Читать книгу Brickwork Projects for Patio & Garden - Alan Bridgewater - Страница 18

Use a shovel for spreading gravel, sand, ballast (a mixture of gravel and sand) and concrete. A rake is useful for spreading dry materials evenly over a large area. A screed board is brought in to scrape off excess material to make a smooth and level surface to a specific depth, and is used for concrete, sand and ballast. It consists of a length of wood supported at either end by a frame (see here). Some patio foundations consist of dry materials, laid down without cement, and it is best to rent a compacting machine called a plate compacter to compress gravel, sand or ballast into a firm base (also for firming patio bricks into position).

Hardcore: Scrap bricks, stone and concrete crushed with a sledgehammer and leveled to provide drainage and support beneath a foundation. Alternatively, drainage rock, gravel or graded base can be used.