Clay paving in essex.

[mydogisbald]

Still planning our new driveway. I've got the area prepped for the sub base having removed 50 ish tons of earth. Got a bit of drainage to sort first but then I'll be ready for the 'hard core'.

Because the ground is heavy clay we're planning 150mm sub base - 150mm lean mix - 30mm bedding - 50mm blocks. Maybe a bit over kill but I'd rather do it once and not worry about it in future. It will have a couple of heavyish vans on it.

So the sub-base, does it need to be type 1 or would crusher run be suitable? I'm looking at 25-30 tons so it won't be cheap but I don't want to cut corners.

Also, we were going to go with concrete blocks but having thought about it would prefer clay. Mainly because all the concrete I see look the same after a couple of years regardless of the colour they started as.

We've found a supplier online with very good prices (£145 for 9sqm) but they're up north and delivery is going to add almost £800 to the price for 11 packs delivered.

Does anyone know of a supplier in the south/essex area?

Thanks, J

[cookiewales]

You could just use lean mix at 150 mm to do the job 30 mm sharp sand then clay block would do a fine job and take any weight you would put on it don't use concrete paviours 50 mm only 3.5 ton any more info ask

[mydogisbald]

Thanks Cookie, bit late now. Already done the dig so need to fill it with something . The area has been subject to heave in the past. Ideally I'd like to use 65mm clay blocks.

[lemoncurd1702]

Cover the area with Terram first, then your crusher run 150-200, then build up the remaining base with Type one. 300mm of sub-base should eliminate the need for a lean mix.

Make sure you compact the sub-base in layers of no more than 75mm thick, this is essential!

You could also incorporate a geogrid reinforcement mesh in the sub-base.

[lutonlagerlout]

when we use clays we have to get them hauled down from stoke on trent
baggeridge the nice ones
FLB do a softer one but not to my taste

LLL

[colordrives]

Blockley Clay pavers?