mix. But before laying the paving stones on the sand, it is necessary to arrange a reliable foundation.

Territory marking. Before laying the paving stones with your own hands, it is necessary to mark the territory and excavation. The scope of work is determined by the paving parameters. At this stage it is important correctly determine the width of the road so that you do not have to cut a single tile. Also, you need to take into account the thickness of all seams.
For marking in the corners of the future road, pegs are driven in and lighthouse cords are pulled. They show the level of the road surface, so the horizontal must be checked with a water level. The road is arranged in such a way that rainwater is drained.

Excavation. Under the paving place, the earth is taken out up to a depth of 50 cm. The plant layer can be used for the device landscape design. The bottom of the earthen structure is leveled and carefully rammed with a vibrating plate or manual rammer.
Geotextile flooring. Geotextiles are spread at the bottom of the earthen structure and its walls. It increases the strength of the product and ensures its integrity. Masters of the old school often perform work without a fabric membrane, without taking modern materials into their arsenal. But this innovation is significant. improves quality road surface.

Gravel backfill. Crushed stone in fractions of 20 x 40 mm is poured into a trench and carefully compacted with a rammer or vibrating plate. The backfill must be at least 100 mm thick. This thickness is permissible only for the pedestrian zone; for entrances, a crushed stone backfill thickness of more than 150 mm will be required.
Border device. Borders are installed according to pre-made markings. A cement-sand mortar is mixed and applied to the base along the curb device. The blocks are installed in the design position on the solution and adjusted according to the level. The solution is prepared in a ratio of 1:3. After installing the curbs, it is necessary leave work for the day for the solution to gain strength.

Sand filling device. On the compacted crushed stone, a sand cushion with a thickness of 150 mm is made. Backfilling with sand is carried out in several stages in layers of 5 - 7 cm. Each layer is watered with water from a hose and rammed with a vibrating plate. Sand is better to take river without clay impurities. In this case, the water will drain into the soil and not linger in the backfill.
Backfilling with carving. Before you lay out paving slabs, you need to take care of the strength of its installation. To do this, a cement-sand dry mixture is poured onto the sand. It is evenly distributed with a rake over the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe masonry. Gartsovka is prepared from sand with a cement content of approximately 1:8. When water gets on the carving, the cement hardens and firmly fixes the paving stones in its place.
Paving stone laying. Having decided on the pattern of the sidewalk, you can start paving the paving stones. You need to learn how to lay paving stones with your own hands in relevant conditions and features of the work.
The paving stone is placed in the corner, and its further laying is carried out from itself, observing the given pattern. The tile is installed on the carving and compacted with a rubber mallet. The level is set by the beacon cord. If the surface of the pavers is above the specified level, then you need to remove the laid material and slightly remove the bedding layer. If the surface level is below the lighthouse, then it will be possible to make additional bedding. Each tile is tightly fitted one to the other.

If necessary, paving stones can be cut with a grinder with a diamond wheel for cutting stone. The laid paving stones are checked by level and rule. It must be designed in such a way that it flows rainwater and no puddles formed.

Seam filling. After the paving stones are laid, it is necessary to fill the masonry joints. To do this, a dry cement-sand mixture is poured onto the road surface and evenly distributed over the entire surface. The mixture fills the seams, and the excess is removed with a broom or broom. After that, the masonry is watered with water from a hose. Gartsovka, coming into contact with water - hardens and firmly fixes the masonry.
If a road is paving, which will be periodically operated by a car, then it is necessary to arrange a reinforced concrete base. In this case, paving stones with a thickness of 60 mm or more are used, it is placed on a cement-sand mortar.

Paving slabs are ideal for finishing garden paths, areas near the house, garage or recreation area. The cost of laying paving slabs is quite high, by doing this process yourself, you will be able to save a lot. Let's talk about how to lay paving slabs with your own hands.

Manufacturing technology of material and photo of laid paving slabs

For the manufacture of paving slabs, concrete is most often used. The composition of the mixture for the production of tiles contains cement, water, plasticizers and other fillers. There are certain requirements for the manufacture of tiles, due to GOST.

In order for the tile to eventually turn out to be of high quality and serve its owners for many years, it is necessary to strictly observe the technological process of its manufacture and the dosage of materials. In some expensive tile options, there is also clay, granite chips or polymer sand.

The shape of the tile depends on the preferences of the customer, it can be rectangular, triangular, square, rhomboid, hexagonal, etc. The color of the tile is determined by the coloring pigment that is part of it. Most often, tiles are produced in sand, olive, brown or beige.

How to lay paving slabs: advantages and disadvantages of the material

Paving slabs are quite popular material for sidewalk finishing. The scope of its use is quite diverse. With its help, they decorate not only alleys, parks and squares, but also private houses and cottages. This material differs not only in attractive appearance, but also in good operational characteristics.

