Register your business

Home / Guides / How do you lay a patio?

How do you lay a patio?

To lay a patio, plan the size and a gentle fall away from the house, dig out and compact a sub-base, then bed each slab on a full layer of mortar, checking the level and the fall as you go. Once the bedding has set, fill the joints and keep the patio off-limits until it hardens.

Last reviewed:

By the QuoteZila editorial team. Editorial policy.

How do you plan a patio?

Time spent planning saves a lot of work later. Before digging, decide:

  • Size and shape. Mark the outline with pegs and string, or a hose. Try placing garden furniture inside it to check there is room to move around a table.
  • Slab size and pattern. Planning the layout around whole slabs reduces cutting. Many slabs come in packs of mixed sizes designed to be laid in a set pattern.
  • Level and fall. The finished surface needs a gentle fall so rainwater runs away, normally away from the house towards a lawn, border or drain.
  • Height against the house. If the patio meets a wall of the house, it should finish below the damp proof course and keep any air bricks clear.
  • Where the water goes. Water running off a patio needs somewhere to go. On clay, a channel drain or a soakaway may be needed.

Read the laying instructions for the slabs you buy. Manufacturers give their own advice on base, bedding, joint width and fall, and it differs between products such as natural stone, concrete and porcelain.

What tools and materials do you need?

For a typical slab patio:

  • slabs, with spares for cuts and breakages
  • crushed aggregate for the sub-base
  • sharp sand and cement for the bedding mortar
  • jointing mortar or a jointing compound
  • a weed membrane, if the manufacturer recommends one
  • pegs, string line, a long spirit level and a straight edge
  • a spade, a wheelbarrow and a rake
  • a plate compactor, usually hired
  • a rubber mallet
  • a saw for cutting slabs, with dust control
  • gloves, eye protection, ear defenders and suitable footwear

Patio slabs are heavy. Lift with your legs, and get a second person for larger slabs.

How do you prepare the ground?

  1. Mark out. Set pegs at the corners and run string lines at the finished height, including the fall.
  2. Dig out. Remove turf, topsoil and roots to the depth needed for the sub-base, bedding and slab. Keep to a consistent depth so the layers are even.
  3. Check for services. Find out where drains, water pipes and outdoor cables run before you dig. Avoid digging over them blind.
  4. Lay the sub-base. Spread crushed aggregate across the area, rake it level, and follow the fall.
  5. Compact. Go over the sub-base with a plate compactor in several passes and directions until it is firm. Top up any soft spots and compact again.

The sub-base is what stops a patio sinking. A thin or poorly compacted base can let slabs rock or settle unevenly later, so do not rush this stage.

How do you lay the slabs?

  1. Mix the bedding mortar. Mix sharp sand and cement to a firm, workable consistency, enough for a few slabs at a time.
  2. Spread a full bed. Lay a full bed of mortar for each slab, rather than a few dabs. A full bed supports the whole slab and stops water sitting underneath.
  3. Prime if needed. Some slabs, especially porcelain, need a bonding primer on the back. Check the instructions.
  4. Place the slab. Lower the slab onto the mortar, starting from a fixed edge such as the house wall. Leave the joint gap the manufacturer recommends, using spacers if helpful.
  5. Tap it down. Use a rubber mallet to bed it down to the string line. Check the level across the slab and the fall along it.
  6. Keep going. Work across the patio, checking each slab against its neighbours and the string line. Lift and rebed any that sit high or low.
  7. Clean as you go. Wipe mortar off the slab faces straight away, before it stains.

Leave the bedding to set before walking on it or jointing. Keep people and pets off.

How do you cut slabs safely?

Most patios need some cuts at edges and around drains. HSE says using cut-off saws on paving, blocks and kerbs can produce very high levels of silica-containing dust, and that effective control is necessary because the work is high risk [S1]. It suggests reducing the number of cuts during design and lay-out [S1]. It says the risk can be controlled by using a hand-held cut-off saw with a water suppression attachment, or equipment with on-tool extraction [S1].

Wear eye and ear protection, and keep others away. If you are not confident using a cut-off saw, ask a landscaper to do the cuts, or plan the layout to avoid them.

How do you fill the joints and finish?

