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 Colour chart for concreting 
   
  
This is a special type of hoggin which when compacted down forms a flat surface on which light traffic can be driven. It always has a dusty surface and is quite often used on golf courses and public footpaths.
The basic construction for any self-binding gravel pavement is the same as that for other gravels. A sub-base is essential, and this should be laid over a prepared sub-grade, with an optional separation membrane used between sub-grade and sub-base, if ground conditions warrant it. The sub-base should be not less than 75mm deep for foot traffic and at least 100mm thick for light vehicles. Once compacted, the self-binding gravel is spread over the surface to a depth of 40-50mm and then compacted.  "Wishing Well" Gardens 01233 332621 answering service available |
Where to start In Creating a garden one has tried to explain the basics, here we shall try to go a little more in depth with each area of construction:- Now with all things first comes the paper and pencil, draw a sketch of your garden nothing fancy, list things you want in your garden and sketch them in, this may take a few sketches to get it right, once you have decided, either get it drawn up professionally to scale or as I do stay with a really good sketch and plan out the order of operation.
When starting from scratch you usually only have to options to start with, Dig or Not to Dig....
Option 1 - Dig it! With a fork dig over the area and remove any weed roots. You'll have to fork it over again and again to get out any bits of root that have been left behind. If you don't they'll just keep coming back. Option 2 - Not to dig it! Cut down tall weeds and grasses. Cover the area with a garden membraine and then re-soil it to the depth of at least 4 inches. the first option will cost in time and effort and the second option money, time and effort.
The second option although a bit costly does ensure that you are deep-weed free for at least the first couple of years.
Now you have your blank sheet, lets put the sketch to work..... Hard Surfaces, Paths, Patio's, walls etc., need to be constructed now. The first thing to decide is which material should you use for each area:-
Bricks, Blocks & Slabs. Excellent for paths and patio's, no heavy lifting and easy to lay, especially paving blocks. Step 1 - Mark out the patio or path site, use pegs and lines (string line is good here) Step 2 - Compact the soil to at least a depth of 150mm (6 inches) below the required finished path/patio level Step 3 - Spread a layer of hardcore (type one is the best) at least 100mm (4 inches) over the area, and compact it with a plate compactor (wacker plate) these can be easily hired at a very reasonable price on a daily or weekly basis. Step 4 - Using your house wall, fence or pegs and line as a referance, start to lay your pavers, bricks or even slabs in the pattern of your choice, the differance between laying bricks/pavers to slabs is that with slabs I would now be using a mortar base to stick them, where as with the pavers and bricks I only need to stick the outside edges. Step 5 - Cutting:- if any of your bricks/pavers or slabs have to be cut, use an angle grinder, or a chisel and hammer to cut effectively.
Step 6 - Dry Mix:- When the laying is complete, flat and level, wait at least a day for the mortar to set or in the case of the bricks and pavers for them to settle. Fill the joints with a dry mix for slabs uae a dry mortar mix and then gently water in with a watering can, and with the bricks and pavers a kiln dry sand is best sweeping into the joints, leave for a day or so and repeat. Step 7 - Use a really good sealent to seal the bricks pavers, and slabs painting it as instructed on the container. note ;- a good mortar mix is 3-4 parts sand to 1 part cement
Concrete Preparing the Ground The first and most important step in learning how to lay a concrete slab-at-grade is ground preparation. The subgrade, or the ground below your slab, has to be prepared to support the slab and whatever weight it will carry. This means the ground should be levelled and flattened. All garbage and debris must be cleared from the work area. The subgrade must then be graded, moistened, and compacted to make it as firm as possible. A properly constructed subgrade will always cause water to flow away from the foundation. Any spot in the subgrade that is too muddy or any spot where a puddle forms must be dug up and replaced so that the ground is damp but not wet. Lay Down Gravel and Membrane
Now that the subgrade is ready, a layer of loose gravel is laid evenly over the whole area to open up a route for water to pass easily beneath the slab after it is put down. A waterproof membrane, like polyethylene, is placed atop the gravel as a vapour barrier to protect the slab from any moisture seeping up from the ground. Not everyone does this however it is a good practise to follow. Building a Wood Frame
The perimeter form of the floor slab built atop the vapour barrier uses a wooden frame to the specifications you require. A system of 2x4 wooden rails, known as screed rails, are added on opposite sides of this perimeter to serve as a levelling system after the concrete is poured. Spanning the screed rails is a straightedge (this can be another piece of 2x4 or other flat long piece of material) used to slide along the rails to push and level off any uneven or excess concrete. The screed rails or kickboards are supported by metal stakes and are placed in such a way so that the straightedge’s bottom sits at the desired level of the slab.
