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Driveway surfacing materials like concrete, asphalt and clay brick usually crack because they’ve been exposed to extreme temperatures or put under high pressure. It’s important to repair driveway cracks before they get worse and cause damage to vehicles and perhaps others to trip on raised cracks.

Garden slabs are a joy to behold but only when done the right way. Well, the installation of paving slabs shouldn’t be exceed digging a little here and there, buying a small amount of mortar and pressing down the garden slab, right? Absolutely not! But we must admit how great it would have been if only it were that easy in real life. Let’s be honest, in reality, laying garden slabs does not only require you to prepare your sub-base painstakingly and mix your mortar using the appropriate materials, but you’d also have to work with accurate and precise paver placements to guarantee the patio’s longevity. Consequently, this happens to be a stressful and quite tricky challenge. If you lack the required confidence to pull this off, we’d recommend you hire the services of a seasoned professional who can guarantee the best results and also save you time and extra cash that may result from possible costly errors. In this guide, you’d gain more insight into the garden slabs laying process.

To get started, you’ll need sharp sand, cement, shovel, wheelbarrow, pointing trowel, rubber mallet, spirit level, jointing compound, hard-bristled brush and tarpaulin.

1. Mix a layer of mortar for each paver.
2. Apply the mixed mortar onto the sub base by using the trowel.
3. Slot the first flag in place and ensure not to stain the paver’s surface with the mixed mortar.
4. Using a rubber mallet, carefully tap the paver to the mortar bed. Once done, ensure the surface is even with a spirit level.
5. Take a measurement of the gap between the pavers
6. Repeat the above steps until all pavers have been perfectly laid
7. Leave the pavers to dry for about 1 to 2 days. You can protect it using a tarpaulin if concerned about rain.
8. Use the jointing compound to fill up the paver gaps to bind together the pavers. Ensure to wipe off any excess compound using the hard-bristled brush.

Does Landscaping A Garden Add Value?

When taking a good look at the image of new homes or perhaps you’re just thinking about getting one, one thing that several people will look out for is the garden. The thought of owning a perfect little oasis is all homeowners’ dream.

In a recent study conducted by Rightmove, it was discovered that to more than 60% of home buyers, an access to a garden was a priority. And according to the Royal Chartered Institute of Surveyors, this demand for garden is set to grow by 20% over the next 2 years.

Therefore, it’s obvious that having a beautiful landscaped garden is always a great asset to possess. But exactly how much value does a garden add to a property?

According to the studies carried out by Foxtons, it’s suggested that a garden can add as much as 20% to any property’s value, however, it should be expected that this value can vary based on a number of factors. In urban locations such as London, where there’s really not much outdoor space, possessing a garden can add an enormous amount to your property’s value.

However, if you happen to live in sub urban areas such as Wilmslow, where almost every home possesses a garden, what will influence the amount of value a garden will add to your property depends on it’s size as well as it’s unique features.

What’s more? Another important influence of a garden’s added value is the time of the season in which you’re selling your property. For more value, the best time to sell is always in the spring or summer when there are several gardens in bloom and multiple colours to please the eye. However, when it’s autumn and winter, the idea of staying outdoors for a quick get together or gardening is always very far, hence the value that’ll be added at this point may be low.

Laying a lawn is a task that’s best left to the professionals especially if you don’t know what you’re doing. However, if you can follow a simple logical process, you’ll save yourself a lot of headache – simply start from the edge and work inwards. If you’re looking to lay your lawn by yourself, then you’ve come to the right place! In this post, we’re going to consider the processes involved in lawn installation in order to ensure your project turns out a success. Let’s take a look!

Firstly, the tools you’re going to need to lay your lawn includes the following – sturdy boots, gardening gloves (should be thick), wheel barrow, garden fork or rotovator, landscaping rake, laying boards, knife or edge trimmer, hosepipe and broom.

1. Start from the outside edge. Install the initial strips horizontally overlapping the boundary a bit (trim the back once done). Press down carefully to make sure there’s a good contact with the soil (make sure not to squash the lawn).
2. Proceed to lay the adjacent pieces till the first row of the lawn along the entire edge is completed.
3. Continue with the next row. If there’s a need to stand on the laid turf, simply make use of a plank so as to avoid squashing or denting the turf. It’s important to ensure the successive rows are staggered to prevent the short edges from lining up.
4. Proceed by butting and pushing the edges to create a tight joint (make sure the turf is not stretched).
5. Use a wood saw or sharp serrated knife to trim any untidy edges. Remember to make use of a plank to ensure you do not walk directly on the turf.
6. Water the newly installed turf adequately to ensure the water penetrates the soil. However, do not turn it into a mud bath.

A patio is an outdoor space which can be used for a variety of stuffs which includes fun time with family and friends, reading time or just relaxing as the fresh breeze blows. With all these benefits and more, it’s becomes more obvious that there’s a need to keep your patio in a tip top condition at all times. If otherwise, you may not be able to enjoy your patio to your satisfaction and probably, for as long as you would want. You simply have to provide it with a regular maintenance which involves inspecting and identifying the damages that needs to be repaired before it gets out of hand. Fortunately, the minor repairs can be done by yourself if you’re confident enough. However, for bigger damages it’s advisable to call in a professional for help. In this article, we’ll take you through the patio reparation process.

✓ Prepare the area. This involves removing the problem piece gently and carefully. If there’s a piece you think can still be useful, store it in the re-use pile or you can start a new one. Once you’re done removing the pieces, the next thing to do would be to start removing anything that’s unwanted from the damaged area like debris, unwanted soil etc, and start sand fitting with some fresh sand. This should be levelled out to ensure there’s no bumps.

✓ With the sand down, you can start by putting the pieces back in together. This should be done gently to avoid any further damage. Do this until your patio

✓

Different types of gardening work will need to be carried out at different times of the year. Garden maintenance is a year round job, although the amount of work will usually decrease during the winter. For larger landscaping projects, aim to have these done through autumn, winter and early spring, to give plants time to get established before summer. Be aware that poor weather over winter can slow down the work.