Thread: Carport workshop

I think spraying your soil with round up would be a waste as it only works on the green parts of plants.

If you put builders plastic down surely that will stop any moisture from wind driven rain soaking away. ( im assuming its open and not got 4 walls and a door ).

if you lay your pavers and then spray any growth i would imagine you would soon be weed free.

Remember im not in the building game.


Cheers Fred

Just being a pessimist, but make sure the cabinets of tools are out of sight and preferrably locked up inside somewhere. Anything that looks 'interesting' - i.e. can be flogged at the nearest pawn shop or weekend market - and not too well guarded tends to disappear.

Even in 'nice' towns - you have no control over the blow-ins who may just be driving past & looking for a quick score. Hand tools, both 'Armstrong' and power, are favourites with thieves.

A bench that is well bolted to something solid like the fence or brick piers is pretty safe, but a few yobs with a ute can make even table saws disappear quickly. Unfortunately about every 6 months or so we read on here about another member having gear stolen - tools or several hundred dollars of timber turned into firewood

OK Fred, where in hell is "bottom of the leg"?
Thanks for your comments

Originally Posted by FrankS

OK Fred, where in hell is "bottom of the leg"?

Maybe Footscray?

Yea! I like that..a bit like the Boot = Italy.
The area of my carport I'm thinking of using has 2 walls and would be the rear part of the actual "carport". Thanks for your thoughts.

Hi Frank,
You need to prepare the ground first by removing any grass/vegetation before laying the base. If you lay the base on bare ground any subsequent growth that appears will most likely be growing only in the jointing sand.

I don't think the plastic would do much except make it easier for the sand base to move around. Most instructions for paving I've read say to use 30-40 mm of bedding sand on an even base. If the base isn't even or you need to build up the level then you need to lay down and compact a layer of roadbase. Road base is pretty easy to work with.

Typical instructions can be found here PGH Paving Guide

For small areas you can compact with a lump of wood and a 4lb hammer or rubber mallet, for larger areas a compacter is easier. I've just done some paving and found the Bunnings Hire shop to be the cheapest place to hire a compacter. $45 for 1/2 day or $65 for 24 hrs and you can borrow a courtesy trailer to shift it.

Originally Posted by FrankS

OK Fred, where in hell is "bottom of the leg"?
Thanks for your comments

Look at the map of SA.

Cheers Fred

If I could add a suggestion[s]

- ensure the cabinets are secured to one of the walls

- be aware that tools inside a metal cabinet which is partially exposed to the elements could end up with moisture/rust problems - WD 40 is not a long term solution DAMHIK.

- pavers should be as large as possible [300 - 400mm would be ideal rather than the brick type] and I would tend to locate them on crusher dust [screeded with a slight fall and firmed] rather than bedding sand - contrary to pamphlets, I know but bedding sand tends to be a haven for ants which end up moving the sand everywhere. Some pamphlets also recommend up to 5mm gaps between pavers and this is filled with a paving sand or some even use a sand cement mix [which stains beautifully unless you are very careful] - I have found that in a situation similar to yours that basically fitting the pavers as close as possible was more successful.

Just some thoughts, regards,
Bob