Laying paving slabs on concrete

Paving slabs laid on concrete are an excellent way to create long-lasting and aesthetically pleasing outdoor areas. This technique offers a strong foundation that can tolerate frequent use and variable weather conditions, whether you’re designing a new patio, walkway, or driveway. You can improve the aesthetics and usability of your property with a professional-looking finish by using the appropriate supplies and methods.

With careful planning, the process starts. In order to guarantee a level and smooth surface for the paving slabs, this entails cleaning and leveling the current concrete surface. Repairing any uneven patches or cracks will stop problems in the future. It’s also crucial to carefully plan the arrangement of your slabs, taking both usability and aesthetics into account.

Applying a layer of mortar or adhesive is the next step after the surface is prepared. This adds extra stability and aids in keeping the paving slabs firmly in place. To achieve a uniform appearance, it is important to maintain consistent spacing and alignment when laying the slabs. This can be facilitated by using spacers to guarantee that each slab is positioned correctly.

Sand or jointing compound must be used to fill the spaces between the slabs once they have all been installed. In addition to improving the overall appearance, this keeps weeds from growing in the spaces between the slabs. In order to make sure the slabs are securely positioned and to get rid of any extra material, the entire surface needs to be cleaned and compacted.

You can add value to your home and build a stunning, long-lasting paved area by following these steps. Gaining an understanding of the fundamentals of paving slab installation on concrete can help you get the best results whether you’re a do-it-yourself enthusiast or hiring a professional.

Step	Description
1	Prepare the area by cleaning and leveling the ground.
2	Install a base layer of gravel for drainage.
3	Lay a layer of sand to create a smooth surface.
4	Place paving slabs carefully, ensuring they are level.
5	Fill gaps between slabs with sand or mortar.
6	Compact the surface to secure the slabs in place.

In what cases is paving slabs laid on concrete

The benefits of this technology are as follows:

• maximum strength;
• You can park the car and even call on construction equipment;
• it is relatively easy to build with your own hands is certainly easier than laying asphalt.

The drawbacks are, naturally, additionally:

• The concrete plate must be done, unlike the styling on the sand;
• Concrete should be done using technology and observing the correct proportions (otherwise it will begin to crumble);
• Porcelain tiles hold on firmly and if you need to get one, let"s say it was damaged, that is, the risk of breaking the neighboring.

Which paving slabs to choose

Prior to creating a tile covering, determine the following uses for it:

• If you want to lay street tiles on the roadway, then a thickness of 8-10 centimeters is required.
• If this is a tile in the courtyard of a private house, with the possibility of a passenger car driving in, then a thickness of 6 centimeters will be sufficient.
• For the pedestrian area, 3-4 centimeters.

I want to call your attention to certain factors when selecting a tile, like the lack of chips or foreign objects on the front surface. The most trustworthy method, however, is to contrast the tiles’ colors and thicknesses.

I also observe that the best conventionally cast tiles are those produced through vibration-dry pressing.

Calculation of the number of tiles

Verify the distance, or your website’s dimensions. in order for the stones to be sturdy when paving. Without any segments present, to prevent the outcome from being as follows:

You see, I didn’t have enough, so I didn’t have control over it, and the site manager overlooked this query. To insert it, I had to cut the stone here. Nevertheless, they had the option of making the platform slightly bigger or smaller so that everything would remain in place. In order to ensure that your design is composed of solid bricks (blocks), double-check the distances when they install borders for you. Using the area calculator for this purpose is not prohibited.

An additional technical query: we purchased paving slabs from the same manufacturer twice, but the batches differed. How come various batches produced by the same manufacturer have radically different sizes? As he states, plus or minus a millimeter, but these millimeters have an impact on the pattern’s evenness and the seams. I’ll now demonstrate to you when there is a misalignment:

You can see that the styling has moved a millimeter in this location. It appears to be nothing alarming, but if you examine the seam closely, you will notice that it is moving. The fact that the stones vary in size is the main idea.

If you place a lot of importance on this, choose paving stones from the same batch. Purchasing it with a reserve will ensure that everything works out for you.

Preparatory work

A crucial phase that is equally significant to the actual paving slab installation. You won’t receive a lengthy service life if it is done incorrectly. Give careful consideration to these suggestions.

They have to be angled. A slope of 0.5 centimeters per meter is advised. Once the site has been planned, your job is to use fishing line, thread, or some other material to level the slopes. After that, you begin to assemble the pie you wish to consume.

