How to lay paving slabs on an old concrete path? Technology for laying paving slabs on a concrete base: several methods Paving paving slabs on a concrete base

Arrangement of garden paths is carried out in various ways, but not all of them can provide the best quality. A very reliable foundation is obtained if paving slabs are laid on concrete, because the material based on sand, cement and gravel has high strength properties. This option is especially relevant where there is significant pressure on the surface.

Main advantages of the method

Not everyone knows how to lay paving slabs on concrete, but many have an idea of ​​the advantages of such technology. However, during the work process it is necessary to take into account some nuances regarding moisture removal ().

In the case of a sand cushion, water flows freely into the ground without causing harm to the coating.

• High resistance to deformation makes it possible to use the material for a long period of time.
• The relatively low price of the final structure allows it to be used by a wide range of developers.
• The simple installation technology allows you to carry out the work directly with your own hands.

Note! When installing on a concrete surface, you should create point moisture receivers, linings and other water drainage systems, then the base will serve for decades.

Carrying out work

When performing basic operations, accurate measurements are of no small importance, because if the calculations are incorrect, operation can be difficult. The upper level of the covering should be below the lawn, then there will be no problems when mowing the grass at the edge. In addition, it will be possible to avoid damage to the cutting elements.

Creating a Foundation

A prepared platform based on a concrete mixture can increase the durability of the coating if all work is carried out correctly. If serious mistakes are made during pouring, cracks may occur, which will compromise the integrity of the top layer.

Before laying paving slabs on concrete, you need to arrange the base itself.

1. The territory is immediately marked, after which a small pit is made. To do this, the soil is removed to a depth of 20-25 cm. This distance corresponds to the bayonet of a shovel.
2. The bottom of the trench is carefully leveled and covered with a layer of sand from 10 to 15 cm. A waterproofing material is laid on the surface of the soil, which will prevent the slab from coming into direct contact with moisture.
3. Formwork is made from boards or pieces of plywood around the entire perimeter of the site. The main elements, as a rule, are supported by pegs sunk into the ground at intervals of 80-100 cm.
4. Using metal rods, a reinforcing mesh is made, which is necessary to improve the strength properties of the structure. It should be located in the central part.
5. The basic composition is prepared: 1 part of M400 cement, 2 parts of sand, 4 parts of gravel and water. Mixing everything M300, which is widely used in the construction environment.
6. The finished mixture is poured directly into the formwork to the desired level. It is advisable to carry out the process within 24 hours, otherwise you will have to make special notches.

Attention! If there is already a ready-made base in which it is necessary to create drainage channels, diamond drilling of holes in the concrete is performed. After this, you can begin subsequent work.

Covering installation

Before laying paving slabs on concrete, you should prepare a sand-cement composition with which the elements will be fixed. Typically, there are four parts of sand per portion of binder.

The amount of water determines the consistency of the solution.

1. First, curb stones are installed on the outer sides. To maintain evenness, the laces are tightened. A sand-cement mixture is applied under each element.
2. After this, the tiles are laid out on a dry base in compliance with the basic pattern. If the outer fragments extend beyond the curb, then the reinforced concrete is cut with diamond wheels.
3. Having prepared a certain part of the coating, you can begin fixing the elements with a binder. To do this, apply the mixture onto the concrete surface with a trowel, after which each segment is leveled with a rubber hammer.
4. At the last stage, the seams are sealed. The finished composition is drawn into a special gun and carefully applied between the fragments. After the solution has dried, the surface is treated with a brush.

Note! The alignment of elements during installation work is carried out using a building level, and the horizontal is checked after installation of each row.

Product selection

Depending on the production technology, vibropressed and vibrocast tiles are distinguished. In the first case, the coating elements are able to withstand the most intense loads, and therefore are actively used in the construction of full-fledged automobile platforms. Vibrocast products are used for garden paths, recreation areas and other areas with low load.

When purchasing products, you need to pay attention to the surface. A shiny layer on top may be a sign of increased water content, and this has a bad effect on the quality characteristics of the material.

Final part

This instruction not only gives a clear idea of ​​whether paving slabs can be laid on concrete, but also provides an opportunity to become familiar with the procedure for carrying out the work. The main difference from laying on a sandy surface is the use of a binder mortar ().

Additional information about the installation technique is contained in the video in this article.

In cases where it is planned to use paving slabs to create and improve sidewalks in high-traffic areas or to equip areas for parking and passage of cars, laying should be done on a concrete base.

It is this technology that is designed for high loads and can be used not only on private land plots, but also within the city for the arrangement of pedestrian paths and improvement of the area around shops, including for the entrance and parking of cars.

So how to properly lay paving slabs on a concrete base and avoid mistakes? We'll figure out.

Advantages of this method before laying paving stones on sand are associated with higher strength of the structure:

• the concrete base is resistant to high loads and mechanical damage;
• with the same strength, a simple installation system compared to asphalt pavement - there is no need to install an asphalt roller.

