• Skip to content
  • Skip to site navigation
  • Skip to footer
  • Find a store
  • Quick order
  • Customer support
  • Ideas & Advice
  • Register
  • Sign in
B&Q - Home B&Q Customer Services Team - 0333 014 3357
  • 0 items in your basket Basket total £0.00
    Your mini basket
    View Basket Checkout
  • Outdoor & Garden
    Garden
    • Paving & walling
    • Decking
    • Stone, gravel & chippings
    • Watering, hoses & ponds
    • Outdoor lights
    • Turf & artificial grass
    • Plants, seeds & bulbs
    • Lawn & plant care
    • Hand tools & equipment
    • Garden clearance
    Garden furniture
    • Sofas
    • Tables
    • Chairs
    • Garden furniture sets
    • Barbecues
    • Parasols
    • Gazebos
    • Garden heating
    • Hot tubs & saunas
    • Garden play
    Garden power tools
    • Lawnmowers
    • Pressure washers
    • Hedge trimmers
    • Chainsaws
    • Grass trimmers
    • Garden shredders
    • Scarifiers & tillers
    • Leaf blowers & vacs
    • Garden power accessories
    Garden buildings
    • Sheds
    • Log cabins
    • Summerhouses
    • Playhouses
    • Garden storage
    • Greenhouses
    • Arches & arbours
    • Garage storage
    Fencing
    • Fence panels
    • Fence paint
    • Fence posts
    • Trellis & screening
    • Garden gates
    • Gate furniture
    • Gravel boards
    • Feather edge fence boards
    • Garden mesh & netting
    • Fence post support
  • Kitchen & Bathroom
    Kitchen
    • Fitted kitchens
    • Kitchen doors
    • Cabinets
    • Sinks
    • Taps
    • Appliances
    • Kitchen paint
    • Storage & accessories
    • Bar stools
    • Kitchen bins
    • Book kitchen appointment
    • Kitchen clearance
    Kitchen worktops
    • Laminate worktops
    • Solid wood worktops
    • Earthstone worktops
    • Breakfast bar worktops
    • Bespoke worktops
    • Splashbacks
    • Upstands
    • Edging strip
    • End caps & joints
    • Worktop accessories
    Bathrooms
    • Bathroom suites
    • Furniture & cabinets
    • Baths
    • Bath panels
    • Toilets
    • Toilet seats
    • Basins
    • Taps
    • Accessories
    • Bathroom wall panels
    Showering
    • Showers
    • Enclosures & doors
    • Trays
    • Screens
    • Shower heads
    • Shower kits
    • Shower hoses
    • Riser rails
    • Curtain rails & rods
    • Shower curtains
    • Wet rooms
  • Home & Bedroom
    Home furnishings
    • Curtains & blinds
    • Curtain poles
    • Rugs & mats
    • Mirrors
    • Cushions
    • Bedding
    • Throws & blankets
    • Wall art & picture frames
    • Home accessories
    • Kids décor
    • Home clearance
    Bedroom furniture
    • Bedroom furniture ranges
    • Sliding wardrobe doors
    • Bedroom furniture sets
    • Create your own furniture
    • Wardrobes
    • Chest of drawers
    • Bedside tables
    • Beds & mattresses
    • Desks
    • Children's furniture
    • Storage solutions
    Storage & shelving
    • Storage boxes
    • Wall shelves & brackets
    • Storage cubes
    • Garage shelving & storage
    • Shelving systems
    • Storage trunks
    • Storage cabinets
    • Storage drawer units
    • Storage crates
    • Storage baskets
    • Clothes & shoe storage
    • Packaging
    Cleaning & laundry
    • Laundry airers
    • Cleaning products
    • Window & glass cleaning
    • Bins & bin liners
    • Vacuums & carpet cleaners
    • Brushes, brooms & mops