In our instance, it appears as follows:

• the upper level that we have determined, subtract the tile – 6 centimeters;
• subtract the sand-cement mixture – 3 centimeters;
• concrete slab – 15 centimeters;
• extruded polystyrene foam – 5 centimeters;
• sand – 5 centimeters;
• and take away crushed stone – 5 centimeters.

Underneath the track, you read extruded polystyrene foam. Yes, folks, that’s how it works—extruded polystyrene foam sits beneath the walkway. Can it be laid, and if so, for what purpose? in order to prevent needless frost heaving.

It allows you to walk on a tamper and compact the top layer of crushed stone and sand, minimizing the amount of additional layer.

You start digging once you realize how far below the surface you must go.

1. We remove the black soil, dig down to the sand.
2. We remove debris and plant roots from the bottom of the trench.
3. Level the bottom with a rake.
4. Wet with water from a hose.
5. Compacting.

Yes, we still need to decide on the tile-laying strategy. There are many technologies in general, but I’ll just touch on three here.

Three ways to lay tiles on a concrete surface

Let’s review each method on this list in more detail. The most widely used ones are:

• for cement-sand mixture;
• using construction glue;
• for dry mixes.

For sand-cement mortar

Is it really feasible to arrange tiles in this manner? I’ll tell you what: glue is possible, even necessary, as cement-sand mortar has always been the most dependable.

So let’s start by examining the benefits:

• So look, first of all it’s cheap. A bag of glue, 25 kilograms, costs 200 rubles, and sand, one might say, is free. Cement, 5 kilograms, costs probably 30 rubles. That is, in the end the bag costs 60 rubles (prices are current as of December 2020).
• It’s not a sin to wear it in a greasy layer and level the surfaces. Of course, they level the surfaces with an adhesive solution, but this is very expensive. If you wish, you can, but it will cost tens of thousands of rubles, but here there are no problems, because the mixture is cheap. Mix a full concrete mixer and off you go.
• Long service life. The service life of the glue is questionable, no one has yet checked how long it lasts, especially since there are different glues. And there is always one cement-sand mortar for laying. Soviet tiles still stand on these solutions. Therefore, we can conclude: it has served for more than 30 years, 100% nothing will happen to it.
• Then it is possible to add unlimited antifreeze additives. When you buy glue, you don"t know what temperature it works up to? Since you can always be deceived, how do you know what"s in it?? And here you can add calcium nitrate to the solution as a percentage and you can be 100% sure that your solution will not freeze down to -20.
• You can also increase plasticity. That is, do whatever you want, depending on the conditions. You can add various additives and change its characteristics yourself.

Let’s now examine the drawbacks of using cement-sand mortar when installing tiles:

• Firstly, it flows very strongly if water gets into it.
• Secondly, it does not fix the tiles well, that is, the tiles dangle on it. It’s not like glue – I glued it and that’s it.
• The need for a thick layer, because the plasticity of the solution is low. A layer of at least five millimeters is needed. I would advise raising it another centimeter or more, because otherwise you will not be able to level the tiles properly. This situation is due to the fact that he is very floating. While you are leveling one tile, the next one may tilt.

The process of actually installing paving slabs on a concrete base is simple, and if you make a mistake, you are free to redo it. Thankfully, the technology is affordable.

On glue

Now let’s discuss the benefits of using glue for paving slabs and stones:

Primers are necessary in order to prepare the surface first. Usually, a deep penetration primer is sufficient.

Once the primer has set, thin the paving stone and tile adhesive using water. Both the manufacturer’s official website and the packaging specify how much water is needed. To ensure that the additives are distributed evenly, the solution must be stirred twice.

Using a large-toothed trowel or a special comb spatula, apply the solution to the surface. Apply an adhesive solution to the concrete base to level any minor variations. A layer as thick as three centimeters can be applied.

Next, place the newly mixed mortar on top of the paving stones. It is crucial to make sure the adhesive layer is void-free before installing paving stones on an adhesive mortar because if it isn’t, water will seep in, freeze, and harm the tiles.

We level the paving stones along the horizon and the spaces between the elements with building crosses by using a building level.

Examining the surface in a diagonal manner. We make the necessary corrections if there are any discrepancies.

Work needs to be done quickly because the adhesive solution typically has a pot life of three hours.

The next step is to begin filling the seams while it dries.

For dry mixes

To ensure that they stand sufficiently rigidly, we install the sides and secure them with concrete. We hold off until the concrete solidifies. Why do we need rigidity in general? We mixed one to four parts cement and sand to make the grout.

Using a hoe in combination with a trough is highly practical. You can mix in five minutes, literally.

We now pour the mixture into our structure from the inside out, not the top, and add a small amount before tamping. when the tiles are actually going to be laid. To keep the tiles from settling later, we must tamp the grout after it has been poured. It is now evident why we had to hold off on tamping until the sides did not creep and the cement was thoroughly set.

