How to pave around drain area?

Question

I am wanting to potentially crazy pave a fire pit area but there is a drain there.

How would I make this look the best/can I get some sort of a removable cover for the drain pit?

Also what products would be best used for glueing and grouting outdoor tiles such as for this area?

EricL · Answer

Hello @mmryan

I suggest using 30 Seconds 5L Outdoor Cleaner Concentrate in combination with a scrub brush broom such as the Oates Long Handle Deck Scrub Brush If you wish to use a power washer, I suggest setting it to its lowest speed so that . My best advice is to make sure that the cement surface is totally dry before applying any adhesive to the surface.

Eric

mmryan · Answer

thanks for the advice @MitchellMc . What’s the best way to clean the concrete before installing the tiles?

MitchellMc · Answer

Hi @mmryan,

To install crazy paving in that area, you can use a standard flexible tile adhesive suitable for outdoor conditions. A product like Davco Ultraflex Ceramic Tile Adhesive 20kg would work well for bonding the pieces of stone or tile to the base.

Once the paving is set, you can grout the joints with a wide-joint grout such as Dunlop Mid Grey Wide Joint Grout 15kg, which is designed for larger gaps typically found with crazy paving.

The most important thing is that the drain should remain open so it can function properly. Any cover placed over it will reduce its ability to collect water in that spot, which could lead to water pooling during heavy rain.

It might be worth first working out what the drain pit is actually there for, as that will influence what you can safely do:

* It may be collecting surface water to stop water pooling on the slab.
* It might instead be acting as a connection point for agricultural drainage lines underground.

If it’s primarily there to collect surface water, covering it over with paving would not be recommended. If it isn’t collecting surface runoff and is just a junction for subsurface drainage, there may be less concern about partially covering it, though I’m not aware of any specific products designed to neatly tile over or cover a drainage pit like that.

Before modifying it, it would be best to confirm the drain’s purpose. A drainage specialist could assess the area and advise whether restricting or covering the inlet would cause issues. Once you know its role, you’ll be in a much better position to decide how to finish the paving around it.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell