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Patio and Paving Specialists in the UK

UK Patio Layers: There are one or two possibilities to choose from if you are thinking of turning some of your back garden into an outside living space. One of the most common ways is to lay down a patio, which provides an extremely solid and level surface on which to place plant pots, barbecues, and garden furniture. A smooth and seamless transition between your home's interior and your garden can be achieved, thereby maximizing your usable living space, while also improving the style and design of the whole property.

Specialists at do-it-yourself in UK will be keen to handle this themselves, however installing a top quality patio is not as simple as you'd believe. Tiny patios will possibly be well within the range of ability of most do-it-yourselfers, however larger more complex patios are best left to expert patio layers. You should also bear in mind that its not merely the task of preparing a level base and laying the slabs that is called for, it is additionally the removal and disposal of considerable amounts of earth and rubble and possibly old patio materials in the case of a replacement. This work is going to be tough and will require the use of a skip, at the very least.

A specialist UK patio builder should be able to advise you on exactly what you should and shouldn't have, recommend and supply the most appropriate materials and work out an awesome patio design for you to fit in with your available space. Demand a sales brochure, most good patio layers will have a portfolio of patio work that they have recently done in the UK area. By seeing this brochure you might be able to get a notion of precisely what your patio project will be like when it is complete, this should help you to pick your materials and design.

Project Planning: Make sure you talk to your chosen patio specialist regarding certain matters which must be decided during the planning stage, for example: access to the patio, what is the perfect position for your patio, are there any obstacles in the way that you need to consider such as (trees, drains etc), the accurate measuring of the area to be patioed, what patio materials are you planning to use, does the area need to be levelled, does it need to slope away from the house, what is the patio area to be used for as well as other issues that your UK patio expert will point out.

The proper preparation of the area where the patio is to be placed is extremely important if the result is to be perfect. This task will include excavating and removing the topsoil to an appropriate level, putting in a layer of hardcore, compacting this down and finally giving it a 25mm layer of sharp sand or similar.

The Laying of the Paving: When everything has been got ready the patio layer will begin putting down the slabs, precisely how this level proceeds will depend upon the type of material you have picked, and ought to be fairly straightforward so long as the ground preparation was executed properly and the base is sound and level.

Materials: Garden patios can be made from lots of different materials, the most common being bricks, cobbles, sandstone, blocks, slabs, concrete, granite, limestone, gravel, composite blocks, setts, asphalt and slate.

Driveway Installation

Driveways UK: Along with a patio, you might also wish to get a new driveway built, or maybe a pre-existing driveway renewed. A lot of UK patio installers also lay drive-ways as well, so to save yourself a heap of time, money and aggravation, you should get this done simultaneously. This of course will be dependent on your budget and whether it will extend to this extra work, but it is certainly worth taking into consideration.

Patio Sealing

Patio and Driveway Sealing UK: Applying sealer is the ideal way to protect your path, patio, paved area or driveway in the UK and can be very effective for block paved areas where the sand can be eroded from the joints while cleaning. Sealing helps prevent this annoying loss of sand which is a frequent problem when water jetting in particular. This isn't the only benefit of sealing which will also prolong the lifespan of your driveway or patio, avert staining, enhance the look of your patio blocks or slabs, inhibit moss, grass and weed growth, make the area quicker and easier to clean and reduce the need for repairs in the future. Driveway and patio sealants are water resistant and do not peel or blister, various types are available on the market for different finishes including tarmac restorers, block paving sealants, imprinted concrete sealers and natural stone sealers. (Tags: Driveway Sealing UK, Patio Sealing UK)

Patio Edging

Patio Edgings UK: Adding a stylish edging to your patio area is the best way to give it a professional looking finish. How this is done will obviously be determined by your chosen design and layout. There are numerous kinds of patio edging, although they won't all be suitable for your particular patio finish, so be sure to choose carefully if you opt to go for an edging. Your possibilities will probably be between a short brick wall edging, a coping stone edging, a blockwork/brick edging, a wavy stone edging or a kerbstone edging. If you're a bit bewildered and would like to know what will go best with your particular patio design, talk to your UK patio layer. It could be helpful to see a few examples of patio edgings that they've used on past jobs, so request to look at a portfolio.

Resin Patios

Resin Bound Patios and Driveways UK: A more contemporary innovation which is mostly used for driveways in UK, but can equally be adapted for patios is the resin bound process. A resin bound surface comprises a combination of aggregate stones and resin which is mixed cold, on-site. The surface is permeable, enabling water to pass easily through it, avoiding most of the surface water problems that may occur with paving slabs. Resin bound patios and driveways are also UV stable, attractive, long lasting, colour fast, non-slip, available in a variety of colours, relatively maintenance free, weed resistant and hardwearing, they are in addition extremely adaptable and can readily incorporate bespoke designs and logos, making them ideal for business as well as private use.

Patio Grouting UK

Patio Grouting UK: Crumbling grouting or joints is one of the chief issues with existing patios. Whenever you are confronted with this scenario, you will almost certainly have grass and weeds growing up in between your slabs and the entire thing will look messy. To take care of this, you could pour boiling water on the weeds which is an effective way to destroy weeds without chemicals, or you could apply a good weedkiller. It is often a big job to repair the grout, and the most trying job of them all is the removal of the old, eroding grout. Having the whole patio re-done is the only real solution if the slabs are rocking and loose, as repairing the grout joints is not going to address the issue. If you determine that the slabs on your patio area are sufficiently firm and stable, the next step is going to be to wheedle out the damaged cement mortar by utilizing a hammer and bolster, a patio knife or better still a diamond tipped blade in an angle grinder. You will be able to complete the re-grouting with a resin or polymeric grout, as soon as the joints have been diligently washed and cleaned. Some use a dry brush-in system and others are applied using the wet slurry process.... READ MORE.

Artificial Grass UK

Artificial Lawns UK: Something which you may wish to look at instead of a paved patio is artificial grass, which is similarly low maintenance, long lasting but can be installed considerably more cheaply than a paved patio and with less disruption and mess. Artificial grass looks like genuine grass, both close up and from afar, but it never grows and never has to be mowed. If you're searching for a more cost effective solution for your garden space in UK, then artificial grass might just be the alternative for you. A lot of stone and concrete can look very dull your garden area, the natural green colour of artificial grass is easier on the eye and more soothing. The cost of artificial grass in UK is on a par with doing it with cheap quality paving slabs but less than half the cost of higher end patio slabs. (Tags: Artificial Grass UK, Artificial Lawns UK)

Patio Related Tasks UK

UK patio specialists will likely help you with patios around ponds in UK, block paving patios in UK, patio removal in UK, the removal of patios in UK, small garden patios in UK, patio landscaping designs in UK, natural stone patios in UK, garden patios and driveways in UK, garden patios and pathways in UK, patios around swimming pools in UK, the refurbishment of patios in UK, patios and decking in UK, patio installation UK, patio sealing in UK, permeable patios in UK, quotes for patios in UK, the jet washing of patios in UK, garden patios and terraces in UK and other patio related tasks in UK, UK.