The choice of this technology allows not only to strengthen the coating with sufficiently large loads, but also to give it a more aesthetic appearance. As a result, it turns out to be durable and reliable, the service life is noticeably increased. But with all the positive aspects, there is one negative, this is the high cost of laying work.

Therefore, this technology is used in cases of technical conditions. But let's not get ahead of ourselves, and analyze everything from the very beginning.

The complexity of the process of paving on a concrete base

The first thing that is difficult is to follow the paving process. Usually, a traditional composition of sand and gravel is used for laying on concrete.


The scheme of laying the blind area on a dry mix - concrete

The second difficulty is the provision of drainage. If this rule is not observed, the coating is exposed to frost or thaw, which will result in deformation of the laid layer.

Therefore, when laying on a concrete base, it is better to trust professionals, they will be able to calculate the load, and lay tiles at the highest level. But if you are reading this article, then your plans include laying paving slabs on a concrete base yourself. And for this, you need to know how to choose a tile, what positive qualities the coating and the paving process itself will acquire. You will get all this knowledge by reading our article.

How to choose the right paving slabs

The best solution is a tile with high frost resistance. In addition, the tile must have compressive strength.


High-quality tiles should not be very bright

This parameter greatly affects the price offer, but given that this coating option will last longer, then its choice is obvious.

When purchasing a paving slab, carefully examine it for cracks and chips. If there are such instances, consider the material itself. If air pores or small recesses are visible in the tile, then you should not buy it, the service life of such a coating will not last up to two years.

Pay attention to the color scheme. If the tiles are made using very bright colors, then the life of the material is reduced. This is due to a violation of technology, the percentage of the dye is significantly exceeded, which will lead to cracking of the tile.

Positive traits

If you decide to lay paving material on a concrete base, you need to know the most important positive aspects of this process:


Cushion for laying paving slabs
  • Durability, resistance to heavy loads.
  • Long service life.

All these qualities can be achieved by a concrete pad, which will be laid under the paving. If you use the common composition of sand and gravel, then it will not be possible to maintain the originally laid form of the coating for a long time, sooner or later such a pillow will shrink, and the coating may move in different directions. The concrete layer will play the role of a hitch, as well as immobilize the coating.

Solution preparation

Of course, the easiest way is to purchase a ready-made solution, but this is not always a suitable option. You can easily prepare the solution yourself. The main components are sand and cement. Equally important is the choice of cement, namely its brand. For quality work, it is not worth saving. The higher the brand, the better the quality indicators of fastening elements.


New technologies allow the use of lower grades of cement, but the quality of strength is markedly reduced.

Laying technology and its sequence


Laying paving slabs on a concrete base is a technology consisting of several stages. First you need to choose a tile in shape and color, based on the surrounding landscape. It is necessary to take into account everything, even the dimensions of the future coating, and then you can proceed to pouring the base for paving.

Concrete foundation sequence

Laying paving slabs on concrete pavement

The technology is quite simple, and will not cause much difficulty. It is enough to perform all the work in a certain sequence.

Before starting the construction of the base, consider the placement of communications, if necessary. This will prevent the finished coating from being redone.

The work begins with the fact that the area under the coating is carefully planned, measured and a preliminary marking of the future base is made. Based on these data, it is possible to calculate the required number of tiles, as well as the amount of raw materials used for the base and for laying the tile itself.


After the base is ready, you can start laying. To do this, prepare the borders. They can be put on a cement-sand mortar, or concrete. After installing the curbstones, proceed to laying the coating. To work, the work surface is moistened with water.

First you need to prepare all the necessary elements:


The technology of the laying process is somewhat similar to laying tiles. A trowel is used to apply the solution, with a spatula it is necessary to level the solution and the elements can be laid one after the other. Each tile should be completely adjacent to the mortar, a rubber mallet will help with this. It is necessary to accurately observe the distance between all the tiles, each laid must be corrected until it seizes with the mortar.


To do this, the tile is raised, the solution under it is leveled, if necessary, added. Next, the tile must be laid in its place, only now in the correct angle. The distance between the tiles should be no more than 1-2 mm. For greater accuracy, you can use crosses. The next rows of tiles are aligned with the previous one, therefore, the first row must be laid very evenly.

