Laying a 66m2 porcelain patio

[RaceDiagnostics]

I'm planning on getting someone in to do the job as my back couldn't take it.

Any suggestions on the thickness of hardcore I should spec and mortar bed thickness for 20mm x 1200 x 600 porcelain slabs. My soil is pretty much non existent it's really just sand. The entire town is built on an ancient beach.

 

[Barking Mat]

Hire a pro, and if it goes pear shaped you can take them to court.

Sounds expensive.

Get it done properly.

Or bodge it yourself ?

 

[roofman]

Hire a pro, from a recommendation of work done elsewhere and if it goes pear shaped you can take them to court.

Sounds expensive.

Get it done properly.

Or bodge it yourself ?

Changed that for you Matt

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

Just getting rid of the existing slabs would break my back so it's not an option for me.

This is the first quote I got, the slabs are 3k5 inc below. There will be a fair bit of cutting to put in the shape her indoors wants. The quote below also includes 1.5k for plant and planting.

 

[Agrismith]

3 different people will tell you 3 different things.

Alot will only lay porcelain on a 100mm concrete slab with 100mm subbase. Others will just go for 100mm subbase
Tbh let the landscaper do their thing just make sure they warranty the work.

 

[addjunkie]

4 bags of sub base doesn't sound enough to me!

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

4 bags of sub base doesn't sound enough to me!

That's what I was thinking.

 

[DAPPH]

The guys who put my patio down were supposed to put down a base of 300 mm of compacted wetted 10 mm limestone and a 40 mm compacted lean mortar mix bed . Slabs were to be laid on 15 mm of troweled mortar .

Both people involved are now dead , the patio died with them at the 3 to 6 year point . On taking up some of the mess the only base I can discover is 100 mm of dry local all in one 12 mm mixed ballast .

 

[500e]

Ominus
Both people involved are now dead , the patio died with them at the 3 to 6 year point .

 

[Beeezer]

I thought porcelain patio’s went out of fashion years ago.
Are they coming back into fashion??

 

[Farside]

A porcelain patio sounds like a Victorian outside loo.

 

[Agrismith]

4 bags of sub base doesn't sound enough to me!

Yes just noticed. That's 25mm over 66m2

Also no mention of geotextile

 

[Pete.]

4 bags of sub base doesn't sound enough to me!

It ain't enough. We had more thinkness put down under our patio and that's onto chalk!

Plus what the OP wants is a quote, not an estimate. Estimate just leave the door open for 'things we didn't know about/discuss". A firm quote is what's required, with or without caveats. If the guy is professional he shuold be able to provide one. If not, he ain't professional IMO.

 

[addjunkie]

The additional but for planting? Trees, shrubs, plant hire. Should all be inclusive.

by my sums should be about 14 ton of type 1 for a good base.

 

[RBDIVE]

Www.Pavingexpert.com have some useful calculators and some useful info which might help you.
And my thoughts similar to above, should not be an estimate but a quote not to mention the small amount of subbase

 

[Agroshield]

Yes just noticed. That's 25mm over 66m2

Also no mention of geotextile

Could you comment on the sand/cement proportions also: 4 bags cement (100kg) to one bag (circa. 800kg)

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Geotextile (a proper one, not B&Q weed control fabric) is an absolute necessity.

It would be good to specify in any quote whether the type 1 is virgin material or recycled. Recycled is cheaper (so the saving should be reflected in the quote) and with the proper quality control is acceptable.

Get them to draw a cross-section of what they propose to build, with measurements, so there is no room for error. Try to have written on it something like "100mm min. of compacted sub-base. Maximum layer thickness 50mm. Minimum 4 No. passes of wacker plate per layer". That prevents them firing on the full depth in one go and a once over with the plate.

 

[Welderpaul]

Any suggestions on the thickness of hardcore I should spec and mortar bed thickness for 20mm x 1200 x 600 porcelain slabs.

Let them specify what they think they need.

 

[Burdekin]

I followed the guides from here: https://www.pavingexpert.com

We went ott and used about a two inch mortar for the slabs. This job did my head in but turned out great in the end. My mrs made most of the mortar, she still reminds me.

This is Caithness stone, think I ordered about 6tonnes worth and was about £1k at the time. Proper square Caithness was about £10k.

 

[Agrismith]

Could you comment on the sand/cement proportions also: 4 bags cement (100kg) to one bag (circa. 800kg)

4 bags per tonne is alright not brilliant but alright. It's what we would use on council slabs but porcelain is a lot more delicate. A lot of people lay it on a proper mix of building Sand. They also aren't allowing any extra to slurry the backs of the slabs

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

I've got others coming round to quote, this time I plan to spell out what my expectations are and ask them to comment.