- How to build a shed base out of paving slabs
- Mix sand and cement together to make mortar or use a pre-mixed one
- Use a trowel to lay mortar for 1 slab at a time on the sub-base and lift a damp-sided slab onto the mortar, using a piece of timber and club hammer to tap the slab into position carefully. Continue to lay the first row of slabs
- Make equally-sized spacers in all the joints in the slabs to ensure they’re the same size, checking it’s level as you go along
- Next lay slabs along the two adjacent outer edges, filling in the central area row by row
- Leave the mortar to set according to the instructions or for at least 48 hours before filling in the joints with mortar or paving grout
- Building a shed base from concrete
- Create a wooden frame around your shed base area (also called formwork) to stop the concrete from spreading
- Mix pre-mixed concrete with water or use 1 part cement to 5 parts ballast
- Wet the sub-base using a watering can with a rose on the end
- Pour the concrete onto the framed base starting in one corner
- Push the blade of a shovel up and down in the edges of the concrete to get rid of air bubbles
- Use a rake to spread the concrete, leaving it around 18mm higher than the top of the frame. Work in sections of around 1-1.m2
- Compact the concrete using a straight piece of timber that’s longer than the width of the base. Move the timber along the site, hitting it along at about half of its thickness at a time until the surface is evenly ridged
- Remove excess concrete and level the surface by sliding the timber back and forwards from the edge that you started. Fill in any depressions and repeat until even
- Run an edging trowel along the frame to round off exposed edges of the concrete and prevent chipping
- Cover the concrete with a plastic sheet raised on wooden supports to allow slow drying. Weigh it down with bricks
- Once the concrete is set, you can install your shed and remove the wooden frame with a crowbar
Mallaig
Mallaig is a port in Lochaber, on the west coast of the Highlands of Scotland. The local train station, Mallaig, is the terminus of the West Highland train line (Ft William as well as Mallaig branch) and also the town is connected to Ft William by the A830 road-- the "Road to the Isles". The town of Mallaig was founded in the 1840s, when Lord Lovat, owner of North Morar Estate, separated up the farm of Mallaigvaig right into seventeen parcels as well as encouraged his lessees to move to the western part of the peninsula and rely on angling as a lifestyle. The population and local economic climate expanded swiftly in the 20th century with the arrival of the train. Ferries operated by Caledonian MacBrayne and also Western Isles Cruises sail from the port to Armadale on the Isle of Skye, Inverie in Knoydart, and the islands of Rùm, Eigg, Muck, as well as Canna. Mallaig is the major commercial fishing port on the West Coastline of Scotland, as well as during the 1960s was the busiest herring port in Europe. Mallaig prided itself back then on its famous generally smoked kippers, the fishmonger Andy Race still giving genuine oak smoked kippers from the manufacturing facility store on the harbour. Mallaig and also the surrounding area is a preferred location for vacations. Most of the community talks English, with a minority of residents talking both English as well as Gaelic. On top of that, conventional Gaelic is still shown in Mallaig Primary School to pupils who select to find out the language.