If there is a need for a small coating element, then it can be cut off using special tools, for example, a grinder.

It must be remembered that a high-quality coating depends not only on the laying process, but also on the prepared solution.


After the installation, the very last stage remains, this is grouting. This will give your coating additional strength and bonding. Grouting is done with a grout gun. Each seam must be passed without exception, the excess is removed after complete drying. To do this, use a special brush.

The upper border of the tile should be lower than the level of the lawn, then in the process of mowing the grass, the paving will not be damaged.


Laying should only be done in dry weather. In the presence of short-term precipitation or ordinary showers, the solution will not be able to seize.

Video: Laying paving slabs

When it comes time to pave the paths, paving slabs are most often used in suburban areas. It is much more aesthetically pleasing than concrete or asphalt, and is not inferior to them in terms of strength. The easiest way is to hire craftsmen who know the laying technology, but if it is not possible to pay about 10 USD. per square, then you can retrain for a vacation as a bridgeman and put it with your own hands. The main thing is to follow the technology, which is not so complicated, to find the necessary tools and decide on the “cushion” on which you will put the finishing material. It can be created from a sand-cement mixture, gravel and concrete. Consider the cases in which paving slabs are laid on a concrete base and what nuances should be taken into account during installation and operation.

The concrete base is a flooded and tired flat area on which paving slabs will be laid. This method provides a much greater coating strength than a sand-cement cushion, so it is used in places where heavy equipment or frequent traffic congestion will put pressure on the tile. In addition, it is much easier to align all the tiles under one level if there is not a moving mixture from below, but a solid base. It will not shrink during the hardening process, there will be no failures and other problems associated with poor-quality tamping. Therefore, the owners, who do not have construction experience, but decide to do it, laying in this way will simplify the alignment of the coating in one plane.

The concrete base under the pavers provides increased strength to the site, but it is more difficult to create than laying tiles on a sand and gravel mixture

And yet, laying paving slabs on concrete is rarely used, because this technology has its own nuances associated with removing moisture from the surface of the tile. With the usual sand-cement method, precipitation goes through a hygroscopic base into the soil and does not cause any harm to the coating. If concrete is poured, then the water that seeps under the paving stones cannot go deeper, since the monolithic base simply will not let it through. As a result, it gets stuck between the base and the tile, in the tile joints, and as soon as the frost hits, it will begin to expand, pushing the coating up. As a result of this, paving stones can swell in some places, split along the edges, etc.

Therefore, when pouring a concrete base, special attention is paid to water disposal: they create rulers, point moisture collectors, lay paving stones with a slope in a certain direction, etc.

If everything is organized correctly, then the created paths will be much more durable than on a sand-cement cushion. You will be able to lay out the most complex fantasy patterns with perfect horizontal surface clarity.

First of all, they lay out the site that will be paved: they drive in pegs and put up the so-called red marks. With this term, builders designate a tightly stretched thread that outlines the boundaries of the future height of your site. They take ordinary twine, tie it to the pegs at the height where the tile will end. Do not forget to make a thread slope of 5 degrees to the place of future water inlets.

Even when laying narrow paths, red marks are still set to get a smooth edge, perfect horizontal and the correct angle of inclination for water flow

Next, they check how many centimeters of free space from the thread to the ground. If it’s less than thirty, they remove everything superfluous with a shovel and take it away in a wheelbarrow so that it doesn’t interfere. Fertile soil can be poured directly into the garden or in places where flower beds are planned.

The edge of the finished earthen "trough" should immediately be reinforced with curbs. Some craftsmen put curbs after pouring concrete, but in this case it will be necessary to protect the edge of the site from soil shedding, i.e. put up formwork. Therefore, for inexperienced bridgers, the first option is preferable.

If you immediately install the curbs, you will not have to spend time creating the formwork, and then dismantling it, and the concrete will flood the site without cracks

If a curb is used, the height of which is 50 cm, then:

  • dig a trench another 30 cm deep;
  • fall asleep with a layer of rubble (about 10 cm);
  • put cement mortar (at least 1.5 cm);
  • a curb is placed on it so that the upper edge after laying is 2-3 cm lower than the edge of the paving stones. This is necessary so that the curb does not retain water on the site, but helps to drain it.