But there are some downsides here:

• the technology is more complex than when laying on a bed of sand and crushed stone;
• when removing a damaged slab for repair, neighboring slabs can be damaged;
• If the technology is not followed, the concrete base may begin to paint after the first winter.

Find out on the pages of our website about. Let's talk about the advantages and disadvantages of this technique.

Do you know how to lay clinker tiles correctly? You will learn about the features of working with this type of paving slabs.

Consumables and tools

To make it easier to carry out work according to the technology, you need to prepare the following tools and materials:

• concrete mixer;
• sand;
• cement grade M500;
• crushed stone;
• 2 building levels 40–50 and 80–100 cm long;
• tamping (automatic or manual);
• pegs and durable cord for marking boundaries;
• Master OK;
• rubber mallet;
• irrigation hose with shower nozzle or watering can;
• rake;
• broom.

Quantity calculation

So that there is enough material for all the work and there is not much left over, you need to make markings on the site and measure the perimeter of future sidewalks and platforms, and also calculate their area. Based on these parameters, further calculations will be carried out.

Let's move on to the instructions on how to lay paving slabs on a concrete base and what needs to be done to the concrete before laying.

Preparatory work

The preparatory stage of work is no less important than laying the paving stones themselves. If the base is made with high quality, in accordance with the technology, the sidewalk or platform will be durable and will serve for a long time. The soil is prepared as follows:

1. On the area marked with pegs and a nylon cord, soil is removed to a depth of 25 cm, extending beyond the intended contour to the thickness of the border plus another 2–3 cm. The resulting pit is cleared of plant roots and stones. If the soil is loose, a excavation is made by removing the entire fertile layer, because it is difficult to compact.
2. The bottom is leveled with a rake, moistened with a hose or watering can and compacted to prevent further subsidence of the soil. Only then do they proceed to work on the production of the supporting layer.

On our website we will tell you which one is better to choose. You will learn about the varieties of products and their quality.

Step-by-step instruction

The quality of the load-bearing layer when laying slabs on concrete is very important due to the use of rigid fixation. If done poorly, the structure will quickly crack.

Preparing a concrete pad

To improve the quality of work on preparing a concrete base for paving slabs, you can use a three-dimensional geogrid - a honeycomb-shaped structure made of a synthetic material that is resistant to rotting and chemical influences.

When stretched, such a lattice forms a frame that is stable in the horizontal and vertical directions, reinforcing any bulk material placed in the cells. The service life of such a grating is up to half a century.

Installation of curbs

In the recess remaining after dismantling the formwork, you need to install curbs. To do this, hard concrete is made, placed in the ditch with a trowel, and curb stones are installed on it one by one.

A rubber mallet is used to drive them into the solution. The gaps between the stones are filled with liquid concrete.

The height of the curbs should be at least 20-30mm below the top of the paving stones so as not to interfere with water flow. After a day, when the solution has hardened, the space between the curb stone and the walls of the trench is filled with sand.

How to put it correctly

The dimensions of the plates are selected depending on the purpose: for a sidewalk, a thickness of 4–5 cm is sufficient, and if cars will drive onto the surface, then choose paving stones no thinner than 6 cm.

On a concrete base, the slabs are laid on a dry sand-cement mixture or on a cement-sand mortar.

Sealing seams

Between the paving stones, the seams are covered with dry fiber cement. and pour water on it. The operation is repeated until the mixture stops shrinking. After 2-3 days, when the surface is completely dry, remove construction debris, sweep away small debris and dust with a broom and, if necessary, wash the surface with strong water pressure from a hose.

Useful video

You will learn even more about the technology of laying paving slabs on a concrete base from this video:

Important nuances: can mistakes be avoided?

The width of the paths and the size of the platforms must be provided so that a certain number of whole tiles are laid between the edges - Avoiding unnecessary pruning can result in significant savings.. When laying tiles diagonally, there will be more waste.

Paving stones should be cut using a grinder with a stone disc. To reduce dust, the tiles are cut and then chipped off. Before making a cut, you need to place the slab in its intended place, make a mark and then cut along the mark. This will avoid mistakes and reduce waste.

Surfaces lined with paving slabs should be made with a slight slope for better water drainage. To do this, it is enough that the surface difference is 5 mm per meter.

Tracks can be tilted to one side or make the middle a little higher so that the water flows to the edges. If normal drainage from the surface is not ensured, then stagnant water will gradually seep to the concrete base and, when freezing, tear the paving stones away from it.

If the tiles are made by vibration casting, it is better to attach them to concrete with a special glue, which, with a minimum layer thickness, provides excellent attachment to the base.

The solution should be mixed as close as possible to the pouring site, and concrete cannot be mixed at temperatures below 0°C.