Once the bedding has set, fill the joints. Traditional pointing uses a sand and cement mortar pressed firmly into each joint and finished smooth. Brush-in jointing compounds are also widely used and are quicker, but follow the product instructions closely, especially on drying times and weather.

Keep the patio clear of heavy use until the joints have hardened. Brush off any loose material, and avoid jet washing new joints.

If the patio is in a front garden, check the planning rules before you start. The Planning Portal says you will not need planning permission if a new or replacement driveway of any size uses permeable surfacing, or if rainwater is directed to a lawn or border to drain naturally [S2]. It says that if the surface to be covered is more than five square metres, planning permission will be needed for traditional, impermeable surfaces that do not let water run to a permeable area [S2].

When should you hire a landscaper?

A small, square patio on level ground is a reasonable DIY project if you are fit and patient. Larger patios, slopes, porcelain slabs, curves, steps, drainage problems or a patio against the house wall are where a landscaper's experience and equipment make a difference.

Citizens Advice says a quote is a fixed price, while an estimate is a rough guess, so you might end up paying more [S3]. It suggests trying to get written quotes from at least 3 different traders before you decide [S3]. If the patio needs steps, see the patio steps cost guide. For what changes the price of the patio itself, see the patio cost guide.

Jobs you might post

These are examples, not taken from real job posts. "Please quote to lay a new sandstone patio at the back of the house, with the old lawn dug out and taken away." Or: "Small porcelain patio by the back door, slabs already bought." Or: "Old patio is uneven and rocking. Please quote to lift and relay on a new base."

Get quotes for laying a patio

If you would rather have it done for you, describe the size, the slabs and the ground, and add photos. QuoteZila is starting in Cheshire, with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach among the first towns, and anyone in the UK can post a job. Up to five matched local businesses can reply [QZ2]. QuoteZila is free for customers and local businesses [QZ1].

Honest status: QuoteZila is new. We're starting in Cheshire, beginning with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach, and growing area by area. Anyone in the UK can still post a job or register a business. How fast you get quotes depends on how many local businesses have joined near you. Businesses can register and receive jobs straight away. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire.

Posting a job is not open yet

See the landscapers page or the driveways and paving page.

Official and public sources

QuoteZila is not affiliated with these organisations.

Questions about laying a patio

Can I lay patio slabs straight onto soil or sand?

It is not a good idea for a patio that will be used. Slabs laid on soil or loose sand tend to rock, sink and let weeds through. A compacted aggregate sub-base with slabs bedded on mortar gives a firm surface that stays level.

Which way should a patio slope?

Away from the house, so rain runs off rather than towards the walls. The fall should be gentle enough that furniture sits steady, but enough that water does not pool. Follow the guidance from the slab manufacturer for the fall they recommend for their product.

Should the patio be below the damp proof course?

Yes. A patio laid against a house should finish well below the damp proof course, so water cannot splash or soak above it. It should also keep air bricks clear. Check the height before digging, because it decides how deep you dig.

What is the safest way to cut patio slabs?

HSE says using cut-off saws on paving, blocks and kerbs can produce very high levels of silica-containing dust and that the work is high risk. It suggests a saw with water suppression or on-tool extraction, and reducing the number of cuts in the design.

Do I need planning permission for a patio?

A back garden patio usually does not need permission. In a front garden, the Planning Portal says permission is needed if more than five square metres is covered with a traditional surface that does not let water drain to a permeable area. Permeable surfaces are treated differently.

Does QuoteZila check the businesses who quote?

No. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire. You can report a quote or a business from your job page.

Part of Guides. All services

Related trades

Cost guides

Related pages

Sources

  1. QZ1: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila home and jobs-for-tradesmen copy.
  2. QZ2: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila terms and matching notes.
  3. S1: Construction dust: cutting paving blocks, kerbs and flags, HSE. Accessed 2026-10-30. https://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/healthrisks/hazardous-substances/cutting-paving-blocks-kerbs-and-flags.htm
  4. S2: Paving your front garden: planning permission, Planning Portal. Accessed 2026-10-30. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/permission/common-projects/paving-your-front-garden/planning-permission/
  5. S3: Before you get work done on your home, Citizens Advice. Accessed 2026-10-30. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/getting-home-improvements-done/before-you-get-building-work-done/