Laying your patio.

If you choose to have your patio layed professionally we can usually reccomend landscapers and builders in your area who would be able to take on the job no matter how large or small. However it is a job that you can complete yourself given time. The ideal patio can become an extension of your living space, so when planning your patio think about what you will be using it for as this will help you create an area that best fulfills your requirements. Take your time to choose the correct shape, size and colour that matches with materials your home is constructed from. (Make sure you remember that sandstones and limestones weather over time). It is always advisable to place slabs in their final position before cementing them in place to avoid mistakes later, this is particularly important if you have a complex design. If you choose to use random sized slabs make sure you put different sized pieces next to each other and treat it like a large jigsaw. Start by laying the slabs against your fence, house etc. and work backwards. These can be placed on a full bed of sand and cement or you can use a dot and dab technique depending on how the patio will be used. Fill the gaps using a dry mix of sand and cement or using the old fashioned hand pointing method, which uses wet sand and cement. Laying areas of setts/cobbles can look very effective but requires a little more skill than laying ordinary paving. These need to be laid on a full bed of sand and cement and once set fill the gaps with a dry mix of sand and cement. Now sit back and relax! As for maintainance a patio just needs brushing and hosing from time to time. In winter try and use a pressure hose to prevent a build up of moss, which can become slippery.

 

Tiling Walls & Floors.

Tiling with natural stone isn’t as easy as tiling with ceramics. This is a job best left to the professionals, however if you feel that you have the skills and equipment to complete the task, please speak to one of our advisors who’ll help you choose the correct adhesive, grout and sealants for the job. Natural stone needs to be sealed correctly in order to prevent staining. This is very important when making the decision to buy natural stone tiles so that you take into account this extra cost. Tilers that we have spoken with reccomend and use Lithofin products for cleaning, sealing and maintaining natural stone floor and wall tiles. For this reason we made the decision only to stock this brand, we also stock a wide range of top quality tile adhesive and grouts which are made specifically for natural stone products. If you require any information about Lithofin products, please contact their technical team direct on 01962 732126.