Do-it-yourself paving slabs blind area: step-by-step instructions

Concrete masonry

Laying paving slabs on a concrete blind area is found in many private areas. However, such a coating is characterized by instability to negative environmental influences. It also becomes fragile if the installation technology is not followed. Any such problems lead to cracking or crumbling of the material, which entails unnecessary costs.

Tiling the concrete base can be used as an affordable and cost-effective alternative.

Concrete acts as a bed and is used to equip a hydraulic lock

It also helps to strengthen the blind area, which is especially important when moving over the surface of vehicles. To figure out how to lay tiles, you should adhere to this technology:

We take out the soil to the required depth.
We equip the formwork.
We install polystyrene foam on the foundation, which will act as a heater.
We pour out the sand and crushed stone layer.
We lay the reinforced layer and fix the wooden spacers to compensate for the expansion joint.
Pour the concrete mixture.

When pouring the mixture, it is important to adhere to the specified slope, since it will be impossible to achieve it in the future. When mixing concrete, observe the correct proportions - otherwise the mixture will not be strong enough

The next stage involves the removal of the formwork and installation of the curb. It is possible to create a finishing layer only after the final hardening of the concrete.

Decorative tiles are fixed on top of the material, and voids and seams are filled with mortar. The presence of an insulating layer will protect the basement from severe frosts.

The basis for the blind area

Understanding how to make a blind area from paving slabs, it is necessary to provide a good foundation for the future structure. It is laid in several layers, observing the installation technology.

In section, the bed looks like a flaky pie, due to its construction. To achieve material savings, it is recommended to reduce the layer thickness.

Creation of a hydraulic lock

When arranging the blind area, a slight slope should be maintained, along which excess liquid will drain. It can be done while pouring out the clay or when laying the last layer. After thoroughly compacting the bottom, it is covered with a 5 cm layer of clay. Sometimes it is replaced with concrete mix. In this case, the thickness is increased to 15 cm. Such a layer removes water well.

To reduce the lateral load on the foundation, it is recommended to leave a gap between the foundation and the blind area. Then it is covered with sand or laid out with roofing material. The use of foam is also allowed, which also compensates for the load and provides good insulation.

The hydraulic lock is created on the basis of PVC film, geotextile and roofing material. When laying the canvas, it must not be pulled. Otherwise, there will be a risk of rupture of the film when the soil freezes.

When arranging a stormwater system, a pipe must be placed on the edge of the film and covered with a layer of rubble. Such a measure is necessary to protect the structure from clogging with all kinds of debris. You should also provide for the presence of a stormwater inlet and a stormwater pipe. The technology is in demand due to its particular simplicity and minimal cost.

Sand filling

The optimum thickness of the sand layer is 5 cm. When compacting the surface, it should be watered with liquid using special nozzles. They are used as tips from a watering can for watering a garden or vegetable garden, as well as special sprayers.

Watering continues until small puddles form

It is important to wait until they dry out and start tamping.Such a base will provide good protection of the blind area from moisture penetration and damage by gravel

Installing the curb

When equipping the blind area around the house with your own hands, it is important to pay attention to the installation of the curb. It is fixed along a stretched cord with pegs and leveled with a building level. The outer side is covered with cement, which is an important norm to protect the tiles from spilling

Alternatively, the plastic version can be used for the classic concrete curb

The outer side is covered with cement, which is an important rule to protect the tiles from slipping. Alternatively, the plastic version can be used for the classic concrete curb

Crushed stone

The optimum gravel backfill thickness is 50-100 mm. Precise indicators are determined by the level of precipitation in your area.

After placing the crushed stone, it is allowed to remove the wooden pegs that hold the curb. Then you should tamp the gravel and fill it with sand.

If the room has a basement or basement, the blind area is subject to additional insulation. To do this, lay out a sand layer 50 mm thick and tamp it. Only after completing the above steps can the finishing layer be laid.

Laying tiles

To understand how to properly lay paving stones, you should study the step-by-step instructions and the technology for laying tiles for the blind area. Experts recommend starting work from the side of the foundation, fixing the tiles away from you in order to prevent the destruction of the pillow layer. Each structure must be placed in the chosen location and hit with a rubber mallet.

To level the surface, a building level is used, and any blows to the paving stones are carried out only with the help of a plank. In this case, you will be able to avoid deformation of the tile.

A distance of 2 mm is maintained between each tile. A similar gap is formed due to the presence of a special lock, which is present on different types of tile products.

If there is no border, it is important to take care of the edging tile

Sealing of seams

For sealing the seams, the same composition is used as for the final layer of the blind area. When setting up a cement-sand pad, use a dry mix, adhering to a 4: 1 ratio. It is placed on the tiles and spread using a broom. Further, the surface is poured with water so that the cement sets and provides optimal reinforcement.