Pouring and Finishing
Now, the concrete is ready to be poured. As the frame fills, the straightedge slides along the screed rails to level off the slab. This levelling process on how to lay a concrete slab is completed after all extra concrete is removed. Once the mix is dry then the rails (kick boards) can be dismantled.
wood and bark What You Need:
Newspapers Wood chips Stones (optional) Instructions:
1. Secure a supply of wood chips. Some tree companies will give you free chips so they don't have to pay to dispose of them. Call around and inquire.If you or a neighbor has a chipper-shredder, stockpile chips for no more than a year (they'll start to break down). Check with your city or county manager's office. Shredded wood chips are often available for little or no cost from local landfills as long as you haul them. Lastly if all else fails go tho the local Nursery branch and they will have bags for sale. 2. For best results, Excavate the soil to about one inch deep where the path is to be laid and to the required shape. The path should be at least 18 inches wide for single person accessand around 36 inches if you'd like two people to walk next to each other.
3. Lining the path We generally use old newspapers but you can use a garden membraine that permeates the water if you so desire. The reason for the use of several layers of newspaper is that it will rot over a couple of years it also aids in the prevention of existing weed formation, with all wood chip or bark paths you do have to top up every couple of years or so, due to the breaking down procedures, however the plus side is it also puts nutrients into the ground and is a creature harbour. 4. If desired and if they're readily available, Use stones, old bricks or even a wooden rail to line the path. This will add a finished look and also further prevent the wood chips from shifting.
Gravel and Pebbles
Typically for a pathway, you would dig the area out to a depth of approximately 5 inches. A base of 3 inches of scalpings would then be laid and compacted. A weed control membrane is often laid over the scalpings and then the chosen chippings are laid to a depth of 1.5 – 2 inches.
With a driveway, a compacted base of scalpings is laid to a depth of 5 inches. A geotextile membrane is sometimes laid before the scalpings go down to suppress weeds and prevent rutting in the drive. Gravel is laid to a depth of about 2 inches. If gravel is laid deeper than this, cars tend to sink in leading to wheel spins.
First measure the length, and width of the area to be covered and then decide how deep you would like the chippings to be. From the measurements work out your cubic meterage. Below are some good ‘rule of thumbs’ for how much material you will need by weight ( we sell most of our materials loose by weight).
Scalpings 1m³ = 2 tonnes
Gravel/Chippings 1m³ = 1.4 tonnes
Sharp Sand 1m³ = 1.4 tonnes
Building Sand 1m³ = 1.4 tonnes
20mm Ballast 1m³ = 1.6 tonnes
40mm ‘rejects’ 1m³ = 1.4 tonnes
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Edging kerbs or other edging units can be used, if prefered. These have the advantage of containing the self-binding gravel, but, for more casual, natural setting, the edging units are often omitted and the grass or adjacent vegetation is allowed to encroach on the edges of the pathway to give a softer, less harshly-defined appearance.
Whenever a gradient needs to be accommodated, then a series of steps is the most appropriate solution. As mentioned above, some form of edge restraint will be required to contain the self-binding gravel, and the level should be kept slightly low (6mm) to minimise loss of material.
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