Laying a Porcelain PATIO - DIY - GARDEN RENOVATION

This is the 7th part of my garden renovation! Today was the big day - patio install day! If you are attempting to do this yourself for the first time, be prepared - it's tough going! But, it is definitely worth it.
Check out the other parts below:
Part 1 - Planning:
• Garden Renovation - Fr...
Part 2 - Digging a Sleeper Wall Trench:
• Digging a Trench for a...
Part 3 - Building a Retaining Wall with Sleepers:
• Building a Retaining W...
Part 4 - Building Steps from Timber Sleepers
• Building Steps from Ti...
Part 5 - Ground Prep for a Patio Sub-Base
• Ground Prep for a Pati...
Part 6 - Preparing the Patio Sub-Base
• Preparing a PATIO SUB-...
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Last Summer by Ikson: / ikson
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[@AndrewSeywright]

Really enjoyed your series for this project and look forward to future updates. I have a big sloping garden and was struggling to find a video that covered so many of the questions I had about the process. So thanks for putting this together 🤙🏼

[@hughroberts5569]

Absolutely brilliant video I am doing my own patio Your tutorial has helped me a lot Gave me the confidence to carry on Thanks mate

[@NoviceGardener]

Nice one! Glad you're giving it a go yourself!

[@mphys5370]

Looks really good very inspiring for us DIYers

[@NoviceGardener]

Cheers 👍🏻

[@rozzer666]

Looking good. I'm pretty much doing exactly same job at my gaff. Takes ages and I dread it but after each bit I think ohh wasn't as hard as I thought it was gonna be.

[@NoviceGardener]

Exactly how I felt doing mine! An hour in you look at what you’ve started and think, what on earth am I doing! 🤣 It’s definitely worth it for the pay off in the end though. Good luck with your project!

[@GW._.]

Fair play that’s a lot of muck to mix by hand, done it the hard way I would definitely hire a mixer for the day but result looks great 👍

[@NoviceGardener]

Thinking back, a mixer would have saved so much time! Cheers 👍🏻

[@carolyngeorge244]

Hey how are you doing today

[@KilkennyLights]

Good Video. Much better than the pro ones. 600 tiles are class. Well done you. I am going to do the same. Cheers

[@NoviceGardener]

Cheers! I hope your project goes well! 😁

[@richardfisher8460]

Levelling clips would have been a dream on this. It does look good though.. mortar seems a bit thin (im no expert though) how has it held up

[@rajumiah5169]

This has inspired me to do my garden. Great job. Was wondering can you back butter the tiles with tile adhesive and what sort of mix should it be. Thanks

[@NoviceGardener]

Cheers 👍🏻 I used the Mapei Stone and Porcelain Adhesive. It wasn’t too bad to use to be honest. Picked it up from ToolStation for just under £20. I hope it all goes well with your project 👍🏻

[@thedeathcake]

Cracking job! I'm about to attempt a small section. Nice to hear about your mistakes, so I can avoid them. How long does the mix last? Did you mix a batch for like 4 slabs at a time?

[@NoviceGardener]

I made a new batch for each slab, which did end up taking a bit of time!

[@fiziparadise7808]

Hi, thanks for your inspiring video. Could you write down all tools/equipment as well as other requirements you used to fully complete this work please? Thanks in advance.

[@MohammedAli-1]

Absolutely smashed it mate 👍🏽

[@andybarry3435]

Well done, looks brilliant for a novice and found you at a time I'm embarking on the same endeavour.

[@leesapollo]

Looks mint!

[@ParallaxRS]

Sorry it seems im binging this series and commenting on every video! Can you remember what tiles you used? They look great!

[@NoviceGardener]

B&Q. 2 birds one stone with your previous comment! 😅 I forget the name, but they’re the porcelain ones

[@ParallaxRS]

@@NoviceGardener Awesome great! Thank you, loved this series and it's inspired me to build my retaining walls out of sleepers too!

