Patio help please

johndoe

Hi all,

I'm trying to do a patio and having some problems and would like some advice please.

I've dug out the soil and and just about created a sub base with a gradient.

However, to get the gradient, the patio would now be higher than the outside creating a potential trip hazard as the step would be about 35mm-40mm. By looking at the pictures, is this acceptable?  

If not, any ideas of a workaround?

One possible one is I could just leave those two slabs out and fill that space with stones but that still isn't ideal as still slight trip hazard and the stones will fall outside as there will be a slope or maybe fill with some sort of sand?  

(The two slabs on top of each other would be the total height including the mortar i.e. 70mm-75mm)

Pete.8

I don't know the answer to your question re. how to manage the gradient, but I had an area paved for my greenhouse about 25ft square.
The landscapers laid the slabs so there was a 4° gradient over 25ft. It's not noticeable but rain drains away nicely and no puddles - could you lessen the gradient?

johndoe

Pete.8 said:

I don't know the answer to your question re. how to manage the gradient, but I had an area paved for my greenhouse about 25ft square.
The landscapers laid the slabs so there was a 4° gradient over 25ft. It's not noticeable but rain drains away nicely and no puddles - could you lessen the gradient?

Thanks. 4% gradient is a relatively steep gradient, isn't it? Mine is already at the minimum recommended gradient already so can't lessen it unfortunately. I'm stuck with that.

The advice I'm looking for is rather to do with how to deal with the patio being about 35-40mm higher than outside the garden creating a step.