Among the advantages of using paving slabs, we note:

resistance to frost - the excellent quality of this material, ensuring its long-term operation;
environmental safety - tiles are used in the production of tiles that are harmless to human body substances that do not emit toxic substances during heating;
durability is another important advantage that ensures the popularity of this material in the finishing process, the technology for manufacturing tiles involves the use of special pressing, which makes the tile high-strength and resistant to mechanical damage;
the tile does not need additional care, it is easy to clean and clean with water;
resistance to moisture and other irritants external environment provide the possibility of laying tiles on the street;
aesthetic appeal is another important advantage of this material, tiles are distinguished different sizes, colors, textures, while it is used for both domestic and industrial purposes;
affordable cost is ensured by the cheapness of the materials that make up the tile.

However, this material has the following disadvantages:

the presence of seams between the tiles leads to the fact that dirt accumulates in them, worsening the appearance of the coating;
ice that accumulates on tiles in winter makes them slippery;
if you do not follow the technology of laying the material, the tiles subside in certain places, you have to dismantle it and lay it again;
if a tile with high porosity is selected, then moisture accumulates in it, which later severe frosts destroys the material.

The main types of paving slabs

Before laying paving slabs on your own step by step, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the varieties of this material, since the laying technology for each type of tile is individual.

First of all, paving slabs are solid and pressed. The scope of each of these tile options is diverse. Cast tiles are used in the process of arranging the territory in front of private houses, and pressed tiles are used in the process of finishing city parks, squares, paths, etc.

In the technological process of manufacturing tiles, the processing of a dry composition by a vibropress or vibrocasting is used. Let's take a closer look at these processes:

Vibrocasting involves laying the concrete composition in a special form, installing them on a coating that is constantly amenable to vibration. After tamping the composition into a mold, it is removed from the surface and installed in the oven for twelve hours, held there at a temperature of 385 degrees. To improve the quality of the tiles, various plasticizers are added to the concrete composition.
The second method of material processing involves its vibrocompression. The concrete composition is placed in molds that are installed on a constantly vibrating table. Initially, the matrix is affected by the press, then it is compacted under the influence of vibration. After giving the composition the necessary shape, the matrix rises, and the tile remains on the table.

For further use of the tile, it is necessary to wait for its complete solidification. The casting method for making tiles is cheaper and easier, it does not need additional equipment and technological processes. Therefore, cast products are distinguished by a variety of colors, shapes and colors.

Please note that tiles are too rich color implies the use in the production process a large number dyes. This factor negatively affects the performance of the material.

Vibropressed tile is more expensive, as its production requires specialized equipment. This option tiles are more frost-resistant, moisture-resistant, there are practically no pores on it, however, such tiles do not differ in a variety of colors and shapes.

How to properly lay paving slabs - general information

The method of laying paving slabs depends on its purpose:

functional - laying material on office roads, walking paths, in front of private houses in places with increased operational load;
decorative - making beautiful patterns from tiles, original designs, etc.

In relation to the base on which the tile is laid, it should be noted:

sandy base - needs careful tamping, is used on footpaths, is not suitable for vehicles to move along it;
the use of a dry - cement-sand mixture, as it hardens, it contributes to the formation solid foundation, is suitable for finishing parking lots;
application of cement-based adhesive mortar - this way installation of paving slabs is the most expensive, but also the most reliable, the base is initially poured with concrete, then the tile is laid on a special glue.

How to lay paving slabs on sand

Most often, the shape of paving slabs is rectangular. There are many schemes according to which tiles are laid - the most popular of them are: herringbone, brick or laying in the form of columns. Paving slabs have gained popularity because of the ease of installation. Properly laid tiles will serve its owners for decades.

The type of base on which the tile is laid is determined by its thickness and purpose. In any case, it is initially necessary to remove the soil at the base by 15 cm, level it and equip a slope for water flow.

This is followed by the process of tamping the site with sand. For this, the sand, as it falls asleep, is moistened and well compacted. Special attention pay attention to the thickness of the material, if the tile is intended only for the movement of pedestrians, then a thickness of 2 cm is sufficient, otherwise, given value increases to 4-6 cm.

Before laying paving slabs on sand, prepare materials in the form of:

sand, the amount of which depends on total area styling;
paving slabs;
border elements;
cement;
a conventional and rubber hammer;
steel peg
shovels;
level;
Bulgarians.

After the formation of the slope of the area of \u200b\u200bthe area on which the tiles are laid, the area should be divided into strips. However, the bar must be equal to the width of the rule. In order to divide the site, use pegs and thread. Next, the site is leveled using sand.

