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BUIDLING A GARDEN PATIO
Building a garden patio with brick is probably the easiest way to accomplish a patio project. Laying the perfect patio can be a lovely haven for those lazy summer days, but that's why it is important for you to make the right choice. One which is suited to the layout and surroundings of your area.
It is best not to design the garden patio in isolation, but consider it in conjunction with the view you would most like to see. This means that the positioning is especially important, as are the garden design considerations in the surrounding garden.
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DIFFICULTY LEVEL.CONCRETE PATIO OR BRICK?
To build a garden patio can be very rewarding and look equally elegant. The work is comparably easy if you are relatively good with your hands. The first principles of any building project is planning, preparation and patience, without these you are going to struggle and not get the long term results you desire. We start off with measuring out the area you have in mind and ensuring that this location is ideal for all seasons. Remember the sun is positioned at slightly different angles throughout the year, not a massive issue but none the less a factor worth considering! Have a look around the horizon, do you have large trees which could obstruct the sun?
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YOUR CHOICE
The patio is an individual choice, but if you’re not confident, then it is probably best to have a rectangular design, although a circular one is also possible, but you would have to start cutting bricks. When building any patio always pay attention to the angles and ensure that these are correct, this fundamental error can lead to catastrophic consequences and as such should be adhered to at all times!
Don't forget also keep in mind that you will need two inches on the edges to place brick edging. Clear the area you have chosen by digging it out to a depth of about 8/9 inches. Place a frame around the inside of this area. Don't forget to incorporate a gentle slope for drainage purposes. This is paramount if your patio is flush up to your house. At this point bear in mind that you do not locate your patio above the damp course of the house, this is very important. Failure to comply could result in your property being effected by rising damp.
After this you should now do a run with your bricks just to make sure everything is lined up and going to fit, and again don’t forget your 2 inch edging.
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PRACTICAL GUIDE
Pour crushed stone ideally lime backfill or something similar into the area to a depth of about 4/5 inches. When the area is covered, tamper this down ideally with a petrol/electric whacker plate. If one cannot be obtained, get a plank of wood about 6" wide by 3" thick and as long as necessary and simply lay it across the hardcore and hit it down with a lump hammer. This method is not ideal however it will assist, but requires a great deal of patience and stamina not to say the least!
Once this procedure is completed you now need to place a weed blanket over the area to protect your patio from weeds growing up through the surface. Now you can pour your sand and it must be a minimum of 2 inches deep. You now need a screed to level this sand - a piece of 2" by 4" with a looped rope tied to it will do the trick. After tampering the sand down but using your 2" by 4" check again to make sure it is level.
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START LAYING BRICKS
At this stage you can begin to lay your brick. Make sure you have a mason’s line to keep you on the straight and narrow while you’re laying them because it will ensure that your rows will be even. Begin in a corner and press each brick firmly into the sand, and if necessary use a rubber mallet and tap them gently to place them.
Assuming you will be using 4 x 8 bricks, 2 inches thick, which is the easiest to use, you can continue with the basket weave pattern, which is simple, but can look very elegant. After laying all your brick and putting the brick edging in place, put sand over your bricks and start filling the seams. I would use silver sand for this perticular job, it is specifically designed to get into the cracks and crevices. A broom now needs to be used to ensure all seams are thoroughly filled.
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SIT BACK AND ENJOY THE VIEW
If you are using paving slabs then the principles are basically the same. But remember to continuously check for the right level. This is usually easy to do with the eye providing your preparation of the site was correct in the first instance. The key to laying the perfect patio is to ensure that all the bricks/pavers interlock with each other. It is the right method which will make your garden patio last and looks visually appealing.
Inevitably bricks/pavers will need to be cut when building a garden patio. Unless you want to buy or rent an expensive power saw, I recommend purchasing a simple brick/paving slab splitter. It is basically a chisel with a wide end that is the width of the bricks/pavers. To actually cut/split the brick/paving slab lay it in a bed of sand and place the chisel at a 75 degree angle over the spot where you want to break the brick. Then you just strike the chisel head using a hammer, that's it! If you wanted to you could use a standard angle grinder to scour the brick/paving slab first, either way these are effective methods!
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