Laying a Patio Circle


Patio Circles are popular features and are a great way to maximise your gardens potential.  They can be incorporated into existing patios to add a decorative feel or act as stand alone areas useful for barbecues, benches and patio furniture.  Creating your very own little oasis in your garden, somewhere to relax, sunbath or enjoy a glass of wine as the sunsets.

A wider and wider array of patio furniture and garden accessories are becoming fashionable with hot tubs, fire pits and al fresco dinning areas all making the most of the outside space.   Patio Circles perfectly fit this need for flat, sturdy and well managed platforms to base your outdoor furniture on.  They are also great for Arbours, Sundials or as part of a feature walkway.

Circular patios can easily fit into gardens of any style and improve the appearance of your landscape, enhancing the value of your property. Landscaping is the first thing that potential buyers see, and it reflects well, or poorly, on the other homes in the neighbourhood.  Well cut grass, weed free beds and spacious patio areas with good garden furniture all help.  It is also important to remember you don’t want potential buyers to think they will have to slave away every hour of the day and night to maintain the good looks of their outdoor space.  Patios are a hassle free way of making the most of your garden, making the most of the space available.

 

The Classical Creations guide to laying a Patio Circle

 

We’ve broken down the steps involved in laying a Patio Circle below:

1st – Plan out your circle on paper

Preparation is the key when laying a patio.  Measure out and draw a plan of where you want your patio circle to go.  Take into account your surroundings and any obstacles.  You don’t want to lay your patio circle out only to find it is in a dark area of the garden due to neighbouring trees.  Make sure to avoid any drains, manhole covers, pipes or cabling you might have in your garden.

If your Patio Circle is part of a larger patio remember to bare in mind it must  have a gradual slope away from the house to ensure all water drains off.   If it adjoins your house the patio must be satisfactorily below the damp proof course so rain does not bounce off and soak your walls.  We would recommend at least 150mm below your damp proof course.

2nd – Be prepared

Get your materials ready.  You’ll need the following:

  • Your Classical Creations Patio Circle kit
  • A trowel and a pointing bar
  • Large Spirit Level
  • Rubber Mallet
  • A Spade
  • String
  • Mortar (mix of 6 parts sharp sand to 1 part cement)
  • Mixer

3rd – Measure out

A good idea is to lay the patio circle pieces out on the ground before hand to get an idea of the position and look.  Remember to leave a 10mm jointing gap between each piece.  Once laid out properly mark the centre point and the outside of the circle with a sand line.  If you want to mark out the area prior to getting your patio circle use string to measure out and do the same, remembering to allow for jointing gaps.

4th – Prepare the ground

Clear away grass, any foliage and topsoil before digging out the foundations.  Most patio circles will not be taking any great weight so large foundations are not necessary.  If you do want to put something such as a hot tub on them remember to take this into account.  Once full of water hot tubs can be very heavy and the last thing you want is for your patio to start sinking into your garden!

Dig out the area to about 300mm deep for the patio circle and foundations.

5th – Lay the foundation

Cover the area marked with a sub-base, crushed stone or ballast mix, to a depth of 100mm before compacting.  Once compacted you want a minimum depth of 75mm.

6th – Prepare your mortar

Prepare the mortar mix using 6 parts sharp sand to 1 part cement.  The consistency should be mixed to a damp, but not sloppy.

7th – Lay the circle

Start from the centre of the circle and work outwards in concentric circles, remembering to leave a jointing gap.  You’ll need to spread out approximately 25-40mm deep of mortar for each piece.  Once placed satisfactorily tap them down with the rubber mallet.  Use your spirit levels to check they are level.

Repeat the process until your patio circle is laid out fully.

If you are laying as part of a paved area and have opted for the squared off kits use the corner paving stones to line up with the existing paving ensuring the levels match.  If you are also laying that regular paving at the same time make sure you lay a few courses of it before joining to your patio circle kit so the levels and edges are correct.

8th – Pointing

The last step is to point all the joints.  Use a mortar mix of 3 parts building sand to 1 part cement.  Again it should be damp, not wet or sloppy.

Trowel the mortar into the joints, pressing down and then smoothing over by using a pointing bar.  Ensure you do not get any mortar on the surfaces of your paving.

Once complete you will want to leave the patio for at least 24hrs before walking on it to allow to settle correctly.

Now you have finished laying your patio circle all that you need to do is get your garden furniture in place and kick back with a glass of wine while you enjoy your new outdoor space.

Our high quality Patio Circles are great for bringing a decorative touch to a patio or garden and are available in Grey, Sandstone, Charcoal or Terracotta Colour Combinations – YOU CHOOSE!

Get inspiration for your patio designs with our patio circle kits.  They work well as part of an existing patio or alone as an area to put benches, barbecues and patio furniture.  Make the most out of your garden space with a Classical Creation Patio Circle.

We pride ourselves on our ability to produce High Quality, Handmade Patio Circles that reflect our high standards and attention to detail.

All our coping stones, pier caps and patio circles are manufactured here in the UK.

To browse through our range of Patio Circles click here.

If you would like some advice on which product is best for you we would love to hear from you, please ring us on 0191 217 0002.  At Classical Creations we love to help you make an informed choice and have a great team of experts at hand to help assist you with any purchase.  We have been manufacturing Pre Cast Concrete products for the Trade and Public since 1996.  We pride ourselves on our ability to produce high quality, handmade Pier Caps and Coping Stones that reflect our high standards and attention to detail.

 


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We can often manufacture Pier Caps and Coping Stones to match your exact specification using our specialist mould making techniques. Contact us today to discuss your project requirements.

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