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Hard Landscaping & Patios

Porcelain Patio & Oak Gazebo

Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire

About this project

A full transformation of this unused area of the garden! The homeowners wanted to make more of their rear garden in Godmanchester and create a fantastic area for entertaining! This section of the garden was an overgrown, waste of space and so we designed and built a full outdoor living area for year-round enjoyment! Large format porcelain tiles with a contrasting charcoal border and a stunning oak gazebo, giving them a sheltered space they can use for dining and entertaining whatever the weather.

Finished porcelain patio beneath a hand-built oak gazebo with slate roof in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire — The finished result - a large format porcelain patio set beneath a hand-built oak gazebo with a slate roof, giving the family a sheltered outdoor dining space they can use whatever the weather.

Overgrown rear lawn before patio and gazebo works in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire — Before - an unused stretch of lawn beside the brick boundary wall, with no defined seating or dining area.

Micro digger excavating the patio area in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire — During - the micro digger goes in to strip the turf and excavate down to the correct formation level.

Digger clearing soil from the garden in Godmanchester — During - soil cleared back across the full footprint of the new patio.

Excavated soil stacked on boards beside the brick wall in Godmanchester — During - spoil stacked on boards to protect the surrounding garden and keep the site tidy for removal.

String lines set out to establish patio levels and falls in Godmanchester — During - string lines set out to establish accurate levels and the falls needed for surface water run-off.

Excavated and levelled patio area ready for sub base in Godmanchester — During - the excavation levelled off and checked before any material goes back in.

Grab lorry delivering MOT type 1 sub base aggregate in Godmanchester — During - the grab lorry delivers MOT type 1 for the sub-base.

Weed membrane laid across the excavated patio base in Godmanchester — During - weed membrane laid over the formation to separate the sub-base from the subsoil.

MOT type 1 sub base spread across the patio area in Godmanchester — During - sub-base spread evenly across the area ready for compaction.

Plate compactor consolidating the sub base in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire — During - the sub-base is compacted in layers with a plate compactor, never in one pass.

Fully compacted sub base ready for porcelain paving in Godmanchester — During - a solid, fully compacted base ready for the porcelain to be laid on a full mortar bed.

Pallet of large format porcelain paving slabs delivered on site in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire — During - the porcelain arrives on site, still strapped to the pallet and ready to be checked over before laying.

Landscaper raking the compacted sub base level beside the old brick wall in Godmanchester — During - raking the base out by hand to get it dead level right up to the old brick wall.

Arcadia Build and Landscape team member operating a mini digger moving aggregate in Godmanchester — During - moving the aggregate into place with the mini digger, saving a lot of barrowing across the garden.

Patio and gazebo footprint marked out in red spray paint on the prepared base in Godmanchester — During - the patio and gazebo footings marked out in red so everything sits exactly where it was designed to.

Close up of setting out lines and timber pegs against the brick wall in Godmanchester — During - pegs and lines set against the wall so the first row of slabs runs perfectly straight.

Porcelain slab back-buttered with adhesive slurry ready for laying in Godmanchester — During - every slab is back-buttered with slurry primer, which is what stops porcelain lifting later on.

First porcelain slab bedded onto a full mortar bed beside the brick wall in Godmanchester — During - the first slab goes down on a full mortar bed - no spot bedding, no hollow corners.

Landscaper laying porcelain paving along the ivy-clad brick wall in Godmanchester — During - working along the wall, checking each slab for level and gauge as it's laid.

Rows of porcelain paving laid with levelling clips in place in Godmanchester — During - levelling clips hold everything flush while the mortar goes off, so there are no trip edges.

Porcelain paving spreading across the garden with a spirit level checking the falls in Godmanchester — During - the patio starts to take shape, with the falls checked constantly so water runs away from the house.

Tape measure showing the depth of the full mortar bed under a porcelain slab in Godmanchester — During - checking the bed depth under the slab, so every one sits on the same solid mortar bed.

Landscaper laying porcelain paving with levelling clips in front of the old brick wall in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire — During - working across the main area with levelling clips in every joint to keep the surface perfectly flat.

Large porcelain patio laid with levelling clips still in place in Godmanchester — During - the full size of the patio becoming clear, with the clips left in until the mortar has gone off.

Porcelain patio with laser line set out across the slabs in the rear garden in Godmanchester — During - a laser line run across the slabs to keep the joints straight as the patio extends into the garden.

Porcelain patio nearing completion beside the ivy-covered brick wall in Godmanchester — During - blowing the surface clean at the end of the day before the next section is set out.

Curved edge of the porcelain patio marked out with a flexible line in Godmanchester — During - setting out the sweeping curved edge, marked with a flexible line and blocks before any cutting starts.

Landscaper marking a curved cut on a porcelain slab in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire — During - each slab on the curve is marked and cut individually, which is slow work but the only way to get a clean sweep.