Paving slabs blind area technology

It is important to decide at what stage to implement a waterproof structure around the perimeter of the building. It all depends on the type of substrate.

After arranging the foundation, clay soil accumulates near the building, which complicates the decoration of the walls and the delivery of materials.

On the other hand, the installation of a blind area from paving slabs entirely around the house is fraught with damage from falling building materials or mixtures. If you process the adjacent tape to the level of the bedding, then the work is greatly facilitated.

When choosing a rigid method, the only problem will be to accurately determine the zero point. Usually, they immediately try to bring the blind area to the same level with the plane of the yard, which remains undefined until the completion of construction. A rational solution would be to organize concrete preparation immediately after removing the formwork from the foundation, after which the required level is removed with a layer of concrete.

With a soft blind area, everything is easier. You can pour gravel at any time and in any layer, without worrying about the accuracy of reaching the level. However, it will be necessary to make a continuous waterproofing, laying a simple polyethylene film under the gravel with a preliminary filling of the bottom and top with sand with a layer of 30 mm.

Excavation

The depth of soil removal near the building basement is determined by the desired final coverage level. Usually it is 150-200 mm.Separately, it is worth talking about the width of the strip, it should be 200 mm more than the width of the blind area. The width itself depends on the depth of the support:

The minimum width of the blind area should be at least 800 mm, because it will be uncomfortable to move along it. This corresponds to a base / plinth depth of 1000 mm.
For every 200 mm increase in the base depth, the blind area should be expanded by 50 mm.

Digging starts from the lowest point. The work is done so that the bottom of the ditch is 200-250 mm lower than the planned level of the topcoat when installing a blind area from paving slabs using soft technology, and using hard technology - by 150-200 mm.

Bedding

Under both types of blind surface, coarse sand of a fraction of 0.6-1.5 mm and gravel of 20-25 mm are used. First of all, gravel is poured. They align the moat to a line that is 150 mm below the finish level. Further steps to organize the embankment for each method of laying are different:

For a rigid concrete blind area, formwork is installed at 100-120 mm narrower than the actual width of the pit. The wide part of the ditch is covered with a mixture of sand and gravel to such a level that the final concrete thickness is at least 70 mm.
For a soft blind area, the gravel layer is planned towards the basement, thereby providing a slope in a ratio of 15: 1. Subsequent layers of material are poured and rammed in compliance with this proportion. Next, sand is poured 20 mm and m. A hydro-barrier up to the middle of the drainage ditch is laid on this layer, the other edge is fixed to the base.

After organizing the hydro-barrier, it is necessary to form a bedding under the paving stones itself. To prevent its siltation, geotextiles are laid at the boundary of the layers, and a geomembrane is placed on the hydro-barrier. In the future, layer-by-layer backfilling is performed - gravel 100 mm, then sand until it reaches the line, just below the level of the slab thickness.

How to make a soft blind area around the house: step by step instructions

It is quite simple to lay a soft blind area around the house with your own hands. Especially if you have step-by-step instructions at hand. Ideal if there is an opportunity to create a blind area even at the stage of building the foundation of the house. This will make it easier to dig out the soil.

When laying the hydro-barrier, it is important to bring it under the house by about 40 cm

Preparatory stage of work

The process of creating a soft blind area around the house begins with earthworks - with digging a trench under a hydro-barrier. To do this, at the smallest level of the site, it is necessary to remove a rectangular layer of earth with a depth of about 40-45 cm.If it is decided to use insulation when creating a soft blind area, the depth should be increased by another 10 cm.

The bottom of the trench should be flat. It is advisable to control this process with a level or a special building level. It should also be well tamped - fine gravel is perfect for this.

A small groove about 4 cm wide should be dug along the edges of the trench - this will be a hidden storm system. Then the bottom should be covered with clean, wet clay. The thickness of the layer is about 20 cm. In the process of leveling, the layer is given a slight slope in the direction away from the house. When the clay is laid, it is allowed to dry, from time to time slightly moistened so as not to crack.

Important! The process of laying the layers can be continued only when the clay loses its viscosity.

Laying the drainage system

The system is created with the expectation that the flow is directed to the drain. The drain should not be directed directly into the ground, as excessive moisture can result in soil erosion and subsidence.

Drain pipes 10 cm in diameter are perfect for draining. They must be wrapped in geotextile in advance in order to isolate. All corners and intersections must be equipped with tee manifolds whose function is to connect the ducts to the upper outlet.It is best to create a 1 m deep trench for draining, and then cover it with earth and gravel in a ratio of 3 to 7.

Laying layers

When the clay is dry, you can sprinkle medium-sized crushed stone on it. The layer thickness is about 10 cm, also with a slope away from the house. Subsequently, the slope can be leveled with sand. Each layer should be tamped tightly and moistened. It will not be superfluous to add geotextiles between gravel, clay and sand.