After that, the process of direct tiling follows. In order to prepare a sand-cement mixture, sand and cement should be combined in a ratio of six to one. Please note that the sand must be moistened. It is recommended to carry out work in the autumn-spring period. The prepared composition is evenly distributed over one lane, carefully compacted. Further, under the thread that delimits the area into zones, a steel pipe. After careful leveling of the site with a sand-cement composition, tiles are laid. Install the first tile starting from the corner, carefully aligning it in relation to the markup. Tap it with a rubber mallet. Lay the second tile in the same way. Start work from yourself, thus, laying the tile, you will move along it.

If there are any obstacles on the site, it is dispensed with whole tiles, and then adjusted at the end of the work. After completion of work, the tiles are swept from sand. To fill the gaps between the tiles, the same solution of sand and cement is used in a ratio of six to one. All gaps must be carefully filled.

Laying square paving slabs is the easiest. Use a grinder and a diamond-coated disc to cut the tiles and fit them. Install borders along the edges of the tile laying. For their fixation, a thick concrete solution is used. In areas that are subject to particular stress, such as near gates, it is preferable to lay the tiles on a concrete base.

How to lay paving slabs on a concrete base

Sometimes there are situations when you have to lay paving slabs on a pre-poured concrete base. This method of laying provides greater strength of the material. Vehicles and heavy machinery can drive on tiles laid on a concrete base.

Initially, the area for laying is marked. Next, you should initially install the curbs, having previously calculated their location. If the height of the curb is about 50 cm, then it is placed in a trench of 25 cm, while 10 cm of the trench should be covered with gravel, 15 mm of the trench is poured with concrete mortar, then the curb is mounted in such a way as to facilitate the removal of moisture from the tiles.

If the base will be subjected to a high operational load, then before pouring the concrete layer, it is recommended to reinforce it. Lay paving concrete tiles follows in compliance with all technological nuances. To reinforce the surface, a mesh is used, the thickness of the cells of which is 15 cm.

For additional removal of moisture from the tiles, it is recommended to equip special drainage holes. For these purposes, an asbestos pipe cut into sections with a height of about 150 mm is suitable. One piece of asbestos pipe is installed per square meter.

This is followed by the process of preparing a concrete solution, which covers the area by 15 cm, in the event that there is no reinforcement on it and by 20 cm, in the presence of reinforcement. When pouring a large area, after three meters it is necessary to leave gaps for the expansion joint. To do this, boards are installed, then after the concrete has set, they are removed.

24 hours after pouring, the wooden formwork is removed and the drainage holes are filled with gravel. In order for the tile to hold well on the surface, it is laid on a mixture of sand and cement.

To mix them together, use a concrete mixer. The thickness of the sand layer is about 10 cm. A vibrating plate or toptukha is used to tamp the composition. Keep a slope on the surface to ensure that water runs off. A rubber hammer is also used to fix the tiles. Start work from the curb, gradually moving to the top of the site. Using a level, the surface is checked for evenness, if necessary, the tiles are adjusted using a rubber mallet. To fill the joints between the tiles, the same solution of sand and cement is used. Through these seams, moisture will enter the drainage holes and will not accumulate in the tile.

How to lay paving slabs video:

Contrary to popular belief, laying paving slabs on your own is a feasible task. This is one of the options for improving the site in the country or next to a country house, the implementation of which is possible without outside help. In the article we will talk about the technology of laying paving slabs with our own hands, we will analyze detailed step-by-step instructions, and also show diagrams, photos and video materials.

The estimated dimensions of the site should be carefully calculated before starting work on marking it. The length and width of the paving area is best made multiple, based on the size of the prepared paving slabs, in order to avoid its cuts. The most durable are the ways of laying paths from solid tiles, so cutting it should be avoided. Having finished with the calculations, you need to measure the area for laying with the help of pegs and a cord stretched between them, as well as a tape measure. Do not forget that you will need to make a small groove around the perimeter for the curb.

After marking the paths, it is advisable to walk along the proposed route, because then you will need to walk along it many times. If everything suits you, then you can proceed to the next stage of work.

The first stage is the selection and preparation of a site for paving slabs. Of course, you need to see if there is necessary tools. You will need:

pins or stakes (made of metal or wood, it doesn’t matter);
rubber mallet;
building level (for fitting tiles);
a hose with a divider or a large watering can (if there is no water supply);
broom;
rake;
an even long object (channel, pipe or corner).

Making sure you have necessary equipment, you can get to work.

For high-quality work, you need to know how to properly lay paving slabs. The guide below will help you accomplish this task.

With pegs we mark the boundaries of the area where laying is planned. If you plan to fence with sidewalk curbs, then you should leave a small margin.

