The paving has been continued around the back of the house, and I have taken delivery of the remaining slabs. This afternoon I have had to stop laying them as there is the last obstacle to overcome - the back door step. For this I have a 90cm x 60cm slab (and it's 40mm thick!) which I intend to lay on a bed of old engineering bricks. At least, I think that's what they are. They are larger than Imperial bricks in all dimensions, and have the texture of engineering bricks, so I reckon they must be an early version; I found them when digging the foundations for the extension. So, this afternoon, I have made some shuttering - almost of the right size. This is actually surprisingly difficult, so when your groundworker makes it look easy when doing the oversite for your extension, it is because he is skilled!
Having made the shuttering, I mixed and laid some concrete for the foundation. [Top Tip - always make sure you have enough cement and ballast for this before you start! I found that I was about a trowel-full short, which was close enough but too close for comfort.] Then, looking at the finished article, I realised that I had measured wrongly and had allowed for a slab width for the step of 70cm not 60cm. So I have shaved some off the concrete which is setting perhaps too rapidly in this heat; excuse me while I go and cover it up to protect from the sun... [2 minutes] ... I've now done that but if 'Er Indoors goes outdoors she might get a shock as I've used an old one tonne ballast bag to cover it.
Tomorrow, the step itself, and then I can finish the paving, although I'll need to hire the 9" grinder again - noisy and dusty!
