I am looking to pave my new driveway/patio with something suitable and not to expensive. It is the drive down the side of the house and to the end of
the back garden to the workshop. It wont really have heavy cars on it and nothing will be parked on it as its separate to the drive at the front of
the house. I would like it to look nice and decorative and prefer dark grey or black. The options seem to be slate, limestone or sandstone, all of
which are quite expensive. I wouldnt mind some sort of man made slab but cant seem to find them in dark colours. Some sellers have said limestone
is not strong enough to cope with any car driving on it, even with a solid cement bed. Sandstone comes up a bit thicker and is said to be suitable.
Slate is very nice but too expensive. I have 70 sq metres to cover. I wan to lay it myself and although i like the look of block paving, i am not
sure if i could lay it neatly myself. Most of the drive now has 6 - 8 inches of compacted crushed concrete and the last bit in front of the
workshop is a 6 inch reinforced concrete slab. Both are now the same level.
Does anyone have any suggestions?
We have hardcore (and the occasional weed!)... we'll tarmac it WHEN we win the Euromillions!
Block paving is actually quite easy to lay, but come winter it's as slippery as glass. I regret doing the side path of our house in it!
i didnt know that about block paving. I am quite surprised at that. I would have thought slate would be lethal in the wet or cold
We have gravel but the drive is on a slope and it all rolls to the bottom. Kc always used to spin the wheels trying to get into the garage!
Really annoying. Like Scooty.... I'll tarmac when we can afford it!
Road scalpings ie the top layer that gets removed cheap as chips and it's the right colour. Use hard core as a base tip 3-4 inches over the top and wacker wacker wacker.
Concrete, about 18" thick
Block paving is lethal in the winter...
Block paving driveway and large gravel to the garage.
Oh and concrete outside the garage.
[Edited on 28/7/11 by lewis]
Tarmac
what about imprinted coloured concrete?
You would need a descent mixer and need to measure the amount's in every batch you make to get it all the same colour.
also you would need the to buy a pattern stencil.
Concrete.
years ago I watched some chaps floor a pub with imprinted, coloured concrete.
The had a large wooden former around 6' x 6' which was devided into 1' x 1' squares made out of 2" x 1/2" wood, a big
grid.
They poured the concrete on the floor around 2 " deep, covered with thin plastic like cling film, the stuff you get from storage companies for
wrapping sofas etc then pressed the former on top and flattened the concrete by hand roughly, plucked out the former then repeated across the room.
When the concrete could hold its shape they pulled off the plastic, looked just like dark stone paving slabs, the plastic leaves a smooth finish on
top every slab a little different then just grouted, it looked fantastic ! Where the plastic overlaps and wrinkles you get a slate like finish
Worth a little practice with a 2.99 bag of ready mix and a pot of black ink maybe?
[Edited on 28/7/11 by mark chandler]
Friends have got that printed concrete, although its 10 years old it is as good as the day it was laid.
They do pay £200 every year to have it cleaned an re sealed though.
Something like this http://www.screedprint.co.uk/
quote:
Originally posted by aka_shortie
Friends have got that printed concrete, although its 10 years old it is as good as the day it was laid.
They do pay £200 every year to have it cleaned an re sealed though.
Something like this http://www.screedprint.co.uk/
Tarmac up front then lots of red gravel around side and back- dog wakes up if anyone walks on the gravek when it is snoozing in the garage.
ive never found my block paving to be slippy.
Two concrete strips with decorative stone chips to the sides with a few persisant weeds inbetween to add a little colour.
lovely tarmac....and NO weeds.
Decking?
hardcore and a p100 ....was going to block pave but a divorce has stalled that idea.
note to lawyer monitoring my posts
I was going to pull the weeds out ...
shall i keep half of them for ******* as well
ps tell her to collect half the wheelie bin of grass cuttings as well
[Edited on 29-7-11 by mangogrooveworkshop]
quote:
Originally posted by JoelP
ive never found my block paving to be slippy.
quote:
Originally posted by Stott
quote:
Originally posted by JoelP
ive never found my block paving to be slippy.
I concurr
Block paving is not slippery, I think that's a myth supported by everyone who chose something else to lay on their drive.
It's no where near as bad as a concrete slab in the ice. The road in Aberdare is made from block paving with yellow lines made from yellow stones and it's no ice rink.
Check out marshalls eby store as they sometimes have large quantity batches at good prices in stuff like granite topped drivesett like the councils use for city centre pedestrianised areas, top quality stuff which looks good too.
thanks guys, i have to say when i have seen the imprinted concrete i have always liked the look of it.