How to plan a patio from start to finish
Most of the work in a patio is below the slabs. A patio that lasts sits on a compacted sub-base and a full mortar bed, so the shopping list is longer than just paving. Work through the steps above in order and save each one to the same job.
- Dig out. Take the ground down about 170mm below where the finished patio will be. Work out the soil volume first: a 4m × 3m patio at 170mm is about 2m³ in the ground, more once it's dug.
- Get rid of the soil. Dug soil is heavy waste. Many skip firms limit how full a skip of soil can be, so check before you book.
- Sub-base. Spread MOT Type 1 and compact it in two layers with a plate compactor. This is what stops slabs sinking or rocking.
- Bed and lay. Lay each slab on a full bed of sharp sand and cement, not five dabs. Prime porcelain slabs on the back before laying.
- Point the joints with jointing compound or a sand and cement mortar once the bed has set.
For the step-by-step build, see our patio sub-base guide.
Before you start
- Check the levels. The finished patio must sit at least 150mm below the house's damp-proof course and fall away from the house. Work back from that to find how deep to dig at each end.
- Find drains and covers. Inspection chambers must stay accessible. Raise or lower the frame to the new level rather than paving over it.
- Plan deliveries. Bulk bags and pallets of slabs are craned onto the drive or kerbside. Make sure there's room, and a route to barrow everything through.
- Set out with whole slabs. Adjusting the patio size by a few centimetres to fit whole slabs saves cutting and looks neater.
A typical day-by-day plan
For a 4m × 3m patio and two people: day 1, mark out and dig (hire a mini digger if the ground is hard or the patio bigger), with the skip arriving the same morning. Day 2, lay the membrane, spread the MOT Type 1 and compact it with a hired plate compactor. Days 3–4, mix the bedding and lay the slabs, checking the fall with a level and straight edge as you go. A day or two later, once the bed has set, point the joints. Bad weather, porcelain cutting and awkward shapes all add time, so don't book the barbecue for the following weekend.
Tools to hire or borrow
A plate compactor, a petrol disc cutter or wet saw for cutting slabs, a mixer, and possibly a mini digger. You'll also need a long spirit level, string lines and pegs, a rubber mallet, wheelbarrows, shovels and a pointing trowel. Wear eye, ear and dust protection whenever cutting, as paving dust contains silica.
Want block paving or a drive instead? Use the block paving calculator. For a gravel area, use the gravel calculator.