Which driveway surface and how much?
Discussion
Just to add to block paving, theres only sand underneath it so it sinks after a few years if you continually drive in the same place and you get weed/moss in the gaps but even so it doesnt look to bad if you accept it for what it is.
Gravel - if you use pea gravel weeds soon find it a nice place to grow. Look at garden centres and see how they nurture young seedlings to see why. Pebble or sea gravel with some salt in it seems to work better
Tarmac with a decent base works well. Tarmac done 'for a very good price sir' has weeds growing through it within 6 months and sinks quicker than paving
Hollow paving with grass grwoing through used near leisure centres. It seems to work , needs mowing but no experience
Gravel - if you use pea gravel weeds soon find it a nice place to grow. Look at garden centres and see how they nurture young seedlings to see why. Pebble or sea gravel with some salt in it seems to work better
Tarmac with a decent base works well. Tarmac done 'for a very good price sir' has weeds growing through it within 6 months and sinks quicker than paving
Hollow paving with grass grwoing through used near leisure centres. It seems to work , needs mowing but no experience
vikingaero said:
Two other problems with gravel:
(1) Cats sometimes crimp one off on it.
(2) It leaves a horrible tyre scarring marks on the sidewalls (we are OCD PHers after all) and if your car has stupidly low profile tyres the odd stone can catch the rim.
Geez - how deep is your gravel?(1) Cats sometimes crimp one off on it.
(2) It leaves a horrible tyre scarring marks on the sidewalls (we are OCD PHers after all) and if your car has stupidly low profile tyres the odd stone can catch the rim.
If you go for any sort of brick paving, scour the local free paper ads. You often find small quantities for a cheap price. When you've gathered enough for the drive, just play around with what you've got to make a pattern. Also local building sites will often flog of leftovers cheap to save them having to get rid of them. Some sort of transport or a mate with a van/truck/trailer is useful. Ebay of course. And finaly :-
http://www.wantsandoffers.co.uk
http://www.salvoweb.com
http://www.wantsandoffers.co.uk
http://www.salvoweb.com
saaby93 said:
Just to add to block paving, theres only sand underneath it so it sinks after a few years if you continually drive in the same place and you get weed/moss in the gaps but even so it doesnt look to bad if you accept it for what it is.
Hmmm. It sinks if an insufficient base is not put down - it should not just have sand underneath it! It should have a proper graded hardcore base on which the sand is spread and onto which the blocks are then laid. Had my driveway done many years ago and the Range Rover has left no 'dents' in it despite being parked in the same place.As for moss and weeds - an hour or so with pressure washer followed by a good soaking of weedkiller once a year keeps it as good as new!
FRA53R said:
Presscrete certainly works well, but as you said is lethal when cold and wet. I once found my car two feet further down the drive after I 'Parked' it on my driveway during the winter.
Gravel is the best option, though as many have mentioned you will still have to stay on top of weeding.
Don't go with a brick driveway, we had ours done very professionally but even then it still ended up with dips and that's far more irritating than getting a ton of gravel to rake over the place.
I'm sorry to say that if it ended up with dips then it wasn't done very professionally. They skimped on the base and did a crap job. pavingexpert.com shows how it should be done. Gravel is the best option, though as many have mentioned you will still have to stay on top of weeding.
Don't go with a brick driveway, we had ours done very professionally but even then it still ended up with dips and that's far more irritating than getting a ton of gravel to rake over the place.
Edited by Mabbs9 on Sunday 22 June 14:03
At the end of the day the surface should logically be determined by what looks right for the property and surroundings.
Where people make their mistake is in not investing in the foundations. Chuck your money at that and get that 100% and anything you put on top will survive.
If people have bricks that are now uneven it isn't the bricks but poor foundations.
Get the bit that no one sees correct and then worry about the bit the people do see including yourselves. Nothing pikier than an expensive surface that fails after a few years because all the money was spent on that and not what's underneath.