Security measures

First of all, you should follow safety precautions, common to all construction work, supplementing them with the following points:

• when working with cement, you should wear a respirator, and when cutting tiles, you should also wear safety glasses with safety glasses;
• with concrete, in order to avoid corroding the skin of your hands, you need to work with rubber gloves;
• upon completion of work with concrete, all tools used should be washed immediately;
• The paving stones are not allowed to be cut or split when placed on the knee.

When laying paving slabs on a concrete base, you must strictly follow the technology for performing the work. In this case, the concrete will not crack in the first winter, and the tiles will not fall off the base; paths and platforms will last for many years without repair.

Laying paving slabs on a concrete base allows you not only to strengthen the coating, but also to give it a more aesthetic and interesting appearance. Let's look at what other advantages this technology has?

Advantages of a concrete base

Stability and durability are two main advantages of a concrete base. Unlike soil or crushed stone-sand layer, which is easily susceptible to various atmospheric influences, concrete does not sag even under very heavy loads. Also, by laying paving slabs on concrete, the base can be used to obtain a perfectly smooth paved surface with clear shapes.

This technology has a number of other advantages:

1. Strength. Concrete does not collapse under the influence of strong mechanical loads (it can last more than 30 years), which is extremely important for parking lots and areas with high traffic volumes.
2. Effective resistance to precipitation. If paving slabs are correctly laid on a concrete base, the coating will not freeze (frost resistance is about 200 cycles, which is a determining factor in the harsh northern climate).
3. No “shrinkage effect”. Sand and soil can sag over time, and this leads to individual or complete destruction of the tile covering.
4. Reliability. Hardened adhesive for paving slabs (or cement) and a concrete base are many times more reliable than sand and crushed stone topping. This helps the tile “not move” and not fall out of its place.
5. Environmental friendliness. When heated strongly, it does not emit carcinogenic substances.
6. Availability. Paving stones have a relatively affordable price, since they are made from inexpensive modern materials (the exception is granite paving stones).

But in order for all these advantages not to be nullified, it is necessary to strictly adhere to the technology from the beginning of the work process to the very end. It should be understood that laying on concrete occurs completely differently than on a crushed stone-sand layer, but according to a completely different principle. Let's look at the features of the process to understand how to do it correctly.

Features of masonry on concrete

The main feature of the whole process lies, again, in the concrete base, which, first of all, provides the tiles with a long service life. However, many finishing specialists often do not want to take on this technology because of its complexity - just one small mistake made during work will not allow the coating to “overwinter” even for one season.

Laying paving slabs on concrete is possible only when drainage and drainage have already been done for the future site.

This will ensure effective drainage of water from the paved surface, and moisture, as you know, is the “sworn enemy” of tiles. Getting into its micropores and small cracks, when freezing, water increases in volume and destroys the material from the inside.

If you lay the tiles only on a sand-crushed stone layer, the water will not remain in it and will instantly be absorbed into the sand and crushed stone, and then into the soil. Simply put, the outflow of water occurs instantly, which cannot be said about concrete. Improper installation will allow water to pass through the joints and accumulate between the tile and concrete. And, as a result, the coating will begin to “move away” from its base.

Laying on flat concrete will cause stagnation of water. To prevent this from happening, the concrete base should be slightly inclined in the direction opposite to the house or any other building near which the path (site) is planned. It is also very important to take into account all the rules and subtleties that are involved not only in the process of pouring concrete, but also in laying tiles on the street. Let's look at each of them in detail.

Preparing the concrete base for tiles

Preparing the base looks like this - step-by-step instructions for those who do it themselves:

1. Tags. Drive stakes to mark the boundaries of a walkway, sidewalk, or paving area. Pull the twine or threads taut, tying them tightly to the pegs.
2. Make a hole in the soil. The top layer of soil must be removed (20-25 cm deep) and compacted well using special tools (manual or pneumatic tamper) and water. Wait until the soil is completely dry before continuing to work.
3. Curbs (formwork). In the future, when laying tiles, they will help fix it and prevent bending and shifting. For stability, fill in a layer of crushed stone about 5 cm thick.
4. Laying crushed stone (15-20 cm). It is recommended to place a waterproofing film in the middle of this layer to further prevent moisture from penetrating upward from the ground.
5. A small layer of sand. It must be laid out in order to fill voids and compact the substrate. If the site is very large, it makes sense to use special equipment for rolling or vibrating the soil.
6. Reinforcement (rods or mesh). An additional reinforcement layer is required for driveways and very large areas. If you use separate rods, they should be tied together with wire and run perpendicular to each other. The finished mesh must be firmly secured to the side rods.
7. Cement mortar. Mix cement, sand and crushed stone in a ratio of 1:3:2 with water until a homogeneous mass is obtained and pour it onto the prepared base. Level it well, not forgetting a slight slope, and leave to dry (for 2-3 days) under the film.

