after all this wet weather i have decided to lay the slabs on sand but what sand is best or doesnt it matter and would i really have to wait for the ground to dry first { longggggggggggggggggggggg wait for that } although i did hear today that friends of mine are having probs getting hold of sand as they have been put on flood alert and i think they have been trying to get sand bags just in case so dont know if i can get any .
what sand to use
- Thread starter karminski
- Start date
chrismahon
Well-known member
Washed or sharp sand- same thing Karminski. Perhaps you should lay 'pea' gravel first, which is pea sized gravel. Then sand on top. Or go deeper laying 1" gravel down to 6" then other stuff on top. It's so difficult to deal with naturally boggy ground. You can't rely on it moving downwards but have to direct it sideways.
I've laid quite a bit of paving slabs on sand and I've always just used what's around and is cheapest, builders sand is fine. I also used dry earth not that this is available ATM! The long-term success depends on how careful you are to get each slab level, using a spirit level. If they subsequently become uneven they're easy to pull up and lay again so long as no mortar has been used. Anything is better than mud!
it seems that today could be the worse of the weather so if i can go out today and try and get some sand then i will make a start as well as moving some more slabs at mo they are direct on soil am hoping this wind will help to dry the ground a bit .
Depending own how many slabs you want to lay,it works out much cheaper per kilo and is a lot less effort to order a big bag delivered, rather than getting lots of small carry- home bags. We get a big bag every year or son and keep the remainder covered and clean in the bag, and then we have plenty for the next job, whether mixing mortar or laying slabs on it.
But if you're only laying a few, they do take up quite a surprising amount of sand, and then it works OK not to have the sand very thick, just use it to help level off the hollows in the ground really. If you can get the earth area fairly level all over to begin with, and the slabs level with each other at the edges as they go down, they seem to settle down into place even on mainly earth. But it's quite time- consuming to do this and some of them need to be lifted and replaced several times before you can get it right. A long sprit level is a big help with this, placed across the edges of the two slabs you are trying to match up. It's a good way to do the job, though, because you have the option of changing things if you want to later on, and its less trouble than mortaring them, also allows for drainage between the slabs to some extent. It wouldn't be a good method for heavy traffic such as drives, but what I did round the chicken run has stayed level for 18 months of daily use so far.
But if you're only laying a few, they do take up quite a surprising amount of sand, and then it works OK not to have the sand very thick, just use it to help level off the hollows in the ground really. If you can get the earth area fairly level all over to begin with, and the slabs level with each other at the edges as they go down, they seem to settle down into place even on mainly earth. But it's quite time- consuming to do this and some of them need to be lifted and replaced several times before you can get it right. A long sprit level is a big help with this, placed across the edges of the two slabs you are trying to match up. It's a good way to do the job, though, because you have the option of changing things if you want to later on, and its less trouble than mortaring them, also allows for drainage between the slabs to some extent. It wouldn't be a good method for heavy traffic such as drives, but what I did round the chicken run has stayed level for 18 months of daily use so far.
i think will just get a few small bags for now just to level the worse areas most of the run is pretty even , when i moved these slabs the other day for the favs i put some soil down on the worse area just to level it a bit but i think i'll wait tell the ground drys out then look at doing it properly for now the favs are 90% out of mud and the banties for now have gravel broads down as well as membrane but its those 2 enclosures that are being pull down once the new run is complete which i am hoping can be next weekend so fingers crossed .annoying thing is we had loads of sand which we dug up from the base of the old swimming pool when we brought a newer one :lol: funny thing is it was stored all over the garden in bags and in the end we chucked it all into the raised beds to just get rid of it so wish we had kept it now .
chrismahon
Well-known member
Builders sand contains salts which wash out and are no good for the soil Karminski. It also easily turns to a slurry in wet conditions. Washed sand is definitely best. I would hate for you to have to the job twice.
this is why i ask :lol: especailly other poultry keepers and not just at the shops themselves , i was impressed today though the favs went to bed with 90% mud free feet an legs am hoping to get bac in thier section over the next 3 days and finish thier slabs and then work on the other girls as it dries out even if i only do half of thier run its better then nothing .
