/diy/ - Do It Yourself

>>1019695
Watch some "how to concrete" videos on youtube, yes it can be done

bucket, water, mixer

>>1019702
I'm laying paving slabs on top, does it still need to be mixed with water?

>>1019710
you probably dont even need concrete, just put it directly on top of the sand and gravel

>>1019721
That was my first thought, but was told by a friend that it might not keep its level well? Plus I have the bag now. I'm not great at this stuff so just looking for different options really

>>1019722
since you are doing a small structure with pavers, if it is unlevel you can just lift the pavers up and move/add/take away gravel as you need

a concrete is a overcomplicated solution which also comes with more problem for your case, eg the concrete will need reinforcement, will crack, cant accomodate settlement or earth movement, etc

keep it simple with gravel and pavers, you can easily fix any movement or settlement

I wouldnt use concrete for this project

>>1019725
Thanks for the info. So it would just be a case of what, mixing the sand and gravel separately and then shovelling it on top of the ground? Don't suppose you have any tips on getting the ground level with just basic tools?

>>1019736
Dont expect a professional job, you do with what you have got, but it should be sufficiently level and good looking even with minimal tool

i would expect you to have dug up the top soil at the very least and fill it with the gravel mix

and then the pavers is just a matter of trial and error i guess, there will be settlement so the gravel will shift a bit anyways after some time so you will probably need to add/remove some gravel for a couple of the pavers afterwards

>>1019695
>Can I get it even enough with basic tools?
easily
make your form level and ride the screed board along it's edges.

>>1019695
Basically you make a little wooden frame around the perimeter, use a spirit level to make sure its level.
Get an extra board wider than the length of the ground.
Fill with sand
Drag the extra board along the length while' sawing ' it to make it all flat, add and remove sands as necessary.
If you want you can mix the sand with some cement dry then once its level shower some mist on it and it will harden.
Or you can add ballast(gravel) and di the same thing with concrete but then you don't really need the slabs.
If you leave a big gap between the slabs and fill the gaps with gravel you won't see if its not perfectly level
Pro tip: Weeds don't grow through spaces, they grow in the spaces. No amount of weed control under the slabs will stop weeds in the gaps

>>1019760
Great info, cheers for that

You don't necessarily need concrete, my grandparents 4 greenhouses have been sitting on dirt for 40 years

>>1019753
/thread

>>1019900
Concur

Another thing to look at would be is. Depending on what you're doing with water. maybe put it on a slight slope so water has a way to drain away from inside your structure.But if you got catch pans or whatever for plant boxes or whatever. shouldn't be a problem

>>1019925
Yeah I've bought a little.....thingy to collect the water from the frame to collect it. Rain water is brilliant for some plants. desu I was all set on mixing the sharp sand and cement and then laying the slabs on top of that but this has given me something to think about. Oh and the whole laying it on dirt thing, that can be great but requires a lot of maintenance and I'm doing this not for me but for my elderly mother so the less work the better really.