Tile laying algorithm

So, the preparation of the base is completed. But the tiles should be laid only when the concrete has completely dried and hardened, and there are no defects left inside it in the form of voids formed. If for some reason the concrete becomes cracked, the tiles will become unsuitable for re-paving.

The technology for laying paving slabs on a concrete base of one composition is not much different from other types. We will look at the process using an example, which are very popular today due to their unique properties: they are resistant to abrasion, do not absorb liquid, oil and gasoline, and are easy to transport, store and install. The tiles are also suitable for laying on concrete - it allows you to reliably protect your home from groundwater and precipitation.

Our step-by-step instructions will help those who are going to do all the work themselves without professional experience. So, a detailed description of each stage:

Stage 1: dismantling the formwork and installing curbs

If you didn’t start making curbs at the stage of creating the concrete base, you need to do them now. To do this, dig a trench along the stretched threads with a depth equal to the height of the edging stone, which will be located underground, and the thickness of the cement pad (about 3-5 cm).

The cement placed under the curb is necessary for a stronger fixation of the edging stones - they are driven into the solution (the ratio of sand and cement is 3 to 1) using a special rubber hammer. After one day, when the solution has completely hardened, fill the space between the walls of the curb and the trench with sand, pour water and level it well.

Stage 2: preparing the adhesive

Another layer of cement or adhesive mortar should be applied to the pre-laid concrete. Laying paving slabs with your own hands on cement is a cheaper option, but fixing the coating with glue will be much easier. If you are working with glue, prepare a solution and follow the instructions.

Step 3: Tiling Guide

The cement layer should be approximately 2-3 cm high. Using a construction trowel, apply it to the concrete and level it well. If the tiles are patterned, when laying each detail, you need to look at the overall planned pattern. The laying work is carried out from yourself - you must move forward, stepping on the already paved surface.

While working, do not forget to control the masonry using the initial markings and the building level. Obstacles that appear on the way (drainage holes, pipes, hatches), first circle them with whole slabs, and after finishing the work, trim them to the desired shape using a grinder or a circular saw.

Stage 4: seam processing

Repeat this until the mixture has completely settled. After 2-3 days the surface will be ready for use.

And in conclusion, it is worth noting that tiles can be used not only outdoors - they help make concrete flooring more durable, so very often they are laid on top of a concrete floor in. This finishing method can significantly improve the indoor environment and increase the level of comfort in car care. Our video will give additional recommendations on how to lay paving slabs on a concrete base.

Paving slabs firmly occupy a leading place among construction products used for covering city streets, squares and individual plots. Indisputable proof of such popularity is evident in any city, town and private backyard. In this article we will look at how to lay paving slabs on a concrete base.

Most often, tiled covering is arranged:

• on sidewalks and squares;
• around administrative buildings, offices, shopping, sports and entertainment complexes, train stations, airports, educational institutions and other places with high traffic volumes;
• in public parks, lawn and garden paths on private plots;
• private car parking areas and parking lots for large equipment;
• when improving suburban areas.

Main types of products

Depending on the manufacturing methods, the following varieties are distinguished:

• vibrocast;
• vibration-pressed;
• hyperpressed;
• polymer sand.

The composition of paving slabs usually includes sand concrete with the addition of granite chips, limestone, slates or rubber crumbs. Basalt chips are added less frequently.

• sawn paving stones with all edges smooth;
• sawn and split with a smooth bottom and top edge;
• chipped, with uneven edges.

In the first two types, the flat top surface can be subjected to heat treatment, which makes it non-slip.

The most common square paving stones with sides of 10 cm and a thickness of 3 to 10 cm.

In what cases is it necessary to lay paving slabs on concrete?

The following can be used as a base for tile covering:

• crushed stone or gravel-sand cushion;
• concrete, reinforced with steel mesh or individual rods, composite reinforcement or vibrating fiber to increase strength.

The tiles can be laid on existing concrete screeds or on newly installed ones.

Although in the first case the work is much easier and faster, laying tiles on concrete is necessary to ensure a stable and durable coating in the following cases:

• the presence at the work site of soils with increased susceptibility to shrinkage (recently filled embankments, silty sands, peat);
• heaving clay soils, characterized by uneven swelling in certain areas;
• a concrete base for paving slabs is installed when the surface is exposed to significant loads, for example, parking for a car;
• when facing on existing solid concrete bases, when their dismantling is impractical and is highly labor-intensive (blind areas around the house, existing concrete coverings, floors in garages and outbuildings). The decision whether it is possible to lay paving slabs on concrete is made after a thorough examination of the existing old concrete pavement. Laying over old concrete allows for significant savings on building materials, protects the existing coating from further destruction and significantly improves its appearance.