Let’s say there is a five millimeter cross; at this point, the first tile can be laid. We need to add prancing because when we tried it on, it sank. The tiles will be installed flush with our curb.

After laying is complete, the area needs to be watered, perhaps with a hose. In addition to providing a sturdy base, the cement and sand beneath the tile will solidify and hold it in place.

Do not place loads on the surface; keep in mind that it will take some time for the cement-sand mixture to completely set.

For jointing seams, the same mixture—prancing—can be applied.

Step-by-step instruction

Allow me to walk you through the process of installing paving slabs on concrete. Take your time going over each step; if you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments.

Step 1 – Installing Curbs

1. Selecting a fertile layer of soil, up to the sand. If it turns out deep, then you can make a bedding. Next, we determine the height of the planned path or platform.
2. Installing curbs. If you want – on the edge, so they will be higher, or put on their side if height is not required.
3. We use a thread to beat off the level and do not forget about the slope or storm drainage system.
4. Now we fix the curbs with concrete. Do not skimp on the solution so that the path does not spread out due to the compaction.

I have additional counsel for you:

• If the distance allows, you can make an additional ditch for the curb stone.
• It is better to level the curb with a rubber mallet, there is less chance of damaging the stone.
• It is better to make the height 2-3mm below the main platform, so that it would be easier for water to flow off.
• When the fastening concrete hardens, add additional sand to the wall for strength.

Step 2 – Preparing the concrete pad

We built borders and excavated everything you require. After that, you add as much sand and crushed stone as you think is needed. With this technology, the surface only needs to be leveled for the extrusion of polystyrene foam using crushed stone and sand. Its secondary objective is to eliminate any moisture beneath the tiles. However, in this instance, extruded polystyrene foam will effortlessly fulfill this role; nothing will be able to pass through to the top, and everything will be alright. It also prevents frost from falling, regardless of the amount of moisture present.

To ensure that it stays put, place extruded polystyrene foam at a distance of five centimeters in our instance. In other words, if the slab begins to dance in any spot, ask your helpers to add more sand. You knit reinforcement onto it right away.

In this instance, a 12 mm reinforcement with 200 by 200 cells is used. This is superfluous, in my opinion; a figure eight or even a standard grid would suffice. However, 12mm is also feasible if the space is limited and you choose to work as quickly as you can, for example, so that the parking lot can tolerate a big KAMAZ filled with sand.

Tied the bolstering. Remove it from the extruded polystyrene foam by three to five centimeters.

In order to actually predict where it might burst, you have to make cuts and thermal breaks. The beacons that you will use to extend the concrete are these identical cuts.

Make sure a specific slope is set. That’s it; proceed to pour the concrete. I suggest sticking with brand 200.

Most likely, someone will write, "Why don’t you vibrate?" The answer is straightforward: the concrete will move into a horizontal position if we vibrate. This is unnecessary; instead, the concrete should slope to allow water to easily drain from the area.

Make sure mortgages are positioned beneath electrical cables and under slabs.

Don’t worry, though, even if you neglected to place communications (or electricity) beneath the stove. There is still a decent layer (three to five centimeters) beneath the tile where you can securely conceal any wires or cables. The stove is completely flooded, then.

Everything is fine, we are happy, the water is running out, and the stove is tilted. We are now starting to lay fresh concrete with paving slabs.

You will notice the difference after a while if you create distinct bases on the same website. The foundation will sag in one location but not in another. And you will have a fracture at this point. There can only be one base in the output on the same plane.

Step 3 – Laying schemes for paving slabs

Now that the concrete blind area is ready, you can begin laying the first tile there. The pattern beneath your feet will be something you will be staring at for years, so I hope you have decided on a laying scheme before this. Take a close look at the image below, which displays the paving stone arrangements that are now classic.

• herringbone;
• weaving;
• diagonal;
• chess order.

Combining elements gives you the chance to create something unique. Nobody has the power to restrict your creativity.

Step 4 – Sealing seams (jointing)

I will describe the experimental area to you, where the seams were sealed.

The way I fume seams:

1. Laying out paving stones in the traditional way.
2. I take a solution that should not be here – these are cement-based self-leveling floors. I spill the bag and use a mop to push it into the seams so that it goes as low as possible. Why am I doing this?? It has a very fine grain and it successfully goes right under the tile itself.
3. On top I throw regular cement with fine sand. I just sweep it all away with a brush. That is, in this way I hammer the seams dry and after, say, a day, two, three – when the solution has settled, I brush it again.