With a lower height of the curb, the depth of the trench is correspondingly reduced.

The height of the curb should be slightly lower than the surface of the paving stones in order to ensure that precipitation quickly drains from the site and does not allow moisture to stagnate.

Technological process of pouring concrete

A day after the curb has dried, you can start pouring concrete. If you create a platform on which equipment will ride, especially large-sized ones, the concrete base must be reinforced. For this, reinforcement (not more than a dozen thick) is suitable, which is knitted with a cell size of 15-20 cm. If the paths are exclusively pedestrian, then it is not necessary to reinforce.

It is desirable to pour concrete on sand, which will be additional drainage for seeping moisture and allow it to quickly go into the ground

So that the moisture that has got through the paving slabs onto the concrete can seep further, and not stand inside, it is necessary to create special drainage holes. To do this, use an asbestos pipe, cutting it into pieces, 15-20 cm high (the height should match the height of the concrete layer, which you will then pour). Pieces of asbestos are laid out throughout the territory with the expectation of one per sq.m. After pouring concrete, they are not removed. You can also create holes from boards in the form of squares, but after the concrete has dried, the tree will have to be removed.

Now we are preparing ordinary concrete using cement grade 150-200. We fill it with a layer of 15 cm - if there is no reinforcement, 20 cm - if reinforcement is laid. If a large area is poured, then every three meters it is necessary to create a so-called temperature seam. It is needed to prevent cracking of the base in winter. The easiest way to make a seam is to press the boards into the concrete with an edge half a centimeter thick. After sticking, they are removed, and the voids are filled with an elastic filler. The top of the seam is smeared with concrete to level it with the rest of the surface.

After a day, the wooden formwork is removed from the drainage holes and filled flush with the edge of the concrete with fine gravel.

Creating a sand-cement cushion

The order of work is as follows:

  1. We sift the sand, mix with cement 6: 1 (the easiest way is in a concrete mixer);
  2. We fill the area with a layer of up to 10 cm (taking into account the thickness of the paving stones), i.e. cushion thickness + tile thickness should protrude approx. 2 cm beyond the red mark (shrink cap).
  3. We ram with a vibrating plate or stomp (a log on which a wide board is nailed from below, and a handle bar is stuffed from above).
  4. We check the tension of the red marks so that there is a slope. By the way, remember that it is better to put the pegs more often, because even a very tight thread gives a sag of 1 mm per meter.
  5. We lay out beacons on the site (pipes with a diameter of 20 mm). They must be pressed tightly against the pillow so that there is a distance from the cord to the beacon equal to the thickness of your tile + 1 cm per seal. The distance between the beacons is slightly less than the length of your rule.
  6. Then we take the rule and tighten, focusing on the lighthouses, the excess sand-cement cushion to get a perfectly flat surface.
  7. We take out the first beacons where you will start laying tiles (you can’t step on the pillow!), Fill the grooves with the same mixture and start laying tiles on a concrete base.

This is how it all looks:

If the site is large, then it is easier to knead the sand and cement in a concrete mixer, and then bring the finished mixture on a wheelbarrow

On narrow paths, the rule can be a flat board, in which the edges are cut, and as beacons - the edges of the installed curb

When laying paving stones, the edge tiles will have to be adjusted, so find a grinder in advance and install a diamond wheel to make perfectly even cuts

Styling tricks: how to do without a vibrating plate?

If you have completed all the previous steps in good faith, then laying the paving stones will be easy. Tiles are laid not end-to-end, but with seams of about 5 mm. They will not allow the tiles to crack when the coating will “walk” from temperature changes and moisture.

Some owners start laying tiles from the most visible side of the site so that all cuts and fittings are in places that are least visible to the eye.

Start laying from the curb. Usually they move along the marks from top to bottom, in the direction where the water will flow.

Try to leave even seams between the tiles, at least 5 mm, so that the coating looks symmetrical, and in winter, when the tiles expand, they do not squeeze one another

Align the surface of each tile by tapping with a mallet (rubber mallet) and checking the horizontal level. In the future, you need to press down the entire surface with a vibrating plate so that the tiles sit exactly along the stretched threads, but if it is not there, then immediately use a wide trim of the board when laying. It is laid flat on several tiles and nailed with a mallet to the desired height.