Circular cut out formed around a mature tree within the porcelain patio in Godmanchester — During - forming the circle around the mature tree so it keeps its root space and becomes a feature of the patio.

Charcoal sett edging bedded along the curved patio edge in Godmanchester — During - charcoal setts bedded along the curve to frame the patio and hold the edge for years to come.

Completed curved porcelain patio edge with charcoal sett border in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire — During - the finished curve with its sett border, ready for the lawn to be reinstated up to the edge.

Curved porcelain patio laid around a mature tree with sett border in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire — During - the patio complete around the tree, with the curved sett border sweeping right round the edge.

Arcadia Build and Landscape team unloading oak gazebo timbers beside the new patio in Godmanchester — During - the patio finished and the team starting to unload the oak frame ready for the gazebo build.

Stack of green oak beams and rafters delivered on pallets for the gazebo in Godmanchester — During - the hand-cut oak frame delivered, every beam numbered so it goes together exactly as designed.

First oak gazebo post being stood on its padstone on the new patio in Godmanchester — During - the first oak post stood on its padstone, braced and checked for plumb before anything else goes up.

Oak gazebo posts and sole plates braced in position on the porcelain patio in Godmanchester — During - the posts set out and braced in position, with the sole plates fixed ready for the beams.

Oak gazebo beam and curved braces lifted into place against the brick wall in Godmanchester — During - the first main beam lifted in with its curved braces, all traditional jointed oak rather than bolted timber.

Oak gazebo frame taking shape with braced beams on the porcelain patio in Godmanchester — During - the frame going up bay by bay, propped while each joint is drawn tight.

Landscaper pegging the oak gazebo frame joints together in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire — During - oak pegs driven through the joints, the same way these frames have been built for centuries.

Completed oak gazebo frame standing over the finished porcelain patio in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire — During - the full oak frame standing over the patio, ready for the roof to go on.

Oak gazebo frame with curved braces and balustrade panels on the porcelain patio in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire — During - the frame squared up with its curved braces and the side balustrade panels set in place.

Oak gazebo gable truss raised above the frame in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire — During - the first gable truss lifted into position, giving the gazebo its roof pitch.

Oak gazebo roof rafters and hips fixed in place in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire — During - the hips and rafters going on, with the tree circle and sett border finished alongside.

Close up of jointed oak post, beam and curved braces in the gazebo frame in Godmanchester — During - a close look at the jointwork - mortice and tenon with oak pegs, no steel on show.

Oak gazebo roof structure complete before boarding in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire — During - the full roof structure complete and ready to be boarded out.

View from inside the oak gazebo looking out across the garden in Godmanchester — During - the view from inside, already showing how the space will feel once it's finished.

Arcadia Build and Landscape carpenter working on the oak gazebo roof frame in Godmanchester — During - a well earned brew halfway through fixing the roof frame.

Oak boarded ceiling inside the finished gazebo roof in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire — During - the ceiling boarded out in oak, which is what gives the inside its warmth.

Oak gazebo with boarded roof standing over the porcelain patio in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire — During - roof boarded and the patio swept down, ready for the roof covering to go on.

Interior view of the oak gazebo ceiling and balustrade in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire — During - looking up at the finished oak ceiling and trusses from under the gazebo.

Oak gazebo with fully boarded roof and slate pallets ready in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire — During - roof fully boarded, with the slates delivered and waiting to go on.

Carpenter fixing roof battens to the oak gazebo in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire — During - battens going on over the boarding, ready to take the slates.

Lightweight slates being set out on the gazebo roof in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire — During - the first course of slates being set out and fixed.

Arcadia Build and Landscape roofer slating the oak gazebo in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire — During - working up the roof one course at a time.

Slated oak gazebo over the finished porcelain patio in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire — During - roof complete, with the patio washed down after a rain shower.

Finished oak gazebo and porcelain patio with tree circle in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire — During - the building finished outside, with the curved edge and tree circle on show.

Arcadia team finishing the gazebo roof in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire — During - the lads finishing the last of the ridge, job nearly done.

Completed oak gazebo with slate roof and porcelain patio in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire — After - the finished gazebo and patio, with the tree kept as the centrepiece.

Finished oak gazebo with log burner and porcelain patio in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire — After - a proper year-round room outside, complete with a log burner.

Porcelain patio and oak gazebo seating area in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire — After - plenty of space for the whole family to sit out, whatever the weather.

Inside the oak gazebo showing the boarded oak ceiling and overhead heaters in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire — After - inside, the oak ceiling on show and heaters overhead so it stays usable on cooler evenings.

Log burner and seating inside the oak gazebo in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire — After - the log burner in the corner, with the flue taken up through the roof. Somewhere to sit out in the middle of winter.

Outdoor kitchen with built-in barbecue and fridge under the oak gazebo in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire — After - the outdoor kitchen along the back, with the barbecue, worktop space and a fridge for the drinks.

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