Can I lay decorative paving slabs on soil

Question

Can I lay decorative paving slabs (not block paving bricks) straight onto soil? Will the slab sink into the soil? If I tread the soil down first so it's hard and firm and then lay the slab will this be alright to leave permanantly. If not what do I do? I don't want to use concrete if I can get away with not using it.

Thanks!!

Answer 1

You can if you wan't to, I do on my allotment, they look ok, but weeds and ANTS become a nusiance

Answer 2

your best way is to lay down a screen first, once you have got the soil packed down hard ,then lay your slabs on sand ,that will stop weeds coming through

good luck h

Answer 3

Yes, you can do what you want to do, just the way you describe doing it.  It'sll work.  It can also work using slate pieces or anything else.  As long as the soil under it is hard and tamped down good.  Sounds pretty.

Answer 4

Concrete is the best option, but if you don't want to use that try 3" of hardcore and 1" of builder's sand.

Not onto soil - it'll be as crooked as anything in no time at all!

Answer 5

We did our garden 2 years ago. We (when I say we I mean my hubby :D ) stamped the soil down until it was very hard. We borrowed an odd tool that was a large handle with a very heavy square piece of metal on it to hit the ground as it was better than actually stamping on it. When the soil was hard and even we put a layer of sand on it. Then we started laying the slabs. We used a spirit level to make sure all the slabs were even. If you do this on every slab you can adjust the sand underneath if you need to, it saves you going back later. When all the slabs were down and we were sure they were all even we then put a sand/cement mixture over the slabs and brushed it into the gaps. All we needed to do then was sprinkle the garden with water and the mixture dried out and hardened.

The slabs are still inplace and still look good. This was our 1st attempt at slabbing so if we can do it anybody can. All the work really is in the preparation though.  

Answer 6

Should be fine,if any sink a bit,make sure you leave decent size grout so you can lift it without disturbing the others and repair it.

Otherwise,rake around some sharp sand with a little dry cement to make a basic base and then wet cement to lay slabs

Answer 7

best lay them on at least a layer of sand to help stop them moving around.

Answer 8

You can, but don't expect the slabs to stay level.

Answer 9

yes but it would be better to lay them on a solid layer like sand or cemented path