Advantages and disadvantages of laying paving stones on a concrete base

The concrete base for laying paving stones has the following advantages:

• high strength and resistance to the application of significant loads and mechanical stress;
• durability;
• installing tiles on a concrete base minimizes the risk of shrinkage;
• ease of implementation, allowing you to lay paving slabs with your own hands;
• there is no need to use complex expensive technical devices;
• resistance of the base to chemical influences, water washout, temperature changes;
• on a solid concrete base, the process of leveling tiles in a single plane is much easier, resulting in a clear, straight shape and a perfectly flat surface
• absence of failures caused by poor-quality compaction of the base;
• environmental friendliness of paving with tiles.

Existing disadvantages:

• the technology for laying paving stones on a concrete base is more complicated than on sand and crushed stone pads;
• the need for reliable drainage systems. Having seeped through the seams in the coating, water will remain between the concrete base and the tiles and, when freezing temperatures set in, it can swell and even split the paving stones. To avoid this, paving stones are laid with certain slopes, point water inlets are laid in the concrete, and stormwater systems are installed;
• a concrete base for paving stones is more expensive than a simple base of crushed stone and sand;
• If the technological process is disrupted, coloring of the concrete base may occur after the end of the first winter.

What requirements must paving slabs meet?

When using any types of products for paving, they must meet the following requirements:

• when laying tiles outdoors, frost resistance ≥ 200 cycles;
• compressive strength ≥ 30 MPa;
• water absorption by weight ≤ 5%;
• abrasion during annual operation ≤ 0.7 g/cm 2 ;
• the purchase of products must be made from one batch, since in different ones, even from the same manufacturer, the tiles will differ in geometric dimensions and color saturation;
• environmentally friendly cleanliness of products, when used both for external and internal work with the installation of cobblestone flooring in warehouses and utility rooms;
• lack of porosity on the surface;
• strict adherence to geometric dimensions with evenness of all edges;
• absence of internal and external cracks, as well as chips;
• naturalness and uniformity of coloring.

Technology for laying paving slabs on a concrete base

The following methods of paving on a rigid base are distinguished:

1. A dry mixture of 1 to 5 cement with sand is poured over the concrete base, the thickness of such a dry solution is taken to be up to 5 cm. Due to the difficulty of creating the necessary slopes for water drainage, a slope of 2 to 5 degrees is created in the process concrete foundation installations. To prevent moisture from being retained under the tiles, pieces of polymer or asbestos pipe, 1 piece each, are placed vertically into the concrete screed. for every m2.
   After the concrete mixture has hardened, the top of the pipes is cut off at the level of the top of the concrete and the holes are filled with fine crushed stone. Laying paving stones begins directly from the curb; after laying 4 elements, a check is made to maintain the specified level using a building level. Ensuring the quality of the fit is carried out using a rubber hammer; by lightly tapping, the tile is sunk into a mixture of cement and sand or, if necessary, raised with a sprinkle of dry mixture (prance) or a cement cushion. With this method of paving, labor costs are significantly reduced and costs for materials and labor are saved. Laying is done in front of you, moving along an already paved surface. The downside is the need to thoroughly compact the mixture, and then the finished cladding.
   Tamping can be done with vibrating plates, or if they are not available, you can use a piece of thick, wide board. The method is most repairable, as it allows easy replacement of individual damaged tiles.
2. For mortar, it is widely used for paving large areas. The cement-sand mortar is applied to the base in a layer of up to 3 cm per reachable area by the master and leveled using a notched trowel.
   Laying paving stones on concrete using this “wet” technology is carried out first in whole tiles, taking into account the desired pattern, all mortar is removed from unpaved areas with trowels, cut tiles are installed on fresh mortar after the base mortar has hardened under the solid tiles. Compliance with the required slopes and the flatness of the coating are checked using a level and rules.
   In all methods, the tiles are laid with equal gaps (5 mm), the resulting seams in both of the above methods are filled with grit or simply sifted quartz sand and spilled with water. Movement of people on the laid surface is allowed no earlier than after 24 hours.
3. Glue the tiles to the concrete using a special construction adhesive. With this method, it is possible to create the necessary slopes only on a concrete base, since the glue is spread in a very thin layer (from 5 to 10 mm) on the surface of a small area (≤ 1 m2), since the hardening time indicated on the attached instructions application, small. For the same reason, paving slab adhesive is diluted in small quantities to avoid hardening.
   The seams are filled with the same glue or you can use a garter, as in previous cases. Cured special construction adhesive provides a strong and reliable connection with concrete, so this method is used quite often, but it will not be possible to replace a damaged element without its final breaking.