[@cpmcboags]

Thanks for these videos mate, big help for our own projects. Can I ask how this is holding up several months on? Cheers

[@NoviceGardener]

Glad you've found the videos useful 👍🏻 It's held up great! It's been just over 18 months since I laid the patio and it looks as good today as the day I laid it. If you have a look at the end of my recent pressure washer video, you'll see how it looks today. The only video I never posted was when I added the grout. I wasn't happy with the video and didn't think I did a great job at the time, but to be honest, 18 months on, it looks great.

[@alper4921]

Fantastic video, thanks! How many bags of cement did you end up using for this? I imagine they were all 25kg bags.

[@NoviceGardener]

Yep, 25kg bags. I can't remember exactly how many. All I know is that I ended up with two that I didn't use. They're still in the garage now 2 years on!

[@mushy_GLX]

Your vid inspired to do it myself mate, thanks for posting. Pleasant scouse accent too 😂😉👍

[@NoviceGardener]

Cheers, appreciate it! 👍🏻🤣

[@valitocardoso4643]

Thanks!

[@randomstoragespace]

Be great to see an update video on this. Had any issues with it since or still looking good? Thinking of doing my own

[@NoviceGardener]

It's been down for almost two years now and no issues whatsoever! I never uploaded the video of pointing the patio (although I do still have the footage). I thought I'd done it wrong at first, but it looks brilliant still today. We've had no weeds come through or anything.

[@randomstoragespace]

@@NoviceGardener Awesome! Going to lay my own in a few weeks. Thanks for the inspiration

[@gibbsy071]

Hi what sand did you use for the mortar, eg sharp or building sand, Thanks.

[@RP9SPORT]

What happened to this series? Was looking forward to seeing the completed project

[@Wellspicedchaffinch]

Presumably: kzbin.info/www/bejne/goauhHiJZ9KVe80

[@mcmotors100]

Hi, sorry if you’ve answered this already, how think was your sub base, and your cement? And is it all still looking good? Thanks mark

[@NoviceGardener]

100mm of the sub base, and the cement was about 50mm think in some places, so a decent bed for it to sit on. It’s done the job perfectly - the patio is still looking spot on 👍🏻 Good luck with yours!

[@onoreas5059]

great video, thank you. I'm a novice starting on my garden project. just wondering why you used motar to lay the slabs and others use sharp sand. Is there any reason why? thank you.

[@NoviceGardener]

I used sharp sand with the cement, but I didn’t want to just lay it on sand as I wanted a solid base for the patio, especially with us putting furniture and things on there too

[@agpeurope2522]

Hi Really helpful video. What size is this area please? thank you

[@NoviceGardener]

Cheers 👍🏻 10.8sqm

[@valentinaaiello5995]

What about edges did you define them ?? Or you left them with cement coming out? I need help with mine cos it seems left it including

[@RP9SPORT]

Looking good mate 👌

[@NoviceGardener]

Cheers 👍🏻

[@carolyngeorge244]

Hey how are you doing today

[@ChrisLivingInYork]

I’m thinking about doing something similar but do you know if you can use mortar directing on sand as I already have about 10cm of hardcore underneath the sand but was originally thinking of laying 36mm paving slabs on sand but now after watching your video I think porcelain may be a better option.

[@charlesmilligan1416]

How did you find getting the right height of the mortar bed each time? This is the bit that's putting me off doing mine lol

[@NoviceGardener]

Don’t let it put you off! I just eyeballed it. As long as it is slightly higher, you can spread it out when you are hitting the tile with mallet. Once you get the first two down, you get the hang of it!

[@dork9273]

looks great mate well done just a question where did you get the tiles from?

[@NoviceGardener]

Nice one! I got them from B&Q. I replied to a recent comment with the link - you should be able to find it 👍🏻

[@dork9273]

@@NoviceGardener great Thankyou mate

[@tajchana1]

great work, which tiles are these, do you mind send the link. thanks

[@NoviceGardener]

Nice one 👍🏻 This is the link to the tiles that we used: www.diy.com/departments/nordic-medium-grey-matt-stone-effect-porcelain-outdoor-floor-tile-pack-of-2-l-600mm-w-600mm/5060430115540_BQ.prd?rrec=true

[@am70017]

I really like your series, great motivation. What I wanted to know is what did you use for grouting?

