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donegan, electric picnic & a pink boat

I went down to electric picnic ’09 on the Sunday, late in the aftrenoon. Just for the one night/ day. My good friends Michael & Nicola were getting married on the Saturday and I couldn’t miss that 😉

Thanks so much to Sian Maloney, Anthony Sarah, Amy & sis Blaithín Ben and all the really nice people I met there for all their kindness. Really, so very much appreciated. 🙂

Most by now know the story of the pink boat and electric picnic…. click here and have a good read if you don’t.

Anyhow, Sarah took this picture 😉 The boat has changed, a bit. But, like the EP boys promised it still has a good home 🙂

aaah..... ;)
aaah..... 😉
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How To Make A New Patio

 

NB: This post is not a post about the most beautiful patio competition ~ or anything like it. It is a short post on how to lay a patio.

This area was where a sunken shed was. It flooded. It was to be raised. It was a sun trap. Grey slabs were asked for. Fancy giving it a go ? Until you give it a crack – you can’t really ask the questions…. Images below.

  • the shed/ area cleared
  • the base for the patio was put in using new sleeper timbers

Then…

  • 9 square metres of paving were ordered
  • the frame for the base was complete using 6 new timber sleepers
  • a little over 1 tonne of hardcore was using for the base

Then…

  • the whacker was hired for a half day for €26 [thanks Elayne!]
  • the hardcore is wacked first then the sharp sand is wacked after
  • screeding is also done until the surface is ready

Then…

  • the patio slabs are then laid
  • about one bag of fine patio sand is then brushed into the gaps

In short and in brief – there you have it. My other advice

  • make sure that spot is where you really want it to go
  • always order a little more than you need – spare slabs will always be required and extra delivery of minute amounts is a bad idea
  • ‘measure twice and cut once’ – so to speak when making your list of materials and order it all in the one go
  • shop local if possible – it may cost a few cents more but free advice when you are stuck is well worth it

what I ordered for a 7.8 metre squared patio

  • 9 no. metres squared of slabs
  • 2 no. bags of 6″ nails
  • 7 no. 2.2 metre new railway sleepers
  • 65 no. 25kg bags of hardcore
  • 15 no. 25kg bags of sharp sand
  • 2 no. 25kg bags of fine/ brush in patio sand