Step-by-step instructions for paving on a concrete base

Composition and sequence of work:

1. Laying out areas and paths on which paving is planned, securing the markings with wooden or metal pegs. The boundaries between the pegs are covered with lime or chalk.
2. Removal of the fertile soil layer with the construction of an earthen trough, taking into account the location of reinforced concrete curbs or curbs. The depth of the trench under the curbs depends on their height; the top of the curb, to ensure drainage from the paving surface, should be 2 cm below the top of the tiles and rise above the level of the lawn.
3. Installation of curbs or curbs. A strong cord is pulled onto the hammered pegs at the height of the curbs, taking into account the required longitudinal slopes. To collect water flowing from the tiled surface, it is recommended to provide trenches for laying storm system trays close to the curbs. Reinforced concrete elements are installed in trenches on a compacted sand base with a small layer of lean concrete or mortar laid on top of it. The elements are fixed with wooden pegs and pouring concrete mixture.
4. Construction of a concrete base. The soil in the earth trough is carefully compacted and covered with geotextile to prevent weed germination. Concrete is laid on a compacted bed of sand or crushed stone ≥ 10 cm thick.

In some cases, curbs are installed by craftsmen after the base has been concreted. This option, if you do the work yourself, is not recommended. To protect the edges of the platforms from soil shedding and create a concrete base with smooth edges, formwork is installed from boards 40 mm thick, which will have to be carefully secured. If the curbs are installed immediately, they themselves will serve as formwork. The advantages of this option:

• there are no costs for purchasing materials for formwork;
• time is saved on its installation and subsequent disassembly;
• the concrete mixture will be poured without seeping into the cracks between the boards;
• additional fixation of curbs in the required position.

Concrete is poured no earlier than 24 hours after fixing the curbs. The break can be used for reinforcement (paths that will not be accessed by vehicles and heavy equipment do not need to be reinforced). The concrete thickness is assumed to be 15 cm in the absence of reinforcement and 20 cm in the presence of reinforcement. In the presence of moving heaving soils, the thickness can increase to 40 cm.

Reinforcement is carried out with meshes connected from steel or composite reinforcement with a diameter of up to 10 mm and cells from 15 to 20 cm. The meshes are located at the top, at a distance of about 5 cm from the top of the concrete, with laying on concrete pads. You can perform the pouring in two stages: lay a layer of concrete about 10 cm, carefully level it, lay nets on the fresh concrete and pour the concrete mixture to the required level.

When pouring large areas, every 3 m it is necessary to install expansion joints from boards laid over the entire thickness of the concrete. On paths, such seams are made every 6 m. Before hardening begins, the concrete boards are removed, and the resulting seams are filled with hot bitumen.

1. After what time can I lay tiles? Concrete will gain the minimum required strength in about three days, so you can’t start work earlier. A suitable laying method is selected; if traffic on the pavement is high or it is planned that vehicles and heavy technical equipment will enter it, then it is preferable to paving with tiles using cement mortars or construction adhesives. If there are obstacles in the lining area (sewage hatches, flower beds, drainage holes, etc.), they are lined with whole tiles.
   Before completing the work, the final design of the junctions of the required configurations is carried out with cutting of the tiles using a grinder with a concrete wheel or a circular saw. Upon completion of installation, the joints are filled. You should not walk on the paved surface for about 3 days to avoid damaging the edges of the tiles. If necessary, the required passages can be carried out by laying sheets of plywood over the paving surface.
2. Finally, after 3 days, construction debris and debris are swept away, after which the entire surface is washed with water under pressure from a hose.

Laying tiles on a concrete blind area

Blind areas around buildings are usually made up to 1 m wide. First, the condition of the blind area is examined, after which the following operations are performed:

• the concrete is cleaned of dirt, existing cracks in it are cut out;
• the entire surface of the old concrete is filled with a 2 cm layer of cement mortar;
• the boundaries of future paving are marked with driving in pegs;
• The location of the curb along the edge of the site is planned; the top of the curb should be located taking into account the slope away from the building of 2 cm for each linear line. m. and below the top for paving stones by 3 cm. Then a mark is marked on the base equal to the sum of the height of the tile and the thickness of the preparation for it, to which a strong cord is attached, the second end is tied to pegs at the planned height of the top of the curb;
• according to the arranged markings, a trench is developed for the curbs, then an earthen trough is developed between the edge of the blind area and the curbs;
• Then the work is carried out in the order described above when installing a concrete base and paving with paving slabs.

When performing the work yourself, the cost of paving is reduced by at least 2 times. Additionally, you can read technical literature or consult with specialists about how to properly lay paving slabs; this will help avoid damage to expensive materials and ensure the durability of the coating.

When decorating blind areas and paving garden paths on obviously unstable soils (silty sand, fresh embankment), clay soils, laying paving slabs on a concrete base using a dry mixture, cement-sand mortar or tile adhesive is used.

In each of the presented options, the operating conditions are not the same, so the cladding technology changes.

Paving paths, parking lots, front yard and recreation areas with paving slabs is necessary to improve the quality of the site. In classical technology, cladding elements are mounted on sand or dry mixture (1/5 cement, sand, respectively). However, in difficult cases, paving slabs are laid on concrete to ensure stable coating geometry:

• shrinkage-prone soils– these are soils with low design resistance (silty sand, peat, fresh unformed embankment);
• heaving soils– are capable of destroying the coating, since the swelling is uneven in certain areas, which is due to the scaly structure of the clay.

