Http://www.techniseal.com/pictdesign deliberations

[canne_man]

After some success with a 150m2 paving project (I must post a picture). I've decided to embark on another trickier paving project next month.

What I want to do is completely replace the crazy paving with block paving around my swimming pool.

Where I live (Near Cannes) has clay soil and we get alot of ground movement because of very dry hot summer and alot of rain in autumn. All of this has led to a number of problems.
Namely my current Pool patio is cracked everywhere.

My idea is to use block paving on compacted DP1 and use polymer sand for jointing. I want a flexible paving surface but not lots of sand getting everywhere !!

There are several challenges the first being drainage. I'm planning to deal with by installing linear drains and have the run off go into perforated plastic pipe which I will sink in the ajoining 10 x 2 m wide Border. My Pool area is somewhat higher than the surround landing and the neighbors gardens, so I figured all I need to do is water flow in a distributed fashion into the ground and it will head down hill from there into the neighbors garden. It would be a 35m run to an external drain across my lawn so it goes saying that I want to avoid this.

The area to be drained will be around 80m2 I guess, Any other suggestions. Currently the water goes everywhere and pools, before making it's way into the adjacent gardens. I have a 50m2 wooden deck (Which I want to replace) with paving in which case getting the drainage right will be critical.

How on the block paving design. I am debating whether to choose flags or blocks both would be laid on a screen sand bed. I guess Flags would be easier to lay but take a look at this.

http://www.techniseal.com/picture.php?region_Id=1&langue_Id=1

I quite like photo showing the irregular sized blocks being used for a pool deck. I'm not really a fan of Milton Keynes type geometrical perfection. (having lived there for 5 years before escaping).

I know the issue of using polymeric sand is somewhat contentious, however I think for such an intensive application as a pool deck where complete absense of loose jointing sand is a must, it's a probably a good choice. Anyone feel differently ?

I'm looking for a very hard wearing surface that can cope with significant expansion and contraction without cracking.

Many Thanks for any Design Insights

-ian

[lutonlagerlout]

I'm glad i am not your neighbour,do they need to be flooded every time it rains??
tony