Block Paving

A block paved driveway is made up of individual units, which is its great advantage. If a service company ever needs to dig it up, or a single block gets stained by oil, it can be lifted and relaid without a patch showing. No other hard surface is as forgiving.

It also handles the weight of vehicles better than almost anything else. The blocks lock against one another and spread load across the whole surface rather than concentrating it in one spot.

Nearly every failed driveway we are called out to look at failed underneath. So that is where we spend our time.

We excavate to the depth the ground actually needs — usually 200mm or more for a driveway — and cart the spoil away. A geotextile membrane goes down, then MOT Type 1 sub-base laid in layers and whacker-plated until it is solid. Edgings are bedded and haunched in concrete so the whole field of blocks has something to press against.

Only then does the screeded sand and the blockwork go down, cut neatly to the edges with a disc cutter, vibrated in and jointed.

There is a genuinely enormous range — standard concrete blocks in charcoal, brindle and buff, through to tumbled setts that look like reclaimed granite, and large-format linear blocks for a more modern look. Borders and contrasting soldier courses cost very little extra and make a real difference.

We will bring samples out with us so you can see them against your brickwork rather than guessing from a brochure.

If your driveway is over five square metres and drains onto the road, you may need planning permission. The simplest way around it is permeable block paving, which lets water soak away through the joints — no permission needed. We will tell you honestly which applies to your property before you commit to anything.