Less often, a home craftsman needs to decorate the used structural elements with tiles with his own hands - the floor of a garage, shed, blind area, screed in the front yard, existing paths. In this case, it takes too long to dismantle the concrete; it is a solid base, so the tiles are laid on top of it.

There are several paving methods; step-by-step instructions for each of them are provided below. However, the developer should take into account the following nuances:

• soil heaving– if a blind area or path made of concrete is being lined, which has been in use for several years and has not collapsed during this time, you can be sure that there is no clay under it, but if you plan to pour a new concrete screed for the above reasons, then there is an absolute guarantee that in the freezing layer there are no clay soils, the owner of the site does not have one;
• moisture– the concrete screed and curbs on the sides (at the blind area, the curb and foundation on the other side) are a rigid box; rain runoff, even if there is a storm drain on the side, partially penetrates the structure through the seams, saturates the concrete (possibly cracking when freezing) and saturates the solution or sand that swells in winter.

A rigid concrete trough can accumulate precipitation, preventing it from evaporating.

Important! To eliminate swelling, drainage along the outer perimeter of the blind area and insulation with extruded polystyrene foam at a depth of 40 cm are necessary. The only way to get rid of moisture accumulation is to lay the elements on tile adhesive, which will fill the seams and prevent drainage from penetrating into the structure.

On the other hand, unlike clay, sand saturated with moisture increases in volume evenly when frozen:

• all tiles will rise to the same height in winter without causing trouble to the owner;
• In the spring, the water thaws and the tiles will return to their original state.

Therefore, this nuance is most often neglected, especially in combination with a linear storm drain, the gutters of which are installed along the outer perimeter of the blind area or on one side of the path between the curbs and tiles.

Rigid concrete base layer technology

In the paving option under consideration, the paving slabs are supposed to be placed inside a rigid “trough”, the bottom of which will be a concrete screed. The rules for concreting are similar for slab foundations with minor additions:

• the lower reinforced belt can be used in parking lots, the paths are reinforced only in the upper third so that the screed can withstand the forces of possible swelling;
• Concrete can only be laid on non-metallic materials in which heaving forces are reduced, therefore the topsoil layer is removed to a depth of 0.4 m;
• the height of the curbs and storm drainage trays is significantly greater than the thickness of the tiles, so it is necessary to calculate the depth of the trench depending on the thickness of the screed.

For example, with a concrete thickness of 5 cm, a base layer of 15 cm and a tile of 6 cm, the depth of the pit will be 26 cm. And the height of the curb is 20 cm, the height of the storm drain is 13 - 41 cm, you will need to plan the bottom of the trench at different levels.

In addition, for gravity removal of wastewater from the path, slopes of 2 - 4 degrees in the transverse and longitudinal direction are required. In parking lots, slopes are usually created in one direction - towards the roadway or wastewater is collected from the side of the site and discharged into an underground container.

Important! Even when laying tiles on a dry mixture, it will be very difficult to create these slopes, and when using tile adhesive it is impossible.

If paving slabs need to be laid on an existing old base (slab or screed), you can go straight to step 3.

Marking and installation of borders

Materials for DIY paving of paths and parking lots must be purchased before this stage. The route of the path and the configuration of the parking lot and recreation area depend on the owner’s imagination. The marking technology looks like:

• the first cord is installed;
• a garden border, a storm drain tray, solid tiles along the width of the path, a second curb are placed on the dry ground close to it, a second cord is pulled;
• on radius/curvilinear sections of the path, markings can be created with paint or lime mortar directly on the ground.

After that, the fertile layer is removed from the inside of the zone outlined by the cord to a depth of 0.4 m.

The cord is installed along the outer perimeter of the curb.

Advice! If storm drainage trays with a height of 30–41 cm are used, a trench of greater depth is created in the places where they pass, taking into account adding at least 10 cm of crushed stone and laying these elements on a 2 cm layer of sand concrete or cement-sand mortar.

Scheme for calculating the depth of the trench.

If the slope of the site is more than 7 degrees, steps are designed inside the paths. If large-format areas are being decorated (front yard, parking lot, recreation area), the area is first terraced with road curb stones, concrete retaining walls or gabions.

The width of the blind area or path.

Slopes are created in the soil, underlying layer (sand, crushed stone) or in the concrete itself when it is laid. Recommended angle:

• 1 - 2 degrees across the path towards the storm drain;
• 3 – 7 degrees along the path.

For large rectangular or square areas (for example, a parking lot), slopes are created from the center to the perimeter or in one direction.

At the same stage, stormwater inlets are installed under the roof drainage pipes or transverse storm drainage trays, which drain rainwater. Mutual mixing of crushed stone/sand with soil can be prevented by laying geotextiles at the bottom of the trench. This material prevents the germination of weed roots, so it is used in most cases.

