Is it a bad idea to lay shingle pebbles on flag stones? I'm about to buy these drainage gullies £12 per meter that allow water to runn over the patio then into the gulley then into the drains. I've the trenches prepared for them already. But the yard looks grubby with patio flags. We both like the golden pebbles but are unsure if we should just dig it all up the lay only shingle stones?

Or continue on with the first plan and add the shingle on top. Drainage is key as the water runs down the garden into the house. So adding the gullies seems to make sense.

Advice so much welcome!!
First post here too.

Hi design boy,

Can you post a photo? I guess your talking about Aco Drain?

S

_________________
Measure twice, cut once!

Thanks for the reply. It's like this pic vie linked to. But a lot more drab.
Does the stones just drain onto the flags then into the gullies? Or a bad idea?


http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=h ... yWOLXR7JAD

Hi Design,

Yes that is Aco type drainage. If you put the shingle over the flags, they will tend to be kicked off leaving the flags showing. How deep where you going to lay the shingle? The point of the Aco drainage is to take water off a hard impermeable surface! So drianing of the shingle ain't gonna work. It may be worth adding a land drain. Basically a sunken pipe with holes in it surrounded by pea shingle connected to the surface water drainage.

S

-- Wed Aug 18, 2010 11:08 am --

And it will be a lot cheaper!

S

_________________
Measure twice, cut once!

Aghh. Had a feeling that would be the case. Ive the aco drains installed already. The shingle was an after though. I'd hoped the shingle would just sit on top of the flags and all the workings previous would continue. But in the back of my head I thought shingle may trap water and make the whole thing worse.

I've spent a few hundred quid on the drains and paid a bloke to install them. So I can't stomach removing them. If the shingle wont work then I'll just have to rethink another option. Sucks!

Thanks for getting back to me mate.

Hi Design,

If you lay about 100mm deep of shingle, should be OK, the water will drain through the shingle. I presume the Aco drains are layed level with the flags? Can you post pics?

S

_________________
Measure twice, cut once!

I'll take a few shots. The stones are about £300 so I need to check before I waste cash on them. The flags are the old ugly ones. But the drains run well so far :)