After compaction, a geomembrane must be laid on top of the sand. It is laid at the bottom of the trench, then pipes and collectors are installed. The membrane should be covered with a drainage layer so as not to retain moisture.

After that, a leveling layer of gravel and sand is laid. Its maximum thickness is 4 cm. Then comes a layer of geotextile. Everything that will fit in the future will refer to the external decor. And for a soft blind area, many other options are offered.

Warming

The insulation must be laid at the very bottom of the waterproofing, and covered with exactly the same layer on top. It is necessary to insulate the structure if there is a basement in the house or is planned. Such a layer will protect other materials from cold weather, increasing the service life of the soft blind area.

Waterproofing

The remaining layers of the hydro-barrier are laid on top of the waterproofing. At this stage, it is meant to lay the material on top of the insulation. It will be better to choose a profiled type membrane.

The waterproofing is overlapped. The textile must be separated from the thorns of the fabric, secured on four thorns and pressed tightly into the grooves, and the resulting joints must be covered with adhesive tape.

Protective outer cover

At the end of the work, the barrier is covered with crushed stone with a fraction of about 2 cm. The layer should be even and dense, the thickness should be 6 cm. Since all the lower layers are delimited, the topmost one will turn out to be dense, and the legs will not get stuck in it. If you move the edges of the blind area by about 10 cm, you can sprinkle it with a small amount of turf and bring the lawn closer to the house.

Instead of turf, the barrier can be decorated with colored gravel of various sizes or pebbles.

Why do you need a blind area?

We have long been accustomed to the fact that there should be a path around the house: it gives the entire layout a finished look. Especially if combined with the finishing materials that decorate the building. In addition, it is practical: you can walk on the path. And the fact that the path is the blind area, and its main purpose is water drainage - this is a successful combination of the properties and qualities of materials and a well-thought-out design.

The main function of the foundation blind area is to divert precipitation from it

From a utilitarian point of view, the blind area removes rain and melt water from the foundation. The second very important practical task that can be solved with its help is to insulate the foundation. If you put insulation under the path, it will protect the house from freezing, which will greatly reduce heating costs.

When do you need to make a blind area? Immediately after finishing the exterior walls, but before finishing the plinth. Why is that? Because between the finishing of the blind area and the wall of the house, a compensation gap must be left. This is an excellent path for water that flows down the wall of the house (hits the walls in oblique rain, for example). But it is impossible not to make this gap - the foundation will collapse. It is also unrealistic to seal the gap hermetically. The way out is to make sure that no water gets into the gap in any case. This can only be achieved if the plinth finish hangs over the seam. Then the water will drain a few centimeters further from the seam, and then fall into the drainage grooves. This can be done only if you first organize the blind area, and then bring the base to mind.

Why do we need a blind area of the foundation, when we deal with it, we figured it out, now it remains to understand how to do it correctly.

Treatment of seams and remaining voids

After the base is securely fixed, and the paving slabs are in place of their masonry, you need to proceed to processing the seams. To do this, remove any plastic crosses or chips that were installed to align uneven edges.

Various materials and methods can be used to fill the joints.

Then the blind area will always remain dry, and the water will be diverted away from the foundation. The disadvantage of this option is the weathering of the sand over time and the need to replenish it.

Another option involves grouting joints with cement mortar in the same proportion as used for laying. As a result, the surface of the blind area will become ideally smooth, but a common monolith will be formed, which does not take into account the thermal expansion of materials. It is possible to use this filling method only if the width of the blind area does not exceed 800 mm.

After grouting the joints with cement mortar, it is necessary to wait a couple more days and rinse it well with a brush, pouring water over it. Now it will take its final form. Next, you are offered step-by-step instructions on how to make a blind area around the house from paving slabs with your own hands in the video.

Stages of the device blind area from paving slabs

Preparing the perimeter around the house

Considering that the arrangement of a blind area from paving slabs is a pleasant and easy job, then it will not be difficult to do it. Only here you need to have some skill and the necessary building tools.

But high-quality protection of foundations from rainwater will only work if you strictly adhere to all stages.

