Often people 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 unsightly moments for city residents. However, civilization does not stand still, and today craftsmen have at their disposal many ways to organize space summer cottage and beautification of suburban areas, thanks to which you can forever forget about impassable dirt. One of these methods is to arrange the sidewalk using tiles, which have strength, durability and high decorative characteristics. Despite the fact that the styling paving slabs- not the only way to improve a backyard area; it is often preferred for its simplicity, relative cheapness and lack of need for use specialized equipment(for example, an asphalt roller when paving a site or a flat concrete compactor when concreting an area). One more distinctive feature tiled covering, which can be attributed to the advantages, is the ability to take a technological break in the process of arranging the sidewalk, which cannot be said about asphalting and concreting. Considering the relevance of the topic, we considered it necessary to talk about the process of laying paving slabs. Due to the fact that an integral stage of laying tiles is preparing the site, in this article we will answer the question: “How to prepare the site for paving slabs?”

Requirements for the base for 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. Basic requirements are as follows:

• Drainage, the need for arrangement of which is explained by the importance of removing accumulated water and preventing its destructive effect on the sidewalk;
• Arrangement of a waterproofing system, namely the use of a special substrate, will prevent excessive accumulation of moisture;
• Organization of drainage, which implies a slope of the terrain and a system of special drainage grooves;
• The surface should be as flat as possible, which will ensure ideal placement of the shaped paving elements;
• The presence of a recess that will provide the opportunity for arrangement drainage system and lack of movement individual elements and, as a consequence, deformation in case of soil subsidence.

What do you need to prepare before laying tiles?

Before you begin 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 area allocated for paving;
• Metal or wooden stakes or pins;
• The horizontal level that will be needed to fit the horizontal paving stones;
• A regular watering can or hose with a divider needed for humidification sand cushion and grounds;
• A metal corner, a rake and a channel necessary for leveling the base bedding;
• Broom.
• In addition, to mark the site, you will need twine, a shovel and other garden tools to remove the top fertile layer of soil, construct a trench and install borders.

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

Laying paving slabs is a multi-stage process, including several stages:

• Preparing the site for laying paving slabs;
• Arrangement of the so-called underlying layer or cushion for paving slabs;
• Direct laying of paving slabs.

Soil stabilization and subsequent preparation

Preparing a site for paving slabs includes a set of measures, the complexity of which will vary depending on the initial condition 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 humps and filling in holes) followed by compacting it.

If, in the process of leveling the soil, you are faced with large uneven surfaces over large areas, to prepare the foundation you need to use special construction equipment, such as excavators, scrapers and bulldozers, as well as modern instrumentation, for example, laser level, called a level.

Arrangement of the underlying layer

After you have stabilized the soil, eliminating all unevenness on its surface, and have marked it, followed by setting elevation marks, you can begin arranging 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 multi-layer cake, the installation of which will require a number of bulk 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 compaction of each layer. The thickness of each layer is also a variable parameter and depends on the population external factors. The function of the underlying layer is as follows:

Thanks to the presence of the underlying layer, the tiles are protected from destruction due to ground movement in winter;

After the arrangement of the underlying layer, the smallest surface defects that remained unnoticed during the soil stabilization process 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 underlying layer is prepared. The choice of each of them depends on the expected load on the installed sidewalk and its operating conditions.

If the sidewalk will be subject to loads from people moving truck transport, or you encounter problems with the natural soil on which 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 install a site intended for passenger vehicle traffic, preparing the underlying layer involves laying the following materials:

• Cement-sand mixture (layer thickness at least 3 cm);
• Sand or screenings (10 cm layer);
• Crushed stone, which is laid in a layer of 20 cm.

If the path being installed 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 quantity 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 arranging the underlying layer?

As noted earlier, when choosing necessary technology When arranging the underlying layer, first of all, it is necessary to take into account the conditions under which the paving slabs and the path as a whole will be used. If paving slabs are used to install only pedestrian paths, 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, owners of suburban areas and plots located within the city had to deal with soil subsidence 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 there is a need to arrange 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 another - 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 on one site. 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 exposed to only low and medium loads (traffic of people and passenger cars), paving slabs can be laid directly on the ground. In this regard, it does not need to be stabilized by concreting followed by 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 path and, based on the data obtained, select the right materials for arranging the underlying layer and lay it. In addition, the modern construction market offers a number of underlying materials on which paving slabs can be directly laid. The use of these materials provides natural circulation 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 for paving slabs? IN modern conditions the most popular options are:

• Laying paving slabs on a track;
• Laying paving slabs for screening;
• Laying paving slabs on sand.

Important! When using the same materials to prepare the underlying layer, the parameters finished design, such as the thickness of the underlying layer and the presence or absence of geotextiles, may vary. All this is calculated in accordance with SNiP, taking into account the expected loads and soil type.

Laying tiles on a border

Laying paving slabs on the edge is relevant if the sidewalk has a significant slope. This is understandable. Gartsovka is a dry cement-sand mixture, the setting of which occurs under the tile when the first precipitation falls. A similar effect can be achieved if you water the tiles with a hose after laying. This technique will ensure reliable adhesion of the tiles and prevent them from sliding towards the slope.

In addition, experts recommend giving preference to this option even if the ground on which the 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 a prism, give preference to the latter, since insufficient water absorption of the soil can cause sand to be washed out from under the tiles.

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

Laying tiles on sand

This method is traditional when arranging sidewalks. Laying tiles on sand is in many ways similar to that when using a pliers. It is also produced on a layer of compacted gravel 10-20 cm thick, which serves 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 prevent sand from being washed out from under the tiles in advance. To do this, along the perimeter of the area paved with tiles, it is enough to arrange a curb, which is concreted on the outside with a solution made from cement of a strength grade of at least M100.

A layer of geotextile laid under a layer of sand embankment will also prevent sand from being washed out. Laying 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 a compacted layer of crushed stone.

Laying tiles on screening

This option is considered the most budget-friendly alternative to the first two methods of laying tiles. Granite screening- this is a material that is a waste product from the production of crushed stone and consists of crushed stone sand and small fragments, thanks to which 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 recommended if the soil is unstable and has low water absorption. In such cases, a drainage layer of crushed stone is installed, after which the paving slabs are laid on screenings. 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 it is often 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 a compacted bulk base is not able to withstand.

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 help to evenly distribute 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 surface has worn out, but its dismantling is not planned. In this regard, the most worn areas of asphalt are removed and filled with concrete mortar. Existing holes are also filled with concrete. After this, they begin to directly lay the paving slabs on a 2-centimeter layer of mortar.

The second option involves installing a concrete pad on a pre-prepared reinforcement 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 intense loads, for example, in parking lots.

After you have prepared the base in accordance with one of the technologies discussed above, you need to begin laying the tiles directly. There are many laying technologies, but we will consider the most common option - laying along 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 tile canvas. The tiles are laid in strips 3 m wide, the length of which is determined by the distance from one stretched twine to another.

It is recommended to start laying tiles from the corner closest to front door home, 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 using a rubber hammer and wooden block. To do this, the tile is laid on the base, after which, by tapping it with a rubber hammer through the block, it is pressed as much as possible. Having completed laying the tiles, they make it final processing using a vibrating plate, which will allow finishing material 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 you can lay out corners and individual ornaments.

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

P covering with paving slabs artificial stone both reliable and attractive. Smooth and rough, made of rectangular elements or mosaic, monochromatic and of various colors, it will decorate and enliven the most ordinary building.

Paving slabs - a simple and beautiful coating

The popularity of tile coverings is facilitated by the simple technique of work. Thanks to the simplicity of the installation process, even a construction novice can easily master laying paving slabs. You need a minimum of tools, they are simple and inexpensive. Moreover, for small volumes, laying paving slabs with your own hands can be done without tools at all. “Standard” tools are replaced with improvised items and, of course, an understanding of the basic principles of work, which will be discussed further.

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Marking the area for paving slabs

Cladding is an element of improvement of an existing site. Therefore, special accuracy is not required when marking paving slabs, and the entire alignment comes down to building one or two lines on the ground where the installation of curb stones is required.

It is better to start laying from an existing building (for example, if there is a path between two objects), or along it - parallel to the facade line.

If the situation allows, the width of the coating should be “adjusted” to the whole number of tiles. This layout looks better and you will have to cut less tiles.

To do this, first estimate the width of the paving slabs by eye and mark them with pegs. We measure and divide the resulting value by the size of one tile. The resulting value is rounded to a whole number.

For example: the measured value is 264 cm, the width of the tile is 19.5 cm. Divide - 264 cm: 19.5 cm and we get 13.53. That is, for a given width, 13 or 14 whole tiles can be laid. We choose what is preferable in our case to expand (if possible) or slightly reduce the width of the area, and count down.

Let's say the situation allows you to lay 14 tiles, then 14x19.5 = 273 cm. This will be the width of the cladding. We set aside 273 cm and mark it with a peg.

We indicate the direction of laying with the next peg, driving it in so that the cord stretched between it and the first peg is perpendicular to the line connecting the first pegs. And if the site is adjacent to the building, then it is parallel to its facade (see Fig. 1).

As for the height of the cladding, it usually corresponds to entrance openings buildings adjacent to the site and (or) porches. It is extremely rare that the height can be tied to any special mark (benchmark) depending on the features of the building.

Advice. When laying tiles, try to compact the base as much as possible. It is best to use a vibrating rammer for this. Ideally, when stepping on the leveling layer, the foot should not leave a mark. With such compaction, there is almost no need to set the tiles; we lay them out only by tapping them with a hammer, which is especially convenient when laying out complex patterns.

Paving slabs

Detailed process of laying tiles

Paving slab care and repair

Any special care paving slabs are not required, only like any stone material, the tiles are quite fragile, a strong blow can chip or break them. This must be remembered and when clearing areas and paths of snow, ice, and dried mud, do not use various types of crowbars and cleavers.

Laying paving slabs is a complex undertaking that requires compliance with many building regulations. Failure to comply with one of the rules leads to the destruction of the entire complex.

Preparatory work. The first stage preparatory work for laying paving slabs and paving stones is to break down the contour of the area to be laid and set up control “beacons”. In this case, the angles of the territory, connection to existing areas, and slopes are taken into account. After the work on laying out the contour has been completed, they begin to prepare the foundation, which includes the following types of work:

Layout. After removing the height level, you need to remove upper layer soil and make a leveling layer of gravel or crushed stone.

Installation of slopes, drainage. It should be taken into account that despite the tight-fitting seams of the paving stones, the base is saturated with water. Therefore, a waterproof drainage system is required at the base. load-bearing layer(gravel, crushed stone). Then part surface water can be drained directly through the paving stones and the load-bearing layer into the ground. In any case, the paving stones must have slopes and gutters to drain rainwater. This is necessary so that a “swamp” does not form under the paving stones.

Construction of the supporting layer. For the supporting layer, a frost-resistant material of uniform grain size (crushed stone, gravel) must be used. This material must be applied evenly in height and straight with appropriate slopes. When constructing simple pedestrian paths, a layer of 15 to 20 cm is most often used. When constructing areas of paving stones for the passage of passenger cars, a layer of 20 to 30 cm is used. For heavy loads, the load-bearing layer is increased and laid in several layers, each layer must be compacted with a vibrating plate or roller

Installation of curbs. To prevent the paving stones from “creeping” along the edges, a plastic border or curb is used, which should reach half the height of the paving stones and can then be covered with natural soil.

Installation of a leveling sand layer under the paving stones. A layer of sand 3 - 5 cm thick, always clean (without clay), is applied to the compacted bearing layer as an underlying layer. Before laying the underlying layer, you need to set the leveling slats and secure them with sand.

After the guides have been set according to all slopes and are well secured, the underlying layer is laid between them and smoothed using the rule so that the paving stones, before they are compacted, lie 1 cm higher than the required level. Then the guides are carefully removed, and the remaining grooves are carefully filled with sand. Do not step on the laid flooring!!!

Laying paving stones

To lay paving slabs with a sufficient amount of work, a team of 4 people is required, which can, on average, in 1 work shift master a volume of 30 -40 m2 with all related work.

Laying begins:

• From the lowest point to the highest point;
• From an optically important boundary;
• From important visible elements, such as the front entrance of the house, porch, etc.

Before starting to lay the first row of paving stones, to maintain the exact distance of the seams, you need to pull the cord over the entire length and width of the object. Then, holding the taut cord, we proceed to installation. It is recommended to check the exact location of the seams every three rows of laid paving stones.

It is laid using a rubber hammer and lightly tapping it on the paving stones. Every 5 m2 of laid but not compacted paving stones, its horizontal surface is controlled using the 2-meter rule, with errors from 5 mm to 1 cm per 2 meters of laid area.

Often there are problems with very precise cutting of paving stones. For this there are cutting discs with diamond coating. At an object of up to 100 m2, up to two disks are completely worn out.

Sealing of seams and vibration compaction. After the paving stones are laid, the covering is compacted with a vibrating plate. After the first vibration compaction of the finished coating, a small amount of very dry sifted and clean river sand is poured onto the surface, so that the sand easily and tightly fills the gaps between the elements. The poured sand is spread evenly over the entire area and driven into the seams by simply sweeping, “tying” the entire coating firmly and reliably. Then the dry and clean coating is compacted again with a vibrating plate and a layer of dry sifted sand is applied. It is recommended to leave this layer of sand to sit for a while. After which you can sweep the site again.

Current operation. IN winter time To avoid ice, the coating must be cleaned regularly using a broom and a wooden shovel. To reduce slipperiness, you can sprinkle sand. If the snow was not removed in time and ice formed, under no circumstances should you remove the ice using a metal scrap. Snow removal equipment servicing the surface must also have a rubber attachment on the blade.

When exposed various materials Contamination may occur on the paving stones, significantly changing the appearance of the coating. For example, car tires leave black stripes, dust and road dirt make the surface black and gray. Using cleaning products and special substances, you can return the surface to its original color.

Good afternoon.

Let's go in order.

1. The plant layer must be removed; usually it is 30-50 cm. This is just enough to construct the entire “pie” of the blind area.

It will be useful for you to read our article about constructing a blind area in a private house.

In order for the blind area to be strong and durable, the soil must be compacted correctly. This can be done using a special tamper. The soil needs to be compacted around the house to a distance that corresponds to 1.5 times the length of the blind area itself.

Can install a border, as it looks more advantageous and also serves as a limiter when constructing a blind area. You will have to compact crushed stone and sand many times, which without a strong curb cannot be done well.

For a blind area made of paving slabs, the layers will be as follows:

• Compacted soil.
• Crushed stone compacted every 10 cm (the layer is selected depending on the desired level). The main material of such a layer can be crushed stone, gravel or ordinary coarse yellow construction sand. The thickness of the drainage layer depends on the finishing layer of the blind area. If paving slabs are used, the thickness of one element is subtracted from the depth of the removed soil layer. Everything else is filled in construction sand. As a rule, the thickness of this layer is about 25-35 cm.
• Concrete layer approximately 5 cm M100-150.
• Reinforcing mesh made of reinforcement with a diameter of 4-6 mm. Concrete itself is not elastic, so with frequent freezing and thawing it will crack. The reinforcement takes on all the internal forces, keeping the concrete intact for many years. The reinforcement bars are laid approximately every 5-10 cm. It is best to make a lattice from the bars with square cells, the side of which will be equal to 100 mm.
• Concrete 5 cm.
• Ruberoid in 2 layers with a slight overlap on the wall of the house (2-3 cm).
• Gartsovka, that is, a mixture of cement and sand, cement grade M-150 is mixed in a ratio of 1:3 with sand.
• Tile.

2. It’s difficult to give advice on this point. If you are making a concrete base for the blind area, then the same tiles will suit each zone. If you just use sand or grout without concrete, then the tiles will sag under the load and will need to be re-laid.