How does it impact something? according to color. This trick works really well with gray paving stones, though I haven’t tried it with colored ones. It slightly shifts in color, as I’ll illustrate in the picture below:

Darker are the paver stones that have not been joined with this technology. The color shifts, but in a positive way, in my opinion. pleasant—cool, if I may say so. Furthermore, this color has been around for six months. Since this was a test, I can confirm that it functions.

Something terrible occurs where there are dark paving stones. Water can seep through the seams, standing water collects in the joints, and frost causes the side boards to open, lifting the tiles.

Paving slabs laid on concrete make an incredibly strong and beautiful outdoor surface. By laying the slabs directly on top of a concrete base that has been prepared, this technique makes sure they will remain securely in place and endure frequent use. Anyone can achieve a professional-looking outcome that improves the aesthetics and usability of their patio, driveway, or garden with the correct equipment and supplies. This tutorial will lead you through the necessary actions, pointers, and techniques to ensure a successful and simple process.

How to lay paving slabs on old concrete

There are just a few points, nearly the same as for a new one:

• concrete must be durable and not crumble;
• the surface is smooth;
• Needs a slight slope to drain water.

So examine your foundation carefully. Use mortar composed of cement and sand to repair as needed. Perhaps even fix it someplace by pouring concrete and erecting formwork. It is also feasible for you to broaden the coverage area if you so choose.

To be honest, don’t fool yourself if the concrete is flimsy and easily crumbled. Ultimately, drilling a new hole will be less expensive than repairing an already-made one.

How to lay tiles on asphalt

Though not as sturdy as concrete, the surface will be more resilient than a sand cushion. This might be an appropriate choice if the anticipated loads are not very high. It might even survive the occasional run of a passenger car.

Work process:

1. Install the sides and curbs.
2. Pull the cord and create the desired slope.
3. Reinforce the curbs with concrete and wait for it to set.
4. Now pour a thin layer of cement-sand mixture and create a flat surface.
5. Lay paving slabs or paving stones.
6. Water it so that the cement-sand cushion hardens.
7. Fill the seams.

Everything is prepared! It takes 28 days to reach maximum cushion strength, after which loads can be applied safely.

Laying paving stones on concrete

I instantly think of medieval Europe when I see a paving stone path. associations with things that are robust, centuries-old, and rich in historical events.

For this reason, I like paving stones even though they are more expensive. Let’s expand on the benefits:

• stronger than tiles, because the area is smaller;
• shape and color are not a problem now – you can choose any;
• unlike tiles, you can lay out more intricate designs;
• huge service life;
• green technology, environmentally friendly and safe.

The original, antiquated pavers were composed of crushed stone, basalt, or granite. Of course, you can purchase one right now, but the cost is higher. Slate, limestone, shell rock, and various grades of concrete are among the less expensive materials used everywhere.

Paving stones were first placed directly on the beach in the past. The loads were light, and horses and a cart were used to carry the heaviest ones. Now, it won’t operate that way. The tiles will begin to crumble and break apart as soon as you start driving your car. Reinforced concrete is the best option for providing a stiff foundation.

Paving stones have additional drawbacks.

• it is more expensive than tiles, and if it is made of natural stone, it is even more expensive;
• very noisy surface when driving and even walking;
• impossible to walk in thin heels.

I strongly suggest using it on your plots if these drawbacks don’t frighten you. In the section below, I’ll also offer you some advice that will greatly simplify your work.

Paving slabs are a practical and long-lasting way to create attractive and durable outdoor surfaces when laid on concrete. By combining the visual appeal of paving slabs with the strength of a concrete base, this technique guarantees a finish that is both stable and appealing. It is especially appropriate for high-traffic areas like patios, walkways, and driveways.

Preparing the base, laying the slabs, and finishing the surface are the three main steps in the process of installing paving slabs on concrete. In order to guarantee that the slabs are level and firmly placed, proper preparation is essential. In order to do this, the current concrete surface must usually be cleaned, a bonding agent must be applied, and the slabs must be set in place using a sand or mortar bed.

This method’s longevity is one of its key benefits. With the concrete base, there is less chance of the slabs shifting or cracking over time because it offers a strong foundation that can bear a lot of weight and pressure. You can also create a surface that matches the design of your home and garden thanks to the wide range of aesthetic options provided by the various paving slab designs.

It is not too difficult to maintain a concrete-paved surface. To keep the surface looking new and stop weed growth, clean the joints occasionally and repoint them. A well-laid paved surface can last for many years with little maintenance, making it an excellent investment for any type of property.

Video on the topic

Laying paving slabs on concrete

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