[@NoviceGardener]

Cheers 👍🏻 I used Mapei Ultracolor Plus grout. I’ve got the footage, I keep meaning to sort a video for it. Hoping to sort it in a few weeks

[@GrumpysWorkshop4]

How has the mapai grout held up

[@mattyburrows9059]

always find the highest point and lay the first one there..first rule of brick laying laa.looks better than some so called professional jobs

[@NoviceGardener]

Nice one 👍🏻

[@MICHAEL-wg2lh]

Belter mate 👌

[@kateeastham4970]

What brand patio slabs did you use and 2 years down the line do you recommend?

[@NoviceGardener]

They’re just from B&Q, you’ll find them under their porcelain section. Absolutely recommend. Still look perfect today 👍🏻

[@havoccarter32]

Where did you get your spacers from? Cant find them anywhere.

[@fhmman]

credit for workign with your missus on this!! we woudl defo of had a divorce tryign to do this!!

[@Chris-vc1dh]

Great video, where did you buy the slabs?

[@NoviceGardener]

Nice one 👍🏻 Got the slabs from b&q

[@craigharvey3692]

Have you the next video of this putting the porcelain down thanks

[@joelklopstein5064]

Did you put anything in the gaps between the house and pavers? Also how about on the edges of the outer border?

[@NoviceGardener]

I used stone to go between. I’ve only just put them in this week though (12 months later). It’s just to make it look more tidy around the patio.

[@SomeGuy_83]

Are these slabs still level and set 2 years on?

[@NoviceGardener]

They're perfect. It's two years this August and they're still as solid as the day they were laid

[@SomeGuy_83]

@@NoviceGardener glad to hear it I'm just laying my own now.

[@jayjohal6892]

why didn’t you use any sand for your top base?

[@NoviceGardener]

I didn't need it with laying this kind of patio. I did consider using sand with a different type of paving slab, but changed my mind before starting the project.

[@Eminyaah]

Was there another video done for the grouting? Can someone link me? As I can’t find it

[@NoviceGardener]

I have the footage, but I never made it into a video. It didn’t turn out like I wanted it to. I’m thinking that I may post it at some point as the mistakes might come in handy for any DIYers!

[@emilydavies7850]

Hi can you advise the grout you used and which you would have used? We have just finished paving and are looking at a dry brush in grout or pasted on. Thanks

[@rafaelcunha5360]

Hi there. What's the area of your patio? Thx

[@NoviceGardener]

10.8sqm

[@rafaelcunha5360]

@@NoviceGardener thanks for answering. May I ask you just another question. I watched your videos and took the initiative to lay down some slabs myself. How many bulk bags of MOT type 1 did u use as sub base? I already put 1 bulk bag. Some people say to use two bulk bags, but I just want to use one. How many did you use for your patio? Thanks again

[@finnharreidsson5862]

Interesting how in Norway everyone uses sand beds, but every US video I find, you use mortar bed.

[@NoviceGardener]

There seems to be quite a mix in the UK. The patio I've got a the front of my garden is on sand (I think anyway!).

[@rogerburford4291]

Thought your porcelain patio laying was good. You said you were going to do a follow up on grouting, can’t find it? Roger.

[@NoviceGardener]

I've not uploaded it! I do have the footage still so I may try and get a video out soon to show this!

[@stuplant6693]

Mate you need a mask with dry cement and get gloves on. Cement burns are no joke

[@s1dew1nd3r4]

your biggest mistake was not hiring a mixer, save you a fecking boat load of time if you ever do it again la!

[@martinjenkins1827]

Wear gloves and mask when mixing cement

[@NoviceGardener]

This is sound advice! My hands were in bits after this!

[@TeeTee-zm2re]

Fucking hell man no way cement burns the skin

[@jpreesecolligan]

Please please please don’t use your hands when mixing cement, even with gloves, you will end up with alkaline burns.

[@NoviceGardener]

I learnt the hard way! It was a hot day, wasn't thinking! 😅