Paving stone or concrete is an excellent type of landscaping that is durable and practical to manage. The different slates can be laid close together over a large area, or spaced further apart to create a discontinuous path; in this second case you may decide to cultivate grass (or other vegetation) in the various "joints", to keep the stones shiny and avoid erosion. Only a few tools are needed for this job.
Steps
Step 1. Excavate the area where the slabs will be laid
Use a spade to create a hole where you will put the slabs; the housing should be approximately 12 cm deep, but it can also be shallower. Put the dirt you picked up in an area where it doesn't bother you. If the topsoil layer is deeper than the hole you dug, keep it separate from the rest of the soil, as you will need it later to refill the gaps that are now empty.
Step 2. Fill the excavated area with gravel
Use a shovel to spread a layer inside the hole; it should be about 10 cm deep, but about 2-3 cm may be enough; once the crushed stone is poured, level it using a shovel.
- This material dramatically improves under-paving drainage, prevents it from flooding with water, being lifted out of overly saturated soil, and prevents unwanted plant growth.
- If you want the pavement to remain level with the surrounding ground, you don't have to completely fill the hole with gravel; instead it leaves enough space for the slabs to rest on the surface.
Step 3. Arrange the slates
Place them on the gravel base in the area you have decided; you can tap them firmly using a rubber mallet to secure them in place; alternatively you can add a thin layer of sand on top of the crushed stone and lay the slabs.
Step 4. Fill the remaining spaces with soil
Once the paving is positioned correctly, use the soil to fill the joints between one stone and another; what you originally moved when you created the hole is more than enough to seal these cracks.
Step 5. Spread the weed seeds on top of the soil
You can do this by hand, but make sure you cover all areas between the different plates; when finished, you can press the seeds into the soil using your hands or add another thin layer of soil.
Step 6. Water until the grass is well established
At first you should wet the soil until it becomes moist; it is sufficient to irrigate in the morning and in the afternoon in order to make the soil slightly impregnated. When the first shoots begin to appear, reduce the frequency to once a day; when the grass has rooted properly, you can proceed with watering normally like the rest of the lawn.
Advice
- As an alternative to growing the grass between the different slabs, you can use a specific flooring with holes; when the different elements are placed close to each other, a grassy surface is created that requires much less water and maintenance than traditional lawns.
- When you use this method, plant a variety of grass that tolerates drought, because gravel placed under the soil limits the ability to hold water.
- Moss and climbing plants (such as climbing thyme) are excellent alternatives to grass to grow among the lose.
