How to protect driveway from spills?

[MajorMantra]

In the past I've had a few unfortunate spills whilst doing oil changes, caused by my own incompetence. Having recently spent loadsamoney on a nice new block paved driveway, I'm very, very keen not to do it again.

Is there an absolutely idiot proof way to protect the drive? I'm thinking that ideally I'd need something completely impermeable to put down, plus something on top to either absorb spills or stop them flowing. Or I could try a big tray as a second line of defense, but I wonder if that's just going to get in the way...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sealey-DRPL09-Drip-Tray-P...

What do you do?

Edited by MajorMantra on Saturday 23 March 09:45

[Hammer67]

I use an old car boot liner, made of flexible plastic/rubber with a raised lip around the edge.

Visit your local scrappy, you'll find something suitable.

[steveo3002]

off cut of carpet or a sheet of board

[E-bmw]

Use the local indie for your messy work.

[E-bmw]

Use somebody else's drive.

[E-bmw]

Joking aside, I too went with the boot liner that was already in a previous car.

Around a square meter in size with a 2" lip & can be rolled up & stowed away in the garage.

[Belle427]

A large piece of thin plywood or similar does the job too.

[E-bmw]

Belle427 said:

A large piece of thin plywood or similar does the job too.

Unless, of course you have a major miss!

[MajorMantra]

Some good suggestions, thanks. A boot liner hadn't occurred to me, I'll keep an eye out for one going cheap.

I do have a good sized piece of chipboard in the garage. I'm thinking maybe I could create a lip around the edge with some strips of wood to prevent flow...

[GreenV8S]

If you want to protect your new driveway, check that it's been sealed.

I would have thought a groundsheet with a raised lip at the edge would be adequate to catch small spills. It would need some care to avoid puncturing it with jack stands etc. For added insurance, a hose pipe or similar laid under it near the edge would form a raised lip to catch any larger spills. But if you use catch trays for anything involving fluids, you shouldn't expect to spill much.

[paintman]

Big sheets of cardboard. I get mine as used boxes from a local firm who are only too glad to have someone take some away for free.
Keep plenty of rags to hand & use to stop any runaways!
You can buy bales of rag at many motor factors.