Preperation
This is essential if you want your drive to last for many years. We dig out to a minimum depth of 300mm below the damp proof course, we then infill with compacted mill waste. Our compacter plates weight 110kg alone producing 2 tonnes of compaction force.
This sub base layer is very important and is designed to evenly spread the load of the block pavers.
All too often cut priced block pavers will cut back on the depth dug out and pay little attention to the importance of a good solid base.
Drainage
Depending on the way your drive falls we may need to build in gully drains to catch rain water running towards the house or garage, connecting where possible to a surface water down pipe.
Edgings
We will nearly always replace the council path edgings dividing your driveway and the pavement, not all contractors will do this. We cut the tarmac back to form a neat new line after which we lay new tarmac.
K-Curb edgings can be used to form a raised shaped edge if necessary to divide the driveway from flowerbeds or a lawn.
Sanding/Screeding
This is the layer we lay below the block pavers, a bad screed will show erratic hills and hollows and will make the difference between a bad looking drive and a really good one.
The sand is spread all over the drive to an approx depth of 75mm then its compacted using the wacker plate steel rods are laid and knocked into the sand to the correct depths and fall, a straight edge is pulled along to remove excess sand leaving approx 50mm.
Laying the blocks
Starting usually from the front we begin to lay the boarder edge to your chosen pattern, when laying rumbled blocks we check every 5 rows with a length of string to keep the lines straight.
When the blocks and cuts are laid if they are dry we brush in jointing sand, a compacter plate is used to shake and lock the blocks together, this now forms a very strong bond, any excess sand is removed now the drive is ready for use.
Finishing Sand
Eslin dried sand is brushed in and a compactor plate is used to lock the blocks into place.