Topic: how to level my paths?

[antipodes]

I have managed to find a whole lot of tiles and want to use them to replace the carpet that I had used for my paths. I have tried just raking a bit and laying them but as the soil has flattened down they are looking completely higgledy piggledy. I am pretty hopeless at anything building or DIY (they don't tell you about all that aspect when you take an allotment! but it helps to be a bloody good handyman/woman!). Can anyone point me in the right direction as to how I can make them nice and level? Should I lay them on the soil or put something else under them (Sand? I don't want to use gravel particularly).
I have had teh lot for 3 years and it is starting to look like a regular plot, if I could get the carpet off it would look so much nicer.
Thanks for any help,

[SMP1704]

Hi Antipodes

I feel your pain!  My motto now is "if it ain't wonky it can't stay on the plot"!

A few questions - how thick are the tiles and do you really mean tiles - as in kitchen and bathroom, or something different?

I've just got some cheapy small slabs from B&Q, like you I raked the soil flatish, put down weed membrane and laid the slabs.  Stood back and noticed a dip in the middle of the path - I'll level that with sand.  I find this levelling malarky easiest to do one slab at a time and then check for eveness by standing on the slab.

Hope that helps and if all else fails, create your own 'wonky' motto ;D

[cacran]

When I put down paths on the allotment, I just slice bits of hardened soil off with me spade and put clups of soil in the places where it dips. I just se how it settles. If I get a wonky one, I just deal with that bit. I don't think you were meant to be too fussy on an allotment. My husband despairs of my methods!!!!

[Mr Smith]

Antipodes,
                      There are several ways to lay tiles/slabs/blocks, etc to get them level for your path, one way and a simple way without getting to technical is, first you will need a spirit level you can pick one up in the pound shop if you don't have one at hand, if you are laying them on sand it would be a good suggestion to try a remove some of the top soil until you get to some solid earth.
               
           First of all lay about three inches of sand and a cement mix down tamp it all down until it is level enough to lay several tiles on check with your level that the tiles are sitting level on the sand/cement mix, now you have your template to follow, what you need now is a  straight edge of timber about 2"x1"x 6' long, lay one end of the straight edge on the tiles and at the opposite end of the straight edge knock into the ground a short piece of 2"x1" about six inches long, you then want o put the end of the straight edge on to this bit of timber  with your level on the top of it until up get a level reading, if you contine to do this until you reach your required path length you will then have a level line to follow which will give you a level path, I hope this helps more than likely a builder will come on and give you another explanation, :)   

[antipodes]

Ooh that last bit sounds awfully technical. Sorry I didn't specify that i am not allowed to build anything permanent. I picked up some oudoors flooring tiles going cheap (3 boxes for a fiver! They are some kind of terracotta, not very thick, but I thought they would be alright just between the two sections of the plot. My neighbour made a path of bricks and sand which is what inspired me. But mine looks like a rollercoaster!! I guess I will have to get down there with the spirit level. Didn't think of using a bit of timber, at least they might be in a straight line that way. I will scrounge something from another plotholder for that. Thanks!
My husband won't go to my allotment anymore, he thinks gardens should be in neat rows, with matching colours, flowers strewn aesthetically between the veg and he is disgusted at the old roof tiles holding the soil back on the downslope, the seed box made out of a showerscreen, the cardboard and tarp keeping the weeds of the next planting rows, the random patches of weeds and grass, the rows of potatoes that weave a slalom and of course the old paths made of carpet. He never seems to complain when the crooked veg make it to his plate though...

Wonkiness never made the veg go off, although I admit that sometimes it is easier to put the hoe through.

[Mr Smith]

Antipodes,
                      When you have knocked your last peg in the ground which in theory should be at the same level because you have gone from peg to peg using your straight edge and spirit level, you then tie a piece of string round the last  peg you knocked in,  go round the peg and go over the top of it  and down to where you started going over the  slabs keeping it taut and tied or weighted down, this string will be level all the way along, so now you can just lay your tiles under the string using this for your level, they don't have to be perfect, :)

[nilly71]

How level is your path at the moment?

Mine was quite uneven so I used my spade and dug down about 2" and choped it up into small peices then used the shoval to level it out, then walked up and down on my heels to firm it, weed membrane and wood chippings went on top. I done the same for the circular patio area and laid the slabs straight on top. Your tiles should be ok to do the same.

