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Once the design has
been agreed and the materials decided upon, ordered and
delivered, we undertake the following staged process to
ensure a high quality finished product that will give you
trouble free enjoyment for many years to come.
Prior to starting the
work we review the whole site to ensure our plans accurately
reflect the customers requirements and that any additional
requirements are factored in.
Stage 1
- This is the vital step of preparation and must be
completed thoroughly. Firstly, we mark out the
area that needs to be paved and we then remove the topsoil
so that when the paving is laid it remains below the
damp-proof course by at least 150mm. This is essential
to ensure that no dampness penetrates the house/building.
 The excavation work needs to be carried out carefully to
ensure mains water pipes, NTL cables, sewage & gas pipes and
BT lines are not damaged. We assess the site
thoroughly in order to identify and possible problems before
we start the work. The area excavated is not level as
we need to incorporate a slight slope for drainage purposes.
Secondly, the
area uncovered is then reviewed and any weak/soft areas
filled in before being compacted down by machine.
Stage 2
- Any manhole covers are recessed
and any other external services are
 carefully protected.
Once this has been completed we install the edge restraints,
weather curbs or edgings to create the borders of the new
drive. These are embedded into concrete as they tend
to receive the most direct contact by cars and must be able
to withstand this impact without moving.
Stage 3
- It is now time to lay a sub-base
of aggregate to a depth dependent on the specific ground
conditions i.e. chalk, clay etc and compact this
mechanically
 several times to ensure the foundation is solid
as the firmer the foundation the better the drive and the
less likely it will subside in places. If you see a
drive that has indentations in it, or have puddles form when
it rains, it is usually because insufficient time and effort
was spent on this vital stage.
Stage 4
- Sharp sand is spread over the entire
area to be paved to a depth of
 50-80mm and compacted down
mechanically. The whole area is then carefully
levelled off to ensure the right 'fall' and direction for
drainage purposes.
Stage 5
- A course of blocks/pavers is now laid by
hand alongside the edges and any edge pattern inserted
throughout the whole design. At this stage additional
features such as drive lights, are installed.
Stage 6
- All the remaining blocks/pavers are now laid starting in the
optimum location to ensure the best aesthetic appearance.
Any specific inlays are built in at this stage at the agreed location(s)
in the overall design we are
 working to. During the
laying process the levels are periodically checked and the
blocks/pavers are randomly taken from different
packs to ensure that any variation in colour and texture is
not going to be noticeable (all paving blocks/pavers are subject to
slight variations in both colour and texture). We
carefully work around manhole covers etc.
Stage 7
- Once completed, the whole area is thoroughly checked to
ensure
 there are no damaged blocks/pavers. If there are, they
are immediately replaced. We then go over the entire
area with the mechanical compactor and then review the area
again with a level to ensure no subsidence has occurred - if
it has, then the blocks/pavers in the offending area are removed
and the problem rectified.
Stage 8
- We sweep the area with very fine sharp sand and ensure
this gets into all the joints. The whole area is then
compacted again so that the
 vibrations encourages the sand
to penetrate the joints and gaps. We sweep further
sand in and repeat the process. This last stage should
be carried out in dry weather as it is far easier to ensure
the sand penetrates the joints. Finally, we carefully
review the whole area to ensure that everything is
satisfactory and encourage the customer to check the whole
job so that they are completely satisfied.
 
To see other examples of the many drives we
have created
click here.
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