Preparatory work. This stage includes digging a pit, leveling the bottom and walls of the trench, preparing the drainage system. It is recommended to make an artificial slope in several directions at once in order to ensure an accelerated drainage of water.
Laying of paving slabs. There are several options for the blind area, they differ in the area and width of the laying. Therefore, if the area is large enough, then this stage should be divided into several more and all work should be carried out in stages. First of all, this is the development of the future design and the purchase of the required number of plates. Then the dug trench must be covered with sand, tamped and then laid on the finished pillow. In such cases, it is better to use a wooden mallet, which does not deform the materials and is well suited for vertical and horizontal adjustment of the tiles.
Preparation of concrete mortar. As a rule, it is quite liquid, the proportions are 1 part cement to 4 parts sand. Then the laying of tiles on the filled mortar begins, starting from the foundation and moving to the edge of the structure. For fixing and horizontality, you can use crosses for ceramic tiles, they create the necessary gap between the plates. When installing materials, do not forget about creating a slight bias to the side. A wooden spacer can be used in place of the crosses, but the boards should be quite thin and follow the profile of the boards. It can only be used for several plates at the same time.
After installing the first tiles, you need to remove the gasket and install it on the next ones. So the entire upper layer of the blind area is gradually formed. The finished structure should be left to dry for several weeks, the surface should be covered with construction film. Walking on the surface at this time is prohibited.
Grouting the joints between the slabs. Do it with fine sand or pre-prepared concrete mortar. Using a brush, the space between the tiles is filled, then using a garden hose under a strong pressure of water, the remains of the solution are washed off the surface of the tiles. After such a procedure, the blind area should dry for a few more days and gain strength. This procedure is also optimal. If, as a result of operation, damage to individual segments occurs, it is easy to replace them with new ones.
Waterproofing the junction of the tile and foundation. Here, silicone or sealant is better suited, which are resistant to frost. You can use ordinary polyurethane foam, but although it is cheaper, it also serves less and crumbles over time.

Blind Filling Guide

The blind area makes a great contribution to the durability of the foundation, therefore, its creation must be approached with the utmost responsibility.

Blind area design

The structure consists of an underlayment and a top layer. The first is responsible for creating an even compacted base for the next layer. Created from sand and fine gravel. The total layer thickness is about 2 cm. You can also use clay. When choosing a specific bedding material, be guided by the material of the top layer.

The top layer is designed to create water resistance and increase the resistance of the structure to water. Can be created from small cobblestone, clay, concrete and other materials. The thickness of such a layer is about 10 cm.

The instructions will consider the procedure for arranging the most popular type of blind area - concrete. Having dealt with its construction, you can easily make a blind area from any other materials suitable for this purpose without any problems.

How to make a blind area with your own hands. Digging trenches and erecting formwork

Remove the topsoil. Select the thickness based on the characteristics of the bedding and top layers described above. In the case of a concrete blind area, about 20-25 cm of soil is traditionally removed.
Prepare an even and tidy trench around the entire perimeter of your home. The bottom of the trench should be compacted.
Start assembling the formwork. To create this structure, wooden boards with a thickness of about 2 cm are perfect.Place a thin layer of clay in the trench, level it and compact it. Fill in about a 10 cm layer of sand and compact carefully as well. Usually, it is enough to simply moisten the sand with some water. Do not overdo it with water, remember that there is clay below and it does not need excessive moisture.
Finish with a 6 to 7 cm layer of gravel.

Reinforcement of the blind area

The technology of arranging the blind area around the house involves the mandatory implementation of reinforcement. Thanks to the reinforcing mesh, the rigidity and durability of the concrete structure will be increased. As noted, you can buy a ready-made mesh or assemble it yourself from metal rods. Cells with a side of 10 cm are considered optimal.

Reinforcement of the blind area

Expansion joint

Special attention should be paid to the expansion joint. It is created at the junction of the basement of the house with the blind area

Due to such a seam, the protection of the mentioned structures will be provided in the process of soil subsidence. That is, the blind area will be able to sag along the seam without damaging the basement of the house. The seam width of 1-1.5 cm is considered standard. The seam must be filled with roofing material, sand and gravel mixture or bitumen of your choice.

Expansion joint

Also, for filling, you can use a special tourniquet, for the manufacture of which foamed polyethylene is used.

The technology of the blind area requires that the seams are present and across the concrete structure, approximately every 200-300 cm. They will protect the blind area from rupture during frost. Cross seams are most conveniently done with wooden battens. It is enough just to install the battens in such a way that their top is on the same level with the upper boundary of the concrete pour. Also, expansion joints must be present in the corners of the structure. Do not forget to take into account the slope of the blind area.

Concrete for the blind area. Cooking and pouring

Concrete is prepared from 1 part of cement (it is best to use material of the M400 brand or less budgetary M500), two parts of sand and four parts of crushed stone.

After pouring, the concrete is compacted and leveled. The wooden slats previously used to create transverse expansion joints will at the same time serve as beacons by which you can navigate in the process.

Pouring concrete blind area

After completing the pouring, the concrete must be covered with a cloth, burlap is perfect. The fabric should be regularly moistened with water to prevent the concrete from drying out and cracking.

In the end, all that remains is to wait until the concrete gains strength. On average, this takes 1 month. If desired, you can perform the finishing facing of the blind area. An acid-resistant brick is perfect for this.

Thus, there is nothing difficult in filling the blind area around the house with your own hand. Just follow the instructions and everything will work out.

Flooded blind area

Happy work!