    • Laundry & ironing
    • Cloths & dusters
    • Sponges & scourers
    • Tissues & kitchen rolls
  • Building & Hardware
    Building Supplies
    • Aggregates & sand
    • Bricks & blocks
    • Concrete & cement
    • Additives & chemicals
    • Insulation & damp
    • Plasterboard
    • Plastering supplies
    • Coving
    • Roofing supplies
    • Guttering & drainage
    • Builder's metalwork
    • Sealants
    Timber & sheet materials
    • Constructional timber
    • Sheet materials
    • Finishing timber
    • Furniture board
    • Decorative mouldings
    • Skirting board
    • Architrave
    • Timber cladding
    • Loft boards
    • Scaffold boards
    • Stairs & stair parts
    Hardware
    • Screws
    • Handles & knobs
    • Hinges
    • Bolts, nuts & washers
    • Hooks & hangers
    • Brackets
    • Locks & padlocks
    • Furniture hardware
    • House numbers & plaques
    • Fixings & plugs
    • Nails
    • Ropes, bungees & chains
    Doors & Windows
    • Internal doors
    • External doors
    • Garage doors
    • Windows
    • Made to measure
    • Door locks & latches
    • Door frames & fixtures
    • Porches
    • Loft door & hatches
    • Door clearance
  • Painting & Decorating
    Paint & wood treatments
    • Interior emulsion
    • Interior woodcare
    • Masonry paint
    • Exterior woodcare
    • Shed & fence paint
    • Garden furniture paint & treatment
    • Spray paint
    • Decking stains & oils
    • Metal paint
    • Specialist paint
    • Primer & undercoat
    • Decorating clearance
    Decorating tools & supplies
    • Paint brushes & sprayers
    • Paint rollers & tools
    • Wallpaper tools
    • Protective clothing, sheets & tools
    • Fillers, putty & caulk
    • Paint removers & cleaning
    • Sealants
    • Tapes
    • Sanding & abrasives
    • Glue & adhesives
    Wallpaper & wall coverings
    • Wallpaper
    • Lining paper
    • Murals
    • Stickers
    • Wallpaper borders
    • Self adhesive wallpaper
    • Sticky back plastic
  • Tools & Equipment
    Power tools
    • Drills
    • Saws
    • Sanders
    • Angle grinders
    • Power tool accessories
    • Kits & twinpacks
    • Screwdrivers
    • Nail guns
    • Routers
    • Planers
    • Multi tools & hobby tools
    • Impact drivers & wrenches
    Hand tools
    • Sawing
    • Spanners & wrenches
    • Hammers & demolition
    • Tool kits
    • Screwdrivers & keys
    • Levels & measuring
    • Trowels, hawks & floats
    • Knives & blades
    • Planes, chisels & files
    • Vices & clamps
    • Pliers & cutters
    • Blow torches & soldering
    Equipment
    • Tool storage
    • Ladders & steps
    • Safety & workwear
    • Site equipment
    • Vacuums & cleaners
    • Car care & maintenance
    • Torches & work lights
    • Tarpaulin, sheets & sacks
    • Garden power tools
    • Garden hand tools
  • Lighting & Electrical
    Lighting
    • Indoor lights
    • Outdoor lights
    • Ceiling lights
    • Outdoor wall lights
    • Indoor wall lights
    • Floor lamps
    • Light bulbs
    • Lamp shades
    • Spotlights & downlights
    • Light fixtures & fittings
    • Light switches & dimmers
    Electrical
    • Cable
    • Cable management
    • Consumer units
    • Mounting boxes
    • Junction & cable connectors
    • Electrical tools & supplies
    • Cable reels & extension leads
    • Plugs
    • Fuses
