- How to build a shed base out of paving slabs
- Mix sand and cement together to make mortar or use a pre-mixed one
- Use a trowel to lay mortar for 1 slab at a time on the sub-base and lift a damp-sided slab onto the mortar, using a piece of timber and club hammer to tap the slab into position carefully. Continue to lay the first row of slabs
- Make equally-sized spacers in all the joints in the slabs to ensure they’re the same size, checking it’s level as you go along
- Next lay slabs along the two adjacent outer edges, filling in the central area row by row
- Leave the mortar to set according to the instructions or for at least 48 hours before filling in the joints with mortar or paving grout
- Building a shed base from concrete
- Create a wooden frame around your shed base area (also called formwork) to stop the concrete from spreading
- Mix pre-mixed concrete with water or use 1 part cement to 5 parts ballast
- Wet the sub-base using a watering can with a rose on the end
- Pour the concrete onto the framed base starting in one corner
- Push the blade of a shovel up and down in the edges of the concrete to get rid of air bubbles
- Use a rake to spread the concrete, leaving it around 18mm higher than the top of the frame. Work in sections of around 1-1.m2
- Compact the concrete using a straight piece of timber that’s longer than the width of the base. Move the timber along the site, hitting it along at about half of its thickness at a time until the surface is evenly ridged
- Remove excess concrete and level the surface by sliding the timber back and forwards from the edge that you started. Fill in any depressions and repeat until even
- Run an edging trowel along the frame to round off exposed edges of the concrete and prevent chipping
- Cover the concrete with a plastic sheet raised on wooden supports to allow slow drying. Weigh it down with bricks
- Once the concrete is set, you can install your shed and remove the wooden frame with a crowbar
Downpatrick
Downpatrick is a medium-sized town about 33 km (21 mi) south of Belfast in County Down, Northern Ireland. The town is one of Ireland's most ancient and historical towns. It takes its name from a dún (fort), which formerly stood on the hill that looms over the town and on which Down Cathedral was later constructed. Its cathedral is said to be the burial place of Saint Patrick. Today, it is the county town of Down and the joint headquarters of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council. Downpatrick is characterised by the rolling drumlins that are a feature of the Lecale area and a legacy of glaciation in the course of the Pleistocene, the Down drumlins themselves are underlaid by Ordovician and Silurian shales and grits. Its lowest point lies within the marshland surrounding the north east of the town, recorded as being 1.3 foot below sea level. According to the 2001 Census, the town has a permanent population of around 10316 individuals. Within this population, 48.5 percent were male and 51.5 per cent were female. As the largest town in the Lecale region, Downpatrick is an economic, recreational and administrative centre for the region and provides a centre for the local towns and villages. Within an hour drive of Belfast, the location acts as a commuter town for a sizeable number of people. It is also served by a routine bus service to the city and a railway station. The town has a variety of primary and post-primary schools teaching pupils from throughout the east Down region. Citizens have an abundance of opportunities for involvement in leisure and sports activities. In addition to a youth club, the town is the home of rugby, football, cricket and swimming clubs. For all your home improvements, be sure to identify reputable experts in Downpatrick to make certain of quality.