drive way ideas

[123hotchef]

like pebble dash but flat lol

 

[CompoSimmonite]

This thread has made me realise Charcoal coloured paving slabs, with edge detailing in pavers or similar, is the way I intend going with my own drive.

 

[123hotchef]

just make sure its well prepped and they slabs are well and evenly supported underneath or they will crack when u drive on them

 

[CompoSimmonite]

just make sure its well prepped and they slabs are well and evenly supported underneath or they will crack when u drive on them

Late father-in-law was sports ground contractor so had it drummed into me how to lay them properly Doubt I could manage even one 3'x2' now so I'd have to get somebody to do the job

 

[123hotchef]

well u will have to be forman they will cut corners

 

[Crater Creator]

I'm halfway through block paving mine at the moment (taking advantage of having dome decent weather). Done about 190 m2 so far, awaiting the next delivery of blocks.....
I was quoted 12 grand to do the front bit (there's a bit more area than shown in the picture), I did it myself for about 4500 (but just about killed my back and knees).
It was previously tarred, but had lifted in places and was full of moss, mud and puddles. I haven't put the jointing sand in yet, some small fixes to do first, but hope to have this section finished by the weekend if the rain stops for a while.
Tar came in at the same price, but no option to do it myself. I don't mind sticking down some weedkiller a couple of times a year.
The left hand gate post is a work in progress, it will be stone same as the other one.

 

[norlander]

well the car port is 6m long the garage is 10m long i dearnt put doors on the front of the car port for fear of getting the council around!

Well if they come round, tell em to naff orf and work on their cars at their own place.

I used concrete for the last place I did, I
made forms and installed drainage grills along the side and across the middle-thinkis was these would drain water and double up as xpansion joints
I laid rods in herringbone pattern to provide grip and direct surface water away
Did not go nuts with the float so as to leave a textured finish
laid a rough base down, laid reinforcing mesh on it, then barrowed on top layer and tamped in.
I chucked in some additives but can't remember what they were- waterproofer? antifungal stuff, dunno

 

[MCKDAVID]

nice work crater creator, fair play to you..

not a drive way but the rear terrace. We just used 400 x 400 slabs, on a dry sand mix. We have too many services below, so couldn't go with concrete. Was a bit skeptical at first, as it kept settling, lifted a few added a wee bit more sand and good as gold now. agree it's never had a car on it, but the bike is parked there, and doesn't seem to show any signs of more movement.

 

[rockweasel]

Road planings/scalpings. Cheap. 20 tonnes cost me £180 delivered. With the money you save on the job, buy the missus a bunch of flowers and box of Dairy Milk to keep her happy.

 

[123hotchef]

very nice

 

[123hotchef]

Well if they come round, tell em to naff orf and work on their cars at their own place.

I used concrete for the last place I did, I
made forms and installed drainage grills along the side and across the middle-thinkis was these would drain water and double up as xpansion joints
I laid rods in herringbone pattern to provide grip and direct surface water away
Did not go nuts with the float so as to leave a textured finish
laid a rough base down, laid reinforcing mesh on it, then barrowed on top layer and tamped in.
I chucked in some additives but can't remember what they were- waterproofer? antifungal stuff, dunno

that's probably the route I will go too drainage down 1 side maybe I also have 2 manhole covers to sort out deffinatly some metal work in there though

 

[lexi]

Nothing wrong with slabs if done properly.

A few pointers: If you are going to polish concrete, you need the proper mix to get that smooth finish. Colloidial Silica is added for that factory look. DO NOT polish and continually trowel ordinary concrete in the quest for a really smooth finish. You will kill the surface and it will dry to powder.
Otherwise you can do 4" of standard concrete and 2" of crushed granite on top at 3-1 mix and polish that, in stages as it cures. That gives a smooth and really durable finish.
Do your concrete in section slabs, with 12mm expansion joints. It is easier and helps with cracking.
As Kent mentioned the services thing. The gas board told me they may have to cut my drive to put a gas pipe in. I was sure a new one had been done before I poured my slabs, along with a power cable. On checking it they concluded it had been done. They were going to slice a channel right up the 6" thick slab with steel. So if pouring, make enquiry on these matters. This can be a future issue but the benefit of concrete is worth it. In 16 yrs since I done the whole drive (sloped) I have no maintenance, no weeds and no movement or ponding. You can power wash and clean it up, no problem.

 

[123hotchef]

I like the idea of the crushed granite can you see it or is it purley for strength?

Did you mix up your own concrete and poor it ur self or get a truck in?

 

[norlander]

nice one lexi, hotchef, in my case I did it (and always do) in slabs or sections unless its a small patch. That way I stay in control.

I should have mentioned that I coated the rods and the wood forms with diesel as a release agent so they came out, otherwise they would have been well stuck in.
If you overffloat it, it can naff the surface up, and every time you sweep it once its dry it will kick up dust, right pain in rear.
Feb/Febco do a hardener/dustproofer if you cock it up, and they do colours btw, so you could have a black drive-hide the oil stains and soak up the suns rays-nice n warm to lie on when working under the car

 

[123hotchef]

A black driveway would be nice might be hard to get a uniform colour though in sections like that,

good thing about doing sections is I can do it a little at a time is 2m section too small?

There are also the fibre board joints u can leave in are these any good?

Would you just silicon the expansion joints at the end?

 

[brewdexta]

I went for cobbles around the house then concrete down the drive. I bought 100 tonne of cobbles reclaimed from an old goods yard in Halifax. Two friends laid it and I poured the bitumen between the joints. It took bloody ages. It looks nice and fits in but I do get weeds growing between the joints in less used places, I don't like using weedkiller so I now have a brush for the front of the bobcat that shreds the weeds and flings them along with anything else like toys, kids, deck chairs etc. into the distance. I don't tend to notice the odd oil or diesel stain but it does upset girls with high heels quite a bit

 

[norlander]

2m probly bout right, I used some sort of bitumen stuff in joints, no knowledge of the fibreboard stuff. The colours could go patchy on xterior 'crete in use I guess. I left it natural.

 

[brightspark]

I'm halfway through block paving mine at the moment (taking advantage of having dome decent weather). Done about 190 m2 so far, awaiting the next delivery of blocks.....
I was quoted 12 grand to do the front bit (there's a bit more area than shown in the picture), I did it myself for about 4500 (but just about killed my back and knees).
It was previously tarred, but had lifted in places and was full of moss, mud and puddles. I haven't put the jointing sand in yet, some small fixes to do first, but hope to have this section finished by the weekend if the rain stops for a while.
Tar came in at the same price, but no option to do it myself. I don't mind sticking down some weedkiller a couple of times a year.
The left hand gate post is a work in progress, it will be stone same as the other one.


View attachment 84342

leave it a few month then seal it with resin. stops them discolouring and fading . and looks better

 

[Crater Creator]

leave it a few month then seal it with resin. stops them discolouring and fading . and looks better

That's the plan. I'm going to have to wait until the efflorescence comes off of the blocks though, as some of them they are very discoloured after being sat outside for a winter - I'm hoping 6 months or a year and they will have all turned a similar shade.

 

[brightspark]

That's the plan. I'm going to have to wait until the efflorescence comes off of the blocks though, as some of them they are very discoloured after being sat outside for a winter - I'm hoping 6 months or a year and they will have all turned a similar shade.

yup thats the reason u wait. I powerwash mine and re coat once a year . a double bonus I use the kiln dried sand for blasting then use it on the drive