Large Pavers with Big Gaps - How to Lay

Hi

need to pave an area thats 7.5m x 1.8m.

What i want to do is lay large 450mm square pavers and have a gap of 50mm all around each one that has river pebble in between. In effect the pavers will just be stepping stones to get over to the bbq area.

Its kind of a mediteranian look I suppose.

My q is seeing as these pavers will not be "locked" together what is the best way to secure them.

i was thinking
a) compacted crusher dust base with some cement raked through the top so they stick a bit

or

b) actually laying them on a wet sand and cement mortar base

Which would work or is there a better way :?

cheers

dazzler

Sounds like you will have to mortar them in place or they will just start sliding around and/or lifting, probably a compacted crusher dust base and the pavers set in a mortar bed on top of that. another possibility would be to space the pavers with 50 x 25mm treated pine battens, pinned to the subsurface with some thin reo. If it all fitted together fairly tightly, this would stop sideways movement and the pebbles would cover the battens. also less mixing mortar and mucking around trying to level individual pavers. only concerns would be the battens bowing upwards.

Yes, best laid in a 6:1 mortar bed to ensure they all are solid and dont move, with this on a 75mm crushed rock base.

Just set up stringlines in a grid to get your lines and heights perfect and lay them to that. Spend the extra time on setup, and the job will be twice as easy and fast.