The minimum thickness of a layer of nonmetallic material for compaction with a vibrating plate is 10 cm. To prevent the absorption of cement laitance during concreting, the crushed stone is leveled with sand and covered with rolled waterproofing (roofing felt or Bikrost) or two layers of polyethylene film.

Curbs and storm drainage trays are mounted on the mortar and leveled horizontally with a rubber mallet. After the solution hardens, they actually become permanent formwork for the concrete screed.

The cord is carried inside for installation of borders.

Reinforcement and laying of the mixture

If the developer is lining the blind area, it is recommended to insulate this structure with extruded polystyrene foam (thickness 5 - 10 mm), adjoining the horizontal layer to the vertical thermal insulation of the base/foundation. The laying depth is 40 cm or at the level of the sole of the MZLF. This method eliminates swelling, the blind area does not experience serious loads from pedestrian traffic, so it does not need to be reinforced.

It’s more difficult with paths and parking lots:

It’s easier to buy wire mesh; you can knit reinforcement mesh yourself from “corrugated” rods with a diameter of 6 – 8 mm

Step-by-step instructions for reinforcement are as follows:

• the lower protective layer is provided by laying the mesh on plastic or concrete pads, the thickness of which should be calculated individually;
• the overlap of individual cards is at least one cell (10 x 10 cm or 20 x 20 cm).

For example, to reinforce a 15 cm thick screed on a path, 12 cm spacers will be required so that the mesh is located in its upper part. For parking, spacers of a minimum thickness of 1.5 - 3 cm are used, the upper mesh is laid on tables, “spiders” or other special elements.

Expansion joints are created by wooden slats laid 4 - 6 m across the path. They can be placed between the reinforcement or interrupt the mesh in expansion joints, using cards of the required size for each section of the screed. The gap is created throughout the entire thickness of the concrete.

Installation of bars for expansion joints.

To obtain concrete screed slopes, different methods are used:

• for the blind area, you can draw two lines - on the base and the storm drain tray or curb, and follow them as a rule when pulling out the top layer;
• for the path, similar lines are created on the curbs on both sides;
• inside a rectangular parking lot it is easier to place plaster beacons, pieces of pipe, bars, galvanized profiles used in gypsum plasterboard systems.

Advice! Depending on the air temperature, paving can begin 3–15 days after pouring the screed so that the cement stone gains at least 70% strength.

Laying paving slabs on concrete

If there is a hard underlying layer, you can lay the tiles using glue, mortar and grout (a dry mixture of sand and cement in a ratio of 5/1, respectively). However, when using the first two options, the installation rules differ from the cladding with porcelain stoneware and tiles.

If you place the elements on a trampoline, the labor costs and finishing budget are sharply reduced, but you will need a vibrating plate for thorough compaction, first of the dry mixture, then of the finished coating. When choosing a dry technology, the tiles are laid with your own hands in front of you, and the master moves along the already paved area.

In “wet” technologies, walking is possible every other day; the tiler applies mortar/glue to 1 - 1.5 m2, moving backwards.

Mortar mounting

The budget wet method is used for large paving areas. Classic cement-sand mortar is easy to use because it has a long lifespan. The technology has nuances:

• the recommended layer thickness is 2 – 3 cm, so that the cladding does not “float” and does not push through it completely when leveling;
• to increase productivity, the solution is applied to an area within the reach of the master’s hands and leveled with a notched trowel;
• then tiles are laid on the blind area, path or parking lot in accordance with the pattern.

The slopes and flatness of the surface are controlled by level and rule, respectively. First, the space is filled with solid tiles; in unlined areas, the entire mortar is carefully selected with a trowel or spatula. After the mixture has hardened, the scraps are cut out and installed at the place of use. The seams are covered with sand or grout and spilled with water.

Using tile adhesive

The next “wet” method is similar to the previous technology with minor differences:

• glue has a shorter lifespan and tile adjustments;
• it is kneaded in small quantities, focusing on the level of training of the master;
• the diluted solution is applied to a smaller surface (0.5 - 0.7 m2) in a layer of 0.5 - 1 cm.

Installation with tile adhesive.

The seams are processed either with the same glue or with a pliers, similar to the previous method.

Laying on dry mix

The step-by-step instructions for dry paving technology differ from the previous ones:

• prancing is mixed from seeded sand and Portland cement;
• the entire “trough” of the path or parking lot is filled with it (thickness 5 cm);
• the material is compacted with a vibrating plate;
• the tiles are laid using a rubber mallet;
• then pieces are cut out for difficult areas;
• the entire surface of the coating is compacted with a vibrating plate;
• the seams are filled with garter tape.

This method allows you to walk on the coating already during the laying process and ensures maximum repairability of the elements in the event of their accidental splitting when heavy objects fall.

Thus, the step-by-step instructions differ when using different compositions on which paving slabs are laid.

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