3. A slope is required to drain water. The slope can be made at the stage of installing the drainage layer, which is important when using paving slabs. You can also make a slope during the formation of the finishing layer of concrete. The slope should have a minimum value of 1.5 percent, that is, approximately 8 mm for every half meter of blind area length. This slope guarantees normal water drainage. For a blind area made of paving slabs, the difference is 5-10 cm per 1 m.

And also, so that the concrete does not constantly harden, lay roofing material in 2 layers on top concrete screed, and then prancing. Ruberoid will help preserve concrete longer.

As for the gutters. It is advisable to make a concrete tray around the perimeter of the blind area to drain water; you can also use a sawn pipe laid on a concrete base or purchased gutters for these purposes. Water will flow into them from the blind area and from the drainage system and flow to the side.

4. No, just tiles laid on sand will not serve as a blind area, but with reinforced and waterproofed concrete base will.

5. An expansion joint is needed so that the blind area tape, changing its linear dimensions when temperatures change, can shift without accumulating internal stresses. MThere should always be a small gap of 1-2 cm between the blind area and the wall.It is better to fill it with ordinary sand or polystyrene. Often, such a gap is filled with a gasket made of several layers of roofing material. The overlap that I wrote about at the beginning will be enough.If there is no such seam, then the blind area, which is made of paving slabs, will create an additional lateral load on the foundation or walls during frost ground floor. This can lead to the destruction of their waterproofing.

Important - the blind area is done only after all work on the facade of the building is completed. This strict requirement is primarily due to the fact that the blind area must protrude beyond the edge of the facade by a certain distance (from 1 to 1.5 m), and the boundary of this edge can be set only after the facade has been completely finished.The laid surface of the paving slabs is thoroughly cleaned of any remaining dry mixture and watered along expansion joints a small amount of water.

Ask.

Currently, paving slabs are the most popular coating for the improvement and design of sidewalks, squares, park alleys, road surfaces and suburban areas. These tiles give city streets a beautiful, modern and well-groomed look.

To obtain a durable and high-quality coating, it is very important to follow the technology, which has a number of nuances and features. An important requirement is the slope of the paving slabs, which is necessary for the drainage of rain or melt water.

Slope of paving slabs for water drainage

When laying tiles, the surface must have a certain slope, which is created to drain water, rain or melt. It is usually expressed as a percentage. For example, a slope of 1% is 1 cm per 1 meter of coverage.

The choice of the desired slope depends on the climate and the characteristics of the surface to be covered. The most optimal generally accepted option is 1%, it is enough to drain the water, and it is convenient for moving along the path. It is important to note that the drainage capacity of tile coverings differs depending on its surface, as well as the quality of installation and sealing of joints.

The ability to drain water is less for embossed tiles than for smooth tiles. That's why slope for water drainage smooth surface should be at least 2-2.2%, with relief - 2.5%. The design of the slopes is created in such a way as to direct water to drainage elements, which are used as concrete storm drains or trays for water drainage.

At turns, approaches to steps and doors, that is, places with high traffic, the slopes should not be more than 3-3.5%. This slope is necessary in order to avoid falls during icy conditions in winter. In those places where people rarely pass, the slopes can be 6-7%, but no more. If the slope of paving slabs for water drainage is done correctly, then moisture does not linger on the coating and does not penetrate into it, which has a positive effect on durability. Otherwise, the tile will quickly deteriorate.

To determine the elevation, you must use a level or hydraulic level. Between the two elements it is necessary to stretch a fishing line or twine. Then bring a level to the twine (parallel, without touching it) and draw the desired slope. For marking, wooden stakes are usually used, which are installed in several places. After selecting the elevation points, you can proceed to preparing the base, which also has great importance for the durability of the paving surface.

The importance of proper tile installation

To summarize, we can say with confidence that the slope of the paving slabs for water drainage plays a big role in the operation of the coating. In order to lay it correctly, it is necessary to make markings and prepare a high-quality base. It is imperative to ensure drainage so that collected water does not destroy paving, and did not interfere with its functioning.

If the installation work is carried out incorrectly, this will lead to irreversible consequences. At first everything will look good, but over time water will penetrate, holes will appear in the base and the paving area will settle. Therefore, in order for the work to be completed flawlessly, entrust it to professionals or strictly follow