What is Block Paving?

Block paving also known as brick paving is a commonly used decorative method of creating a pavement or hard-standing. The main benefit of bricks over other materials is that individual bricks can later be lifted up and replaced.

What are the benefits?

• Versatility - Coming in a range of styles and colours, block paving can be customised to your own specifications. Different designs and shapes can be formed, further adding to the appeal of the material.

• Environmentally sustainable - block paving is environmentally sustainable because of its porous nature. This means the paving will absorb rainwater and stop it from gathering on your patio or driveway. The added benefit is that the surface area will have better drainage.

• Low maintenance - block paving doesn’t require a lot of maintenance because of what the material is made from. All you’ll have to do is apply soap and water to keep it clean. Block paving is also durable enough to withstand all kinds of weather.

• Durability - block paving is a long-lived material. Block paving is durable enough to withstand the pressure of an airplane, which is why it’s a common material at airports. You can drive your car over it many times and it won’t suffer from any wear and tear. Also, block paving is highly resistant to most chemicals, oils, salts and frosts.

• Visual appeal - With the variety of styles on offer, block paving is guaranteed to improve the appearance of your home. There’s the option to use a simplistic design, or go for something more intricate. If you’re planning to sell the property in future, then a clean, well-maintained driveway will add value, highlighting another advantage of block paving.

The Installation Process

For a block paved driveway:
To prepare the driveway for block paving, the tarmac will be excavated using a mini digger and hydraulic breaker, uncovering the firm and solid M.O.T base underneath. Incorporating the current sub-base saves money on materials and labour, you can be confident that the sub-base will be extremely firm and solid as the M.O.T will have maximally compressed over the years it has been down, the perfect sub-base for the new block paving. Next, M.O.T will be dropped on the road and brought in, before being levelled and compressed at 3 inches. This ensures a stable and permeable sub-base for the driveway so it will be sure to stand the test of time. Once all of the block paved areas are suitably prepped. A smart drainage gulley system will be installed on one side of the driveway to divert water away from the neighbours' fence. Gulleys will be set level on a predominantly grit based mortar to ensure longevity, they will be set 5mm lower than the finished height of the block paving. On the driveway, classy kerbing edging stones will be set level on mortar around the perimeter of the driveway, this will give a beautiful finish and also act as a holding perimeter for the inside block paving. A thick geotextile membrane will then be laid cut and pinned down which is used to stop aggregate loss between layers. Coarse grit sand will then be added, levelled and compressed before a final screed and levelling. The inner blocks will then be laid evenly and flush on the level bed of sand. All edges will be cut tight and neatly before silica sand is brushed into the paving and compressed, a final clear up of any excess sand will reveal a stunning driveway, built to last!