I would personaly use wood chippings as they can be either cleared, composted and renewed at the end of the year or just topped up to look neat. I'm glad I did it now as i'm changing most of the plot around and it's so much easier.

Neil

[antipodes]

well, it has carpet on it so it is not really level. I think I will have to get a spade out there and sluice off the top again. Good trick about the piece of string though, as a leveller. Oh dear, lucky that my old dad, who was a builder and a great handyman in his time, is no longer around to see my dog's breakfast of an allotment! he would have a fit...

[lincsyokel2]

personally, levelling the paths is a low priority, much more important to get the beds level and weed free.......

[gwynnethmary]

How level is your path at the moment?

Mine was quite uneven so I used my spade and dug down about 2" and choped it up into small peices then used the shoval to level it out, then walked up and down on my heels to firm it, weed membrane and wood chippings went on top. I done the same for the circular patio area and laid the slabs straight on top. Your tiles should be ok to do the same.

I would personaly use wood chippings as they can be either cleared, composted and renewed at the end of the year or just topped up to look neat. I'm glad I did it now as i'm changing most of the plot around and it's so much easier.

Neil

Where do you get your wood chippings?

[nilly71]

Where do you get your wood chippings?

I asked the tree surgeon that works for the council and also one that was working on some tree's that i had seen on the way to work. They were happy to drop them off as I am local and they would of had a two hour trip to get rid of them at an out of area tip that they had a contract with.

If your allotment is council run ask their department that deal with your allotment to contact the parks department(ours are the parks department) and ask for some chippings to be delivered and the department that sweeps up the leaves to deliver leaves for you to use as leaf mould.

Neil

[gwynnethmary]

Where do you get your wood chippings?

I asked the tree surgeon that works for the council and also one that was working on some tree's that i had seen on the way to work. They were happy to drop them off as I am local and they would of had a two hour trip to get rid of them at an out of area tip that they had a contract with.

If your allotment is council run ask their department that deal with your allotment to contact the parks department(ours are the parks department) and ask for some chippings to be delivered and the department that sweeps up the leaves to deliver leaves for you to use as leaf mould.

Neil

I tried the council already- they were going to charge us £140!  Today I prced up bark at B&Q and the guy there reckoned £18 should buy us enough, so I think I know what to do next!

[Mr Smith]

I went down to our local Focus DIY yesterday and noticed that the trees and bushes they had cut down last week and turned in to chippings were still there, I found the manager and asked him would it be ok to have a few bags, and the man from 'Focus' said  Yessssssssss!!, so tomorrow it's down with the trailer helping myself, ;D

[gwynnethmary]

it's what we have eyes and vocal chords for! Well done!

[lincsyokel2]

Where do you get your wood chippings?

I asked the tree surgeon that works for the council and also one that was working on some tree's that i had seen on the way to work. They were happy to drop them off as I am local and they would of had a two hour trip to get rid of them at an out of area tip that they had a contract with.

If your allotment is council run ask their department that deal with your allotment to contact the parks department(ours are the parks department) and ask for some chippings to be delivered and the department that sweeps up the leaves to deliver leaves for you to use as leaf mould.

Neil

I tried the council already- they were going to charge us £140!  Today I prced up bark at B&Q and the guy there reckoned £18 should buy us enough, so I think I know what to do next!

this is because theres a world shortage of tree bark.

this is caused by the a) the chinese buying up all the nordic trees that we normally buy, and b) The Irish building power stations that burn woodbark. Since both of those are willing to pay far more for woodbark  than the horticultural and amenity industries, this has created a world shortage. And it waont get any better. In about three years time at this rate bark chips will be a luxury item.

[grawrc]

We have a local tree surgeon who delivers regularly. He has to pay to dispose of the wood chips so is happy to provide them free of charge.

[allaboutliverpool]

The problem with tree surgeon waste is that it includes leaves and small twigs all macerated together.
The quality is very variable and you can end up spreading a load of compost on your paths.

[gwynnethmary]

well, we ended up with bark from  B&Q- 800 litres for the price of 600, and it covered all 7 paths.  It did cost about £35, but between 2 of us that's not bad, and we got all of the edgings by scavenging!