The tile joints can be filled with the same mixture from which you created the pillow, or with fine sand. The first option creates a monolithic coating, which is less able to pass moisture inside. In addition, grass and moss grow less often in the seams. But if you drive onto such a tile in winter with heavy vehicles, then both the seams and the edges of the tile can crack, since there are no thermal seams. Any material, including paving stones, expands at low temperatures. And there is no gap for this extension. There is a strong pressure in the seams, and if at this time something heavy passes over the coating, the concrete may not withstand the load.

Seams covered with sand perfectly preserve the integrity of the coating, but through them precipitation instantly falls under the tile. So the drainage must be done at the highest level.

First, sand or a sand-gravel mixture is scattered throughout the site, and then it is carefully swept into the seams between the tiles.

To fill the seams with a mixture or sand, use an ordinary home broom. The composition is scattered over the surface of the coating and carefully swept into the seams, and the excess is removed.

The site is ready. It is advisable not to walk on it for three days, so that the pillow absorbs moisture from the ground and hardens. It is better to lay a board or plywood so as not to move the edges of the tiles under the pressure of the body.

Such an unusual at first, paving slabs have firmly entered our lives. Now you will not surprise anyone with an openwork pattern near a house or a store, on the contrary, rare islands of asphalt along the main street are perceived as something alien and unusual. The use of paving slabs, in addition to the obvious visual effect, has practical reasons. With them, as well as with the technology of laying on a concrete base, we get acquainted further.

Advantages of paving slabs for paths

  1. Relatively affordable price. High-quality pavement is not as easy to obtain as it seems, so the cost of reliable sidewalks will be very significant.
  2. Ease of installation. If asphalt pavement requires the use of special equipment and in general this method is laborious and difficult to perform independently. a feature of laying paving slabs will be the possibility of self-installation in a relatively short time.
  3. Huge assortment. Moreover, this variety is constantly expanding due to the manufacture of new types of tiles.
  4. Stable and reliable support. There are special types that have a non-slip surface even in heavy rain and snow. Resistance to temperature extremes and mechanical damage has long proven itself.
  5. Coating durability. Manufacturers give their products a warranty period of at least 10, and in some cases up to 40 years of operation.
  6. Ease of repair. If for some reason bald spots have formed in the track, integrity can be restored by selectively replacing the damaged tile with a new one.
  7. No puddles or heavy icing, is considered an important factor. Excess moisture is simply absorbed between the seams.
  8. Environmental friendliness. The manufacturing process itself does not involve the use of harmful and toxic substances. Compared to asphalt and other coatings, such a surface does not heat up too much in the sun and does not emit any foreign substances into the surrounding air.
  9. Versatility of forms. With the help of such a tile, you can perform facing of any configuration, and not just a rectangle.

Laying methods

  • With minimal knowledge and skills, as well as a margin of patience, laying paving slabs can be done independently. This will significantly save on the cost of such a project, and also guarantees a positive result and the acquisition of the necessary experience in such work (which can always come in handy).
  • First you need to decide on a possible installation method, as well as prepare tools and materials.
  • Typically, such a coating requires a cement or adhesive mortar. Both methods are good in their own way, but they also have their weaknesses. If the advantage of cement mortar is cost, then laying on a special adhesive will be much easier to perform.

How to put it with your own hands: technology

How to lay tiles on a concrete base? The presence of a concrete base will greatly simplify the task of laying paving slabs.

Pouring concrete base, progress of work

  1. At the site of the future path, the top layer of soil is removed “on a bayonet”, that is, by 20–25 cm.
  2. Leveling and tamping the surface and removing stones and plant stems. You can put a layer of geosynthetic material (geotextile) that will restrain the growth of plants.
  3. Waterproofing material also does not hurt, the most budget option is a couple of layers of roofing material.
  4. A layer of crushed stone or gravel will give the necessary "cushion" under the base. The surface is carefully leveled with a rake. Layer height - up to 15 cm, everything is compacted.
  5. The reinforcing mesh is laid on top of the crushed stone (gravel).
  6. With the help of the building level and pegs, the boundaries of the track are marked and the cord is pulled, which determines the height of the fill.
  7. The edges of the pouring area are limited to wooden formwork - boards 2–2.5 cm thick.
  8. The prepared concrete-cement mixture is poured 5-7 cm thick with breaks for solidification. Thus, we will get a really rigid and solid foundation.
  9. When pouring, adjust a slight (up to 1 degree) slope from the center to the edges to drain rainwater from the finished path.
  10. For large areas, so-called expansion joints should be left every two to three meters. To do this, a small gap between concrete slabs is filled with an elastic material that can change volume under the influence of temperature.

Read also about the features of rubber coating for paths in the garden.

After the mortar has hardened, we will proceed directly to laying the tiles, especially since the necessary materials and tools have already been prepared.

Before installation, it is advisable to lay out the finished drawing and mark the end of the pattern. This is especially true for complex geometric shapes. Also, you should not rush with the final installation of the curbs: setting the corner, and after laying the track - the remaining sides.

Tile laying algorithm

  1. The formwork is dismantled and curbs are installed.
  2. Let's prepare two types of cement mortar mixture: one is thicker - for laying tiles, and the second is thinner - for spilling between the seams. If laying is carried out on a special glue, the solution is prepared according to the instructions. Laying on a dry layer is allowed, but in the absence of the necessary skills, this option is too complicated.
  3. A layer of cement is laid with a construction trowel, 2-3 centimeters high, then leveled.
  4. Laying each tile in accordance with the pattern, lightly press it into the cement and tap it with a rubber mallet.
  5. Thus, the entire canvas is laid, constantly controlling the laying level with the help of building levels and initial markings.

Laying paving slabs is not a difficult task, especially for the owners of a country house, in which they constantly have to learn construction professions. There are also several more options for laying tiles without pouring a concrete base. If you are laying rubber tiles, the instructions will be different.

You will find all the information about plastic tiles for paths in the country.

Video: how to lay tiles on concrete

On the video - a detailed algorithm for laying tiles:

Features of laying on old concrete

Often there is already an old track on the site, which you want to somehow upgrade to modern conditions. Laying paving slabs on old concrete is also possible, even with lower financial and labor costs. It is also possible to use to save a personal budget.

How to lay paving slabs on old concrete:

  1. We carry out an audit of the coating: we remove crumbs and chipped pieces, sweep away debris and sand, oil stains are removed with a solvent - the surface should be as clean as possible.
  2. The pits and potholes are puttied with cement mortar, the bumps are combed off, the surface is leveled as best as possible and the necessary slope is made.
  3. After the work algorithm is repeated identically to laying paving slabs on a concrete base.

If there is serious damage and simply deformation from loads and long operation, the old coating must be removed. If this is not done, in a couple of years your work on laying paving slabs may be spoiled. On the other hand, if the concrete base is sufficiently strong and reliable, it will not be practical to remove it, especially since in this way the cost of the finished sidewalk can be significantly reduced.

Is it possible to lay tiles on asphalt?

An equally rational solution would be to lay paving slabs on the old asphalt pavement. First, the possible load on the surface is determined. If in the future this plane will be used only as a footpath, then the option of laying without preliminary dismantling of the asphalt is quite acceptable.

To do this, you need to perform a number of works:

  • pour a layer of sand 5-10 cm to level the surface;
  • the layer is leveled with a rake and watered for better shrinkage;
  • cement-sand or ready-made adhesive dry mixture is poured, a thickness of at least 5 cm;
  • just before laying the tiles, the top layer is also slightly wetted with water;
  • the edges of the track are limited to wooden formwork or curbs;
  • the tiles are installed according to the drawing, the seams wake up with sand or are poured with liquid concrete.

For better drainage, the asphalt surface is drilled with a perforator in several places before laying. The greater the frequency of drainage holes, the easier it will be to absorb excess moisture later. In the event of the final wear of the old asphalt pavement, it must be dismantled to avoid deformation of the new pavement, which will entail costs for surface repair.

Video: how to lay on asphalt

On the video - laying paving slabs on asphalt with your own hands:

Paving slabs - unusually strong and convenient type of a covering. The advantages of this sidewalk allow you to successfully win in the competition with similar types of surfaces. The undoubted advantage in use will be relatively simple installation and the ability to install on an old concrete or asphalt surface. Installing paving slabs is a great option to create a unique path or playground with your own hands!

