LAYING FLAGS OR DECORATIVE PAVING

Screed levelling

Tools required :- Spade / shovel, spot board, trowel, 1000 / 600mm spirit level, tape measure, wood saw, rubber mallet and plate vibrator (whacker plate). There are two common ways DIYers lay flags, the first is the spot method where five dollops of mortar are put on the ground and the flag is positioned level on top. This method, which is used a great deal usually leads to problems with the paving / patios after a few months. The flags are not fully supported and may be prone to breaks if any load is placed on them, also water underneath the flags can cause them to start to rock and … [Read more...]

CONCRETE FENCE POSTS

Fig 2 Concrete post

Tools required :- Spade / shovel, spot board, bucket, wood saw, lump hammer, post / 600mm spirit level and tape measure. Safety tip :- Wear gloves when mixing mortar and concrete as cement can irritate and burn skin. Concrete posts need to be bedded in the ground and set in place using concrete. As a rough guide I would recommend having 25% of the post below ground level to provide good stability and strength. As an example I would use an 8ft post for a 6ft high fence or a 4ft post for a 3ft high fence. Once you have dug out the hole for the post to the required depth, have some … [Read more...]