Make and lay concrete paving slabs yourself

In this way, very individual panels can be produced. They are no different to lay than bought boards. The paving slabs are based on cement and sand in a ratio of 1:3 (approximately). There is also water. If you want to make decorations, you also need beautiful stones or other decoration materials, which I will go into later.

concrete mix

Concrete is a natural building material and consists of cement, water and aggregates such as gravel or sand, also known as aggregate. Fine-grained dry concrete is used for fine work. A smooth surface is achieved with repair mortar. Coarse-grained dry concrete appears somewhat rougher. The decisive factor is simply the grain size of the dry concrete mix. The smaller the largest grain contained, the smoother the surface of the paving slab. The easiest way is to use ready-mixed dry concrete mass from the hardware store. This is usually offered in 25 kg bags. Mixed with 4 liters of water, one sack makes about 14 kg of concrete. If you want to use firmer concrete, which is certainly cheaper with paving slabs, use a little less water. It is important that the consistency remains workable. To test this, form a small ball with your hands. It must not fall apart. If you want to mix the mixture yourself, you have to mix three parts aggregate and one part cement and then add enough water to get the right consistency.

Preparation

Since it is rather dirty work, a suitable workplace should be created, preferably in the garden. A large board can be used as a base. Alternatively, a tarpaulin is also suitable.

make mould

The easiest way is to use a square flower tray for planters. These plastic coasters are the right height and shape. However, it is not difficult to make a simple square frame out of slats. If you want to make a lot of paving stones, you should work with more than one mold, otherwise this will be a never-ending project. If you only want to design a few decorative paving stones, one frame is enough. You make the records one after the other, one every two to three days, so to speak. In principle, a frame without a bottom is sufficient. Then a smooth, solid surface must be used as a floor.

mix concrete

The concrete is mixed as described above. It is best to use a large bucket or tub. Smaller quantities to try out can be stirred up with a mason's trowel or a spatula. For larger batches, it is best to use a mixer attachment for drills or cordless screwdrivers. You only ever mix as much concrete as you can use. It's better to mix less and rework quickly than to have too much and not know where to go.

Reinforce sidewalk slabs

Since paving slabs are subject to greater loads, it may make sense to install reinforcement or reinforcement. Poultry nets or rebars can be used for this. Normally, however, this is not necessary. Place the appropriate reinforcements in the frame before pouring the concrete.

pour concrete

The ready-mixed concrete is now poured into the mold. The surface will become smoother by tapping or shaking the corners of the mold. This will also remove any air bubbles that may be present.

Let the concrete dry

The concrete must now harden. You need a little patience for that. The form should not be taken off too early. It should harden for at least 24 hours, a little longer for thick panels. If concrete dries too quickly, it can crack. It is therefore advisable to let the panels dry in the shade and not in the sun.

eliminate imperfections

Unevenness on the edges or the patterns can be sanded down with a stone or file.

create patterns

If you don't want simple, simple paving slabs, you can provide some with patterns. These loosen up the surface.

Here are some suggestions

• Rubber door mats (look like those made of wrought iron material). Usually they have a pattern of ornaments. The mats can be cut to fit the size. Of course, it is ideal to first cut the mat as desired and then to build a mold for the panels for this exact size. Oil the rubber mat and then press it evenly into the concrete. After about 2 days, the mat can be removed again. The oil should pull it off easily.
• A sturdy leaf from the garden gives it a great pattern. To do this, brush or spray an ivy leaf or another sturdy leaf with oil from below. The underside is used for the pattern because the leaf veins are more pronounced there. The sheet is placed with the oiled side on the filled concrete, if possible in such a way that a good picture is obtained. Lightly press. To get a clearer imprint, you can put a few small pebbles on the sheet to weigh it down. This will make the imprint clearer. After 2 days, the sheet can be removed and the plate shaped. The imprint is then clearly visible.
• In principle, you can use a wide variety of objects to create a relief. Coasters made of silicone or plastic are also very suitable. There are very beautiful flower shapes.
• If you have the time and leisure, you can browse the World Wide Web. From time to time, relief molds are offered there, directly for casting paving slabs or concrete blocks. stepping stones. There are Celtic patterns, dragonflies and beetles, blossoms, butterflies, dog or cat paw prints and much more.

Lay concrete paving slabs

Slabs are best laid on an unbound foundation. This allows rainwater to run off and settlements to be compensated for with little effort. A suitable substructure is therefore important. Experts also recommend setting curbs so that the slabs cannot slide sideways and the path becomes unstable. In addition to the plates themselves, a few things are needed, e.g. B. Gravel or anti-freeze gravel (grain size 0/32), sand or gravel bedding and joint sand.

Create substructure

First, the planned route is marked out. Think about the size of the panels right away and mark them out in such a way that no or only a few cutting measures are necessary. Then the space for the “bed” is excavated. The depth of this excavation depends on the thickness of the slabs, the sand layer and the gravel base layer. 20 cm is usually sufficient for sandy soils, 40 cm is better for loamy and clay soils. Once the earth has been excavated, the subsoil is compacted. It is best to use a vibrator, a vibrating plate. Such a device can be borrowed. A layer of crushed stone or antifreeze gravel is placed on top of the compacted subsoil. It's best not to fill everything up at once, but to keep compacting in between and working your way up layer by layer. Always guide the vibrating plate lengthwise and crosswise. It is important that a slight incline of 2% is incorporated, always leading away from the house, so that rainwater and irrigation water can run off. In order to determine the height difference of the 2%, a cord is stretched between posts at the edge of the path, which must have the height that the respective layer must have at the end. Stretch the cord on both sides of the path. Stretch 2 cm per meter deeper on one side. The gravel bedding or sand with the appropriate grain size, i.e. coarse, is placed on the base layer. This layer is 3 to 5 cm. Here, too, compaction is required, so the vibratory plate is used. It is important to have a uniform, smooth surface on which the panels can be laid.

lay plates

Once the substructure is complete, the panels can be laid. You always work from where you left off to the front. It is best to start the first row of stones on a solid edge, e.g. B. on a brick wall or wall. A taut cord or straightedge helps to check that the rows of stones are aligned, both in width and in height and of course in the planned direction. The slabs are laid piece by piece on the prepared substrate, along the entire first row. Leave a gap of about 3 mm between them. Joint holders that guarantee even spacing can be obtained commercially. The panels are gently brought into position with the rubber mallet. The second row is best started with a halved pavement slab. This creates a solid bond. At the end, half a slab is also laid, at least if the path is consistent. Use an angle grinder with a cutting disc or a cutting table to cut the panels. This can be borrowed. This is how you go through row by row, always shifting every second row, so that a uniform picture emerges. With rectangular paving slabs, the pattern can be divided into thirds, i.e. design every third row like the first. Only offset the panels by a third. At the end, the entire surface is shaken off again. It is important to use a rubber mat, otherwise the concrete slabs could break or parts break off. Then joint sand is spread on the path and swept into the cracks between the slabs with a broom. Then run water over everything. The sand slides down and the cracks have to be filled again. If necessary, these two steps must be repeated until all gaps are closed with sand. The remaining sand is swept away.

Conclusion

Creating your very own path is an interesting task, albeit a bit time-consuming. But you can save a lot of money with it. Simple paving slabs are easy to make, but patterned ones aren't difficult either. Good ideas are important. Good preparation is crucial for laying out the path. This begins with the construction of the substrate for the panels and the selection of a laying pattern. This shouldn't be too complicated for beginners. Otherwise, the gradient must be observed so that rainwater can run off. It also makes sense to delimit the path, e.g. B. through curbs.

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