Where people make their mistake is in not investing in the foundations. Chuck your money at that and get that 100% and anything you put on top will survive.
If people have bricks that are now uneven it isn't the bricks but poor foundations.
Get the bit that no one sees correct and then worry about the bit the people do see including yourselves. Nothing pikier than an expensive surface that fails after a few years because all the money was spent on that and not what's underneath.
I need one done as well, I'm more worried about who's going to do it than the surface.
If it was flat I would hire a mini-digger and do it myself with a massively over-engineered foundation. The gradient is quite steep so I could see myself having a nightmare though.
Forget gravel.
If it was flat I would hire a mini-digger and do it myself with a massively over-engineered foundation. The gradient is quite steep so I could see myself having a nightmare though.
Forget gravel.
Edited by SuperHangOn on Sunday 22 June 16:22
Must be just me that loves the gravel.
The incredible roar of stones under rubber evokes images of middle England and a gentle time. My second favorite sound after a ransomes lawnmower gently buzzing away in the distance.
Yes I have a gravel drive, yes it needs a rake and a sweep but it suits the house and is great value against other options.
Oh, and it's a good setting for car sale pics.
The incredible roar of stones under rubber evokes images of middle England and a gentle time. My second favorite sound after a ransomes lawnmower gently buzzing away in the distance.
Yes I have a gravel drive, yes it needs a rake and a sweep but it suits the house and is great value against other options.
Oh, and it's a good setting for car sale pics.
radiodanno said:
Must be just me that loves the gravel.
The incredible roar of stones under rubber evokes images of middle England and a gentle time. My second favorite sound after a ransomes lawnmower gently buzzing away in the distance.
Yes I have a gravel drive, yes it needs a rake and a sweep but it suits the house and is great value against other options.
Oh, and it's a good setting for car sale pics.
I like the look of gravel drives... but they are a real pain in the arse (literally) if you ever work on your own car.The incredible roar of stones under rubber evokes images of middle England and a gentle time. My second favorite sound after a ransomes lawnmower gently buzzing away in the distance.
Yes I have a gravel drive, yes it needs a rake and a sweep but it suits the house and is great value against other options.
Oh, and it's a good setting for car sale pics.
Can't slide your jack or trolley about, and your behind and back end up full of pebbles.
And if you drop a bolt/nut, you probably aren't going to find it again.
I did mine with blocks. Just over 70 square meters was some where around £2200.
That was to remove previous laid concrete and almost a foot of soil as it was too high against the house.
Only problems I have is the moss/grass and it has sank in one area. I reckon its because when we dug it up to lay the next door neighbour had removed their outside toilet and knocked the end closed on a lead pipe. It had been leaking for years underneath which meant more had to be dug out and more hardcore laid in. I now think we should of let it dry out for a few weeks before laying. Its not too bad though and most of time theres a car parked on it which helps also.
Another problem is when you jetwash them clean and degrass them you blow the sand out from inbetween and underneath.
I'd still go for them again though. The printed concrete looks nice but the risk of cracking is too high. The inlaws has cracked already and like all paving company's its disappeared or rather rebranded so you can't trace it.
Blocks worked out cheaper for me aswell.
That was to remove previous laid concrete and almost a foot of soil as it was too high against the house.
Only problems I have is the moss/grass and it has sank in one area. I reckon its because when we dug it up to lay the next door neighbour had removed their outside toilet and knocked the end closed on a lead pipe. It had been leaking for years underneath which meant more had to be dug out and more hardcore laid in. I now think we should of let it dry out for a few weeks before laying. Its not too bad though and most of time theres a car parked on it which helps also.
Another problem is when you jetwash them clean and degrass them you blow the sand out from inbetween and underneath.
I'd still go for them again though. The printed concrete looks nice but the risk of cracking is too high. The inlaws has cracked already and like all paving company's its disappeared or rather rebranded so you can't trace it.
Blocks worked out cheaper for me aswell.
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