    • RCD plugs
    Home electrical
    • Switches & sockets
    • Outdoor switches & sockets
    • Timers & controllers
    • TV brackets
    • TV aerials & accessories
    • Door bells
    • Data networking
    • Telephones & accessories
    • Mobile & tablet accessories
    • Batteries & chargers
    Safety & security
    • CCTV & surveillance
    • Burglar alarms
    • Fire, heat & co alarms
    • Safes
    • Key safes & cash boxes
    • Security lighting
    • Door locks & latches
    • Cable & bike locks
    • Childrens' safety
    • Smoke alarms
    • Carbon monoxide alarms
    • Fire extinguishers
    Smart home
    • Voice assistants
    • Smart lighting
    • Smart alarms
    • Smart cameras
    • Smart heating
    • Smart door locks
    • Smart smoke alarms
    • Smart door bells
    • Smart plugs
  • Tiling & Flooring
    Flooring
    • Laminate
    • Luxury vinyl click
    • Sheet vinyl
    • Vinyl tiles
    • Solid wood
    • Engineered wood
    • Vinyl planks
    • Carpet tiles
    • Flooring samples
    • All flooring
    Tiling
    • Wall tiles
    • Floor tiles
    • Mosaic & border tiles
    • Wall & floor tiles
    • Bathroom tiles
    • Kitchen tiles
    • Decking tiles
    • Tile ranges
    • Tile samples
    • All tiles
    Accessories
    • Underlay
    • Scotias & floor trims
    • Thresholds & reducers
    • Skirting & architrave
    • Underfloor heating
    • Tiling trims
    • Grout
    • Tiling adhesive
    • Sealant
    • Tile paint
    • Floor & tile cleaner
    Tools
    • Tile cutters
    • Power saws
    • Drills
    • Hand saws
    • Paddle mixers
    • Levels & measuring
    • Mallets
    • Grout spreaders
  • Heating & Plumbing
    Radiators
    • Central heating radiators
    • Towel radiators
    • Column radiators
    • Designer radiators
    • Electric radiators
    • Oil filled radiators
    • Vertical radiators
    • Cast iron radiators
    • Mirror radiators
    • Heating elements
    • Radiator valves
    • Radiator covers
    Fires, stoves & electric heating
    • Electric fires
    • Gas fires
    • All fires
    • Fireplace surrounds
    • Fireplace suites
    • Electric heating
    • Stoves
    • Companion sets
    • Logs & firewood
    • Coal buckets & baskets
    • Fireplace maintenance
    Plumbing
    • Bathroom fittings
    • Pipe fittings
    • Pipe
    • Wastes & traps
    • Toilet fittings
    • Valves & stopcocks
    • Flexible connectors
    • Elbows
    • Pipe insulation
    • Plumbing tools
    • Shower pumps
    • Cold water tanks
    Central heating
    • Boilers, flues & parts
    • Central heating controls
    • Underfloor heating
    • Hot water cylinders
    • Pipe insulation
    • Pumps
    • Water heaters
    • Treatments
    Air treatment
    • Air conditioners
    • Cooling fans
    • Dehumidifiers
    • Extractor fans
    • Ceiling fans
    • Vents & grills
    • Ducting
  • Christmas
    Christmas
    • Decorations
    • Wreaths & garlands
    • Collections
    • Stockings & sacks
    • Fun
    Christmas trees
    • Artificial trees
    • Real trees
    • Pre-lit trees
    • Classic trees
    • Pre-decorated trees
    • Coloured trees
    Christmas lights
    • Outdoor lights
    • Indoor lights
    • String lights
    • Silhouette lights
  • Home
  • Ideas & Advice
  • Outdoor & Garden
  • Paving
  • How to build a manhole cover
  • Printthis page