Arrangement of garden paths is carried out in various ways, but not each 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 characteristics. This option is especially relevant where there is significant pressure on the surface.

The main advantages of the method

Not everyone knows how to lay paving slabs on concrete, but many have an idea of ​​​​the merits of this technology. However, in the process of work, it is necessary to take into account some of the 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.
  • Simple installation technology allows you to work directly with your own hands.

Note! When mounted on a concrete surface, point moisture receivers, rulers and other water drainage systems should be created, 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 top level of the cover 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.

Foundation creation

A prepared platform based on a concrete mixture can increase the durability of the pavement if all work is carried out correctly. In case of serious mistakes made during pouring, cracks may occur, due to which the integrity of the upper layer will be violated.

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

  1. The marking of the territory is immediately carried out, 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 directly contacting 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 recessed into the ground in increments of 80-100 cm.
  4. With the help of metal rods, a reinforcing mesh is made, which is necessary to improve the strength qualities of the structure. It should be located in the central part.
  5. The main composition is being prepared: 1 share of cement grade M400, 2 parts of sand, 4 shares of gravel and water. Having mixed 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 a day, otherwise you will have to make special notches.

Attention! If there is already a ready base in which it is necessary to create outlet channels, diamond drilling of holes in concrete is performed. After that, you can proceed to subsequent work.

Coating installation

Before laying paving slabs on concrete, a sand-cement composition should be prepared, with which the elements will be fixed. Usually, one portion of the binder accounts for four shares of sand.

The amount of water determines the consistency of the solution.

  1. First, curb stones are installed on the outside. Laces are stretched to maintain evenness. A sand-cement mixture is applied under each element.
  2. After that, the tile is laid out on a dry base in compliance with the main pattern. If the extreme fragments go beyond the curb, then the reinforced concrete is cut with diamond wheels.
  3. Having prepared a certain part of the coating, you can begin to fix the elements on the binder composition. To do this, the mixture is thrown onto the concrete surface with a trowel, after which each segment is leveled with a rubber mallet.
  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! Alignment of elements during installation work is carried out using the building level, and the horizontal is checked after the 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; therefore, they are actively used in the construction of full-fledged car sites. For garden paths, recreation areas and other areas with low load, vibrocast products are used.

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

Final part

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

For more information about the installation technique, see the video in this article.

Laying paving slabs on a concrete base is carried out according to a special algorithm. If you strictly adhere to the recommended installation technology, you are guaranteed to get a reliable and high-strength coating for areas with heavy traffic.

In recent years, owners of suburban areas are increasingly paving paths on the territory of their country estates with paving slabs (this material is often called paving stones). In terms of its strength characteristics, it is in no way inferior to asphalt and concrete pavements, and in terms of purely aesthetic characteristics it is much superior to them. Laying tiles on concrete is carried out according to a special technology, which is considered quite complex and time-consuming. But it is quite possible to implement it with your own hands. It is only necessary to thoroughly understand the features of the concrete base and the rules for arranging paving stones on it.

Concrete base for laying tiles

It is important to remember a few things here. First of all, the concrete base should be a perfectly leveled area designed for laying the tiles of interest to us on it. A similar method of installing paving stones guarantees a truly durable and durable coating in operation. The key advantage of a concrete base is its maximum stability. With this characteristic, the concrete base differs for the better from the soil base and sand and gravel cushions. The latter, under the influence of the weather, can sag (and very noticeably), dragging paving slabs behind them as a result.

Such deplorable situations do not happen if the paving stones are laid on a flat concrete platform. Even under severe mechanical stress, the tile will not sag. Thanks to this, you can lay paths with straight and curved shapes without worrying that they will change their configuration over time. The do-it-yourself installation technology of paving stones on concrete requires the creation of a high-quality water drainage system from the surface of the finishing material we are considering. For these purposes, point moisture receivers should be installed, storm drains should be laid, and tiles should be placed with a certain slope in a certain direction.

If you follow these rules for installing paving stones on concrete, you will not have any problems with the coating for many decades. Paths paved with paving slabs will delight you with their durability and perfect appearance.

The described method of laying tiles requires careful preparation of the site for paving. You need to break up the site according to a given project, set pegs along the borders and set up the so-called red marks. By such, professionals understand the thread (well stretched between the pegs), indicating the height of the equipped site. Putting red marks with your own hands is easy. You just need to tie the twine to the pegs at the height where the paving stones will end. Here it is important not to forget about the five-degree slope of the thread to the place where you will subsequently install water receivers.

Marking the area before laying the tiles

Note! Height marks must also be set in situations where it is planned to lay tracks with a small width. The red thread in this case provides:

  • perfectly leveled horizontal surface;
  • smooth edge of the tile;
  • the desired slope of the drains.

After setting the red marks, you need to measure the free space between the soil and the thread. If the distance between them is less than 0.3 m, you will have to remove the excess earth with a shovel, getting a foundation pit suitable for laying. Builders call it a trough. It is desirable to strengthen the edges of the pit made with curbs. Experienced craftsmen put them after pouring the earthen trough with a concrete mixture. But this technology is usually not suitable for home craftsmen. It requires the construction of formwork from boards, the task of which is to protect the edge of the site for paving from soil shedding. It is not easy to build a formwork structure for a long time and not easy. For this reason, it is better for self-taught masters to mount curbs immediately.

The height of the curb should be slightly lower than the surface of the paving slabs. Then the moisture will not stagnate on the paved area, but will drain from it. Usually, curbs 0.5 m high are used for laying paving stones in summer cottages. For those who plan to work with such products, we present a simple way to correctly install them. The scheme of work is as follows:

  1. Deepen the pit by another 0.3 m.
  2. Fill the bottom of the trench with a 10-centimeter layer of rubble.
  3. Fill the hole with a cement solution (layer height - 1.5–2.5 cm).
  4. Install the curb on the cement fill.

Now you should wait about a day, and then boldly start pouring concrete. More on this later.

When arranging a conventional pedestrian platform at the bottom of the pit, it is advisable to lay out a small layer of sand (thickness - up to 10 cm). It will perform the function of additional drainage. And the main drainage system is made by creating special holes. Drainage in this case is performed from pieces of asbestos pipe. The height of these pieces is within 0.15–0.2 m (it must necessarily coincide with the depth of the poured concrete layer). Simply cut the desired number of pieces from a single piece of asbestos pipe. And then lay them out on the site. One piece of tubular is required per square area.

Then proceed to pour the concrete mixture. It is made of sand, cement and gravel (the ratio of elements is 3:1:2). After filling, it is not necessary to remove pieces of the pipe. Concrete will harden for about 2-3 days. You can rest during this time and gain strength before the main operation - directly laying paving stones. If you are equipping a footpath in your suburban area, there is no need to reinforce the concrete base. If you are pouring a platform for paving, on which large-sized vehicles will regularly travel, it is advisable to additionally strengthen the concrete base. For this, a simple method is used, described below.

Pouring concrete

Reinforcement is carried out with metal rods of small thickness. They must be connected into a single structure with cells of 20x20 or 15x15 cm. When using reinforcing elements, the filling is performed in two stages. First make one layer of concrete. Lay a metal mesh over it. And pour the concrete mixture again on top.

If you have done all the preparatory operations correctly, you will not have any difficulties with installing paving stones on a concrete base. Laying tiles in most cases starts from the curb. It is advisable to mount the tiles in the direction of water flow (from top to bottom), focusing on the marks set. Experienced specialists often lay the first products on the most visible side of the site. In this case, the paving surface visually turns out to be completely ideal, since the fit of the tiles and all their cuts remain in the most inconspicuous places. But this method causes a lot of problems for beginners. Therefore, it is better not to use it if your paving experience is minimal.

Paving slabs

Paving stones are laid with gaps (4-5 mm), and not back to back. This is not just done. The presence of gaps protects paving slabs from cracking caused by moisture and temperature changes. Each laid tile must be leveled using a rubber mallet. Just tap on the surface of the paving stones and do not forget to constantly control the horizontalness of the surface to be mounted with a level. After laying all the tiles, the resulting surface is pressed down with a vibrating plate. The seams between the products should be covered with a fine fraction. Pour it onto the site, sweep it with a broom into the gaps. And sweep the excess sand from the paving stones.

You have completed the installation of paving slabs on concrete. Congratulations!