A natural stone patio and entertaining area

A natural stone patio and entertaining area

A lovely natural stone and brick patio, surrounding a conservatory

Today, I thought it would be fun to show you a series of before, during and after pictures of a patio/terrace construction, Mick and Steve who constructed this lovely terrace are extremely skilled craftsmen, if you look carefully at the stone cutting you will see how even all the joints are .
it all starts with good preparation and a sensible foundation, in this case around 100mm ( 4 inch) of graded limestone base well consolidated – if the ground is moist or subject to shrinkage its a good idea to add a geo – fabric beneath the limestone.

You should make sure the finished paving is at least 150mm ( 6 inches) below the damp proof course set in the house brick walls. It is also a very good idea to have a fall away from the house to your drains, ( at least a 1 in 80 fall is required).

Also consider the need for allowing moisture around the house – if you are on heavy clay it is a good idea to allow the clay sub surface to remain a little damp during the summer to prevent heaving.

First the walls and steps are constructed
First the walls and steps are constructed
Note how clean the working area is
Note how clean the working area is
Here Mick is carefully, pointing the natural stone, using a semi dry mixture of soft sand/sharp sand/ cement, in dry conditions to firmly point between the paving joints.
Here Mick is carefully, pointing the natural stone, using a semi dry mixture of soft sand/sharp sand/ cement, in dry conditions to firmly point between the paving joints.
Raised brick seating area
Raised brick seating area
The completed terrace, with low walls to enable larger groupings , for entertaining. The gently curved wall naturally leads the eye around the establishing garden
The completed terrace, with low walls to enable larger groupings , for entertaining. The gently curved wall naturally leads the eye around the establishing garden

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Chris Coope

Author: Chris Coope

Born in Great Britain, Chris Dyson-Coope followed his training and passion in the field of horticulture for decades. This path led him to multiple awards for landscape design and many prestigious projects in the United Kingdom and the U.S. Chris has received 19 national awards for projects as varied as city parks, urban regeneration, playgrounds, office parks and streetscapes. He pioneered the use of designer drives in the 1980s utilizing Permacrib to create structural green walls and award-winning green roofs in London. Most recently, Dyson-Coope has nurtured his interest as an educational innovator to produce an Internet radio show (GrowingTrends.com), books on landscaping, and a series of fictional children's books that explore non-fictional themes such as sustainable agriculture, geography, and history. Convinced that the younger generation can (and must) learn from the older generation, as well as blazing new paths toward a sustainable future for a planet in deep distress from climate change and unsustainable practices, Dyson-Coope presents workable solutions in multiple formats, from books to inventions, podcasts and educational media. With several horticultural patents to his credit, the noted horticulturalist looks to the future with hope that the younger generation will grab the "torch" of innovation to develop and maintain a more sustainable world for us all. Dyson-Coope is a member of The Chartered Institute of Horticulture and serves as Director of Children's Sustainable Education for Energime University. Chris lives in Weston, Missouri, with his lovely wife, Cindi.

2 thoughts on “A natural stone patio and entertaining area”

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