Indian stone installation instructions
Our comprehensive range of natural stone products may take a little longer to install than some of our reproduction stone products due to the variations that occur within all natural products. The following steps will provide all that you need to know:
1) For a new patio area, excavate approximately 150mm (6 inches) of the surface earth or until the ground feels hard. Replace this with approximately 100mm (4 inches) of crushed stone and compact using a vibrating plate or roller. You can hire these from your local hire centre. Ensure that you allow adequate fall to obtain sufficient drainage once the patio is complete. We recommend a gradient of round 1 in 60.
2) Peg or mark the area which you intend to pave. It is an idea to work in a parallel line from say a building, garage or existing path.
3) Using a cement mixer, mix three parts building sand to one part cement until the consistency is workable but not too wet. Place several spots/dabs where your first slab is to be laid, place your slab onto the mortar(ensuring that the largest surface is to the top!), and tap into place using a rubber mallet. Level the slab using a spirit level and use a line band to ensure that your slabs will follow a straight line. Once the slab in tapped down and levelled, the spots/dabs will spread so that a near full bed of mortar supports the slab. You may need to place extra mortar around the edges of the slab if your spots/dabs were not exactly in the correct place. This will also help prevent the escape of pointing compound (or mortar) later on.
4) Repeat step 3 ensuring that the joints between each slab are near equal. We recommend that you leave the slabs about 20mm apart to create the correct width joint (the joints WILL vary in width so open or close the joints in order to align the slabs). Make sure that no one (including dogs!) can walk on your new patio area until the following day. Ideally, two days is recommended to guarantee that the cement has fully hydrated and the slabs are fixed.
5) As with all Easypave installations, we recommend the use of our resin-based mortar on your patio. It’s much easier, neater and quicker than cement mortar. Simply following the instructions on the leaflet and you’re away! Alternatively, if you choose to use cement mortar please read step six.
6) Mix two parts silver sand to one part cement until the consistency is workable but not too wet. We recommend using one of our pointing dyes in order to match the pointing to the paving. Place a small amount of mortar onto a hand board and push the mortar into the joints with a mastic/pointing trowel. Be careful not to drop the mortar on top of the paving as this will most certainly stain the surface of the slab. Remove any spillages with clean water immediately.