How to build a manhole cover

Introduction

If there's a manhole (also known as a drain inspection chamber) in an area you're paving, you can disguise it by creating a recessed cover for it. Or if your finished paving is higher than the original ground level, you might have to raise the existing manhole cover.

How to build a recessed manhole cover

A recessed manhole cover is an open tray that disguises a manhole in a line of paving. The paving is laid right up to the rim of the cover, then more is added in the tray on a bed of mortar, which keeps the paving pattern. You could also choose to fill a manhole cover with gravel, or buy one in which you can lay turf. And if you need to inspect the drain, you can lift the tray out using special manhole keys.

  1. Zoom: [image description] image

    Top tip - Skeleton manhole

    If you're making a concrete path or drive, use a skeleton type of manhole cover. You install it in the same way as a recessed cover, but the tray is filled with concrete that's reinforced by a metal grid.

    Zoom: [image description] image

    Step 1

    Bed the manhole cover on concrete, making sure that the lip is 2mm to 3mm below the level of the finished paved surface. Smooth the concrete around the edges with a trowel, taking care to leave enough room for the depth of the paving and its mortar bed.

    Zoom: [image description] image

    Step 2

    Lay the paving right up to the cover, so you keep your pattern.

    Zoom: [image description] image

    Step 3

    Lift out the tray and cut the paving to fit inside it. Then remove the paving, spread a bed of mortar over the whole of the tray and set the paving in the mortar. Cover the keyholes with masking tape while you fill in the paving joints.

How to raise the height of a manhole cover

If you've built a new patio or drive, the surface will often be higher than the previous ground level. That means you'll need to raise the cover of any manholes to the same level.

  1. Zoom: [image description] image

    Step 1

    Start by lifting off the manhole cover and laying a polythene sheet or plastic bag in the bottom, so debris doesn't clog the drain up. Then chip the old mortar away from the edge of the manhole frame with a club hammer and a sharp chisel. Take care not to hit the frame - if it's old it might be made of cast-iron, which can crack easily. Lift the frame off and clean away any mortar that's covering the top surface of the brick walls of the manhole.

    Zoom: [image description] image

    Step 2

    Build up the manhole with engineering bricks bedded in mortar, made with three parts soft sand to one part cement. If you want to raise the height less than the depth of one brick, use brick slips (which are narrow sections of brick that you've cut to size).

    Zoom: [image description] image

    Step 3

    Spread more mortar onto the new bricks, then place the frame on top and tap it into position using a timber off-cut and club hammer. Then check with a spirit level to make sure it's level across its length and width.

    Zoom: [image description] image

    Step 4

    If you're gravelling the area, slope the mortar around the frame to direct rainwater away. If you're laying slabs or blocks, then cut the mortar in line with the bricks so you can pave right up to the frame. After this, remove the polythene and any debris from the bottom of the manhole. You'll need to cover the frame with a board weighted down with bricks while the mortar dries.

Articles

Sub navigation

  • Articles
    • How to use a pressure washer
    • How to repair paving
    • How to plan a concrete path, patio or driveway
    • How to fit a paving drainage system
    • How to build a manhole cover
    • How to build garden steps
    • How to lay paving blocks, gravel & asphalt
    • Paving buying guide
    • How to lay a patio
    • How to lay paving blocks, gravel & asphalt
    • How to repair paving
    • How to fit a paving drainage system
    • How to plan a concrete path, patio or driveway
    • How to build a manhole cover
    • Paving ideas
    • Paving buying guide
Back to top

Footer links

Social links

Follow us:
Follow us on Pintrest
Follow us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Watch us on Youtube
  • Business

    • B&Q Corporate Homepage
    • Careers . This link opens in a new window
    • Media Centre . This link opens in a new window
    • One Planet Home
    • Modern Slavery Act . This link opens in a new window
    • Business Services
    • Affiliate program
    • Carrier bags
    • B&Q Ireland . This link opens in a new window
    • Black Friday at B&Q
  • Services

    • B&Q Club
    • B&Q Finance
    • B&Q Gift Cards
    • Planning appointment
    • Bathroom planning tool
    • B&Q van hire
    • B&Q Bulk Delivery
  • Products

    • Ratings & Reviews
    • Shop by brand
    • B&Q apps
    • Product Information
    • Product recalls & safety notices
    • Health & safety data sheets
  • Help & Support

    • Ideas & Advice
    • Customer support
    • Home delivery
    • Click + Collect
    • Returns & refunds
    • Brochures
    • Store finder
  • Partner Sites

    • AnyJunk rubbish removal
    • California Shutters
    • Spacepro Made to Measure Wardrobes
    • TradePoint . This link opens in a new window
  • © B&Q
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Sitemap
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.