For a 25x25 cm tile, it is logical to make the length and width of the area a multiple of a quarter meter. If the tile is 30×30 cm, then multiples of 30 centimetres, and so on. This eliminates the need to cut the tiles and makes the structure more durable.

Leveling the site

During the laying process, the main task for high-quality paving slab coverage will be a prepared even base. It should be aligned over the entire area, so that later you do not have to redo anything.

It is necessary to cut the turf from the marked area. This will ensure the removal of the root system, which to some extent will prevent the germination of plants in the joints of the tiles. Such work is also useful in that the base is being prepared for backfilling, thanks to which the surface can be leveled. Now we are trying to achieve a level ground on the site. We do this by cutting hills and pouring soil into lowlands and pits.

During this stage, it is also necessary to take care of the presence of a drain for water, for which it is enough to make a slight slope of the base. The formed surface is carefully processed with a rake and rammed.

If the soil is soft, it should be moistened and well compacted in order to prevent future shrinkage.

Subsequent work on the preparation of the marked site

Having completed work with the relief, it is necessary to fill up 2 layers from above, the first of which consists of gravel, and the next of sand.

If the coating will serve to park a car on it, then laying paving slabs on a concrete base is best suited.

It is necessary to carefully compact each layer, the ideal size of which is in the range of 3 to 5 cm. In some situations, geotextiles are placed between the gravel and sand, which prevents the gravel from mixing with the sand, but does not prevent the outflow of moisture.

We prepare a layer of embankment

Here, the general case of laying tiles in the country can be divided into two options. The first is the laying of paving slabs on a concrete base, the second is the use of materials that allow laying without cement, for example, on sand. The optimal height of the embankment is about 7 cm. On the marking stakes, we stretch the fishing line or rope along the selected level.

At the same stage, you will need to determine the line of water flow. Stagnant water can erode the base of the tile.

Installing the border

The border is installed in front of the embankment. Prepare a small trench for installing the curb and pour a 5 cm layer of sand on the bottom. The depth of the trench is chosen so that 60% of the height of the stone is under paving.

The curb must be installed in such a way that it can withstand not only the steps of the child on it, but also the collision of a car.

As already noted, in order to avoid trimming, paving slabs should be laid according to exact calculations, based on its dimensions. If you can’t do without trimming, use a “grinder” with a cutting wheel for concrete. How are paving slabs with cut edges laid? As well as solid tiles, but in this case, more attention should be paid to laying out the pattern.

After determining the level of the base, we fill the area under the paving slabs with sand, ramming it. Then, along the stretched levels, we level the sand with a rake, adjusting it to the state of a smooth surface with a pipe (channel, corner). You should have a flat area. Now it must be moistened with jets of water (without pressure to avoid washing out).

Laying tiles

When laying paving slabs on the sand, carefully press it to the base and, if necessary, knock it out with a rubber mallet. Do not forget about the drawing that you are posting, as the pattern must go sequentially and in accordance with the intended scheme. When the tile is laid, for additional compaction, it is desirable to pass over it with a vibrating plate. As a result, the surface will be absolutely smooth, each tile will "grow" with the base, and water will not accumulate on the surface.

To lay tiles on bends and turns, it is necessary to increase the gap between them, and their maximum width should not exceed 0.8 cm. In general, for laying out turns and bends, special tiles with rounded edges are sold (“Classic” model). It is better not to use a rectangular tile for this.

It remains only to fill the finished paving area with sand and rub it with a brush with a hard bristle. At this stage, the work is basically finished and the new pavement can be used.

The sand poured into the joints and onto the surface should not contain organic materials and salts that can cause efflorescence.

In addition to beautiful pavement, you can learn great skills that you can easily apply to the foundation of your new paving laying business.

It is worth mentioning the minimum requirements for basic maintenance of new lanes. First of all, paving slabs, like any other coating, require systematic cleaning from dirt and dust. Given this fact, it is better to opt for dark-colored tiles that do not require thorough cleaning. Tracks with patterns should be washed regularly with a brush and detergent.

Particular attention should be paid to the cleanliness of the paths in the winter season. It is strictly forbidden to use metal and sharp objects in the process of caring for paving slabs, for example, to break ice, etc.

In no case should you sprinkle paving slabs with salt, as it will corrode not only the ice, but with it the top cement layer of the tile.

If you decide to use special tool, it is best to test it on an inconspicuous area of the tile, as there are many chemicals that can ruin the look of the track. It is undesirable to cover paving slabs with paints or varnish in order to avoid losing the original appearance and aesthetic appearance, especially since they can easily spoil the coating. We sincerely hope that our article will help you in your work.

If option self-laying paving slabs will not suit you, then you should responsibly approach the choice of a company!

Scheme

And now you can get acquainted with the schemes for laying paving slabs:

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