Rainy days - Laying in the wet

[bryn4004]

first post for me hope someone can answer this. i am attempting to pave my driveway. done the groundwork wacked down the hardcore and got wet every time. as i only get weekends to do this its taking a long time so far. now to my question i have waited and waited for weeks for a dry weekend i have the sand piled up and ready to go and really need to get on with this so my question is can i lay paving while it is raining or will this cause problems.

[Tony McC]

Light rain will be OK, but no point in working in the heavy rain. Try not to let the laying course become saturated, and be aware that sand jointing will be difficult, but not impossible.

If all else fails, you can actually 'wet grout' the jointing by washing in the expensive KD sand using a hose or a watering can - it's a technique we used to rely on in the winter months and is actually a fairly common practice on the continent.

[bryn4004]

Hi Tony, thanks for the info at least now i know it wont cause any problems. I dont mind leaving the jointing until we get some drier weather but i would like to get some block down.

[Tony McC]

It's really important that you get some jointing sand in before you traffic the pavement. As explained oin the main site, that little trickle of jointing sand is what gives the pavement much of its load-beraring capability. Trafficking an unjointed segmental pavement is just about the worst thing you can do short of painting it pink.

As soon as an area is laid, checked and cut-in, get as much sand as you can into the joints. Don't worry if they aren't full: some sand, any amount, is better than none. They can be topped up as when the opportunity presents itself, but you really, really MUST get some sand into those joints as soon as poss.

[bryn4004]

first off must apologise to tony for the pm im new to the forum and have not learnt how to use it properly.
my qury is this. with the time i have and the weather this project is going to take 3 or 4 more weekends as the paved area is the only access to the house i cannot avoid foot traffic completely can completed sections be wacked and jointed or do i have to complete the whole of the paved area first

[matt h]

listen to the gaffer,best to do the whole lot, but with this weather get some jointing sand into what you have completed, and put walk boards over to spread the load you will probably have to top up later in any case.d

[bryn4004]

thanks for the answer will do so asap.

[Tony McC]

You can compact and joint completed sections as long as you stay at least 1 metre back from any unrestrained edge.

A good tactic is to use a length of timber fastened in place with line pins or timber stakes to temporarily restrain the leading edge during periods when you're not working. When work recoimmennce, remove the temporary restraint and the first one or two courses of laid blocks (which tend to become disturbed when left against a temp edge) and screed off a new section.

[Dan1005]

Unfortuatly a downpour has soaked our type 1. Should we wait until its fully dry before we add our sharp sand for block paving or just get it laid?