HI, I had a driveway installed 2 months ago i have puddles form when it rains or when i wash car,one is quite large however it does soak away in time,i would like to know how this can be put right,the drive is concrete with sharp sand placed on top then blocked,also the drive has no fall i am concered with problems in the future.also paving is level with bottom of airvents, i would welcome some advice on my problems
thanks.
Blockpaving - Puddling & airvents
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mark39
- Posts: 11
- Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2008 9:36 pm
- Location: mansfield notts
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hi there,
sorry to say but it sounds like a bodge job im afraid!!
if it was laid on solid concrete you shouldnt get puddles in it as the sand screed would have now where to go so it sounds like the sand screed hasnt been compacted properly!! two complate compactions with wacker plate before screeding the sand is required and then also the blocks should of been compacted twise with wacker plate after laying and cutting in had been completed and then compacted again with kiln dried sand on top of the blocks to compact into the joints to complete the job sounds easy and it is if its done right but with so many cowboys about you get this sort or shoddy work all the time your not the first and you wont be the last !!
customers need to do your homework and check the pavers out before using them (check references !!!! )to be sorted out properly it needs to be ripped up together with the concrete and done properly see the specifications on this web site for details you might be able to do a quick repair by lifting out the blocks where its sunk and put some more washed sand in and compact it down with a float to level up the sand and then replace the blocks and compact the down to level with a peice of wood 2" x 2" and a good heavy hammer then refill joints with sand this may get you out of trouble for a while but then its going to be wait and see time to see if it sinks anymore ,
i suppose you've tried to get the firm back who laid it !!
sorry to hear about the mess youve been left in !!
mark..
sorry to say but it sounds like a bodge job im afraid!!
if it was laid on solid concrete you shouldnt get puddles in it as the sand screed would have now where to go so it sounds like the sand screed hasnt been compacted properly!! two complate compactions with wacker plate before screeding the sand is required and then also the blocks should of been compacted twise with wacker plate after laying and cutting in had been completed and then compacted again with kiln dried sand on top of the blocks to compact into the joints to complete the job sounds easy and it is if its done right but with so many cowboys about you get this sort or shoddy work all the time your not the first and you wont be the last !!
customers need to do your homework and check the pavers out before using them (check references !!!! )to be sorted out properly it needs to be ripped up together with the concrete and done properly see the specifications on this web site for details you might be able to do a quick repair by lifting out the blocks where its sunk and put some more washed sand in and compact it down with a float to level up the sand and then replace the blocks and compact the down to level with a peice of wood 2" x 2" and a good heavy hammer then refill joints with sand this may get you out of trouble for a while but then its going to be wait and see time to see if it sinks anymore ,
i suppose you've tried to get the firm back who laid it !!
sorry to hear about the mess youve been left in !!
mark..
bad back!
aching joints !
must be a paver !!
no work !
no job!
must be an ex paver !!
aching joints !
must be a paver !!
no work !
no job!
must be an ex paver !!
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MRA
- Posts: 31
- Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2008 11:30 pm
Not wishing to alarm you, but please get on the phone and get the contractor back to rectify this ASAP.
Firstly, if the site is level, the contractor should have allowed for this and either ran the paving to a fall anyway and into suitable drainage or installed a permeable paving product (assuming the site lends itself to a permeable construction).
After 2 months and with puddles already forming it can only stay the same or get worse; it will never improve.
Block Paving in most instances, especially in domestic use, is meant to be a 'flexible pavement' construction. By having a concrete base, any water that enters the bedding layer, which it will to some degree, will not drain as it would through a regular hardcore sub-base. This means the sand will become saturated and subsequently the driveway will probably become rutted where the vehicles run. The pressure from vehicular traffic will effectively make the blocks 'swim' on the sand. This is not good.
There are ways to remedy this, such as drilling deep bore holes through the concrete, filling with a drainable aggregate, covering the hole with a water permeable membrane and re-laying as per the existing. This might work, but only might and its not ideal if it does as there is always a slight risk of clogging later in the bore holes.
Also, any paving near airvents should in theory accomodate a run away from the building and be below the vents so water ingress cannot occur.
I feel your contractor is either inexperienced or is either very lazy. Either way, get them back! I cannot see any way to make good on this except a complete lift and relay; taking into account the excavation of the concrete too.
Good luck.
Firstly, if the site is level, the contractor should have allowed for this and either ran the paving to a fall anyway and into suitable drainage or installed a permeable paving product (assuming the site lends itself to a permeable construction).
After 2 months and with puddles already forming it can only stay the same or get worse; it will never improve.
Block Paving in most instances, especially in domestic use, is meant to be a 'flexible pavement' construction. By having a concrete base, any water that enters the bedding layer, which it will to some degree, will not drain as it would through a regular hardcore sub-base. This means the sand will become saturated and subsequently the driveway will probably become rutted where the vehicles run. The pressure from vehicular traffic will effectively make the blocks 'swim' on the sand. This is not good.
There are ways to remedy this, such as drilling deep bore holes through the concrete, filling with a drainable aggregate, covering the hole with a water permeable membrane and re-laying as per the existing. This might work, but only might and its not ideal if it does as there is always a slight risk of clogging later in the bore holes.
Also, any paving near airvents should in theory accomodate a run away from the building and be below the vents so water ingress cannot occur.
I feel your contractor is either inexperienced or is either very lazy. Either way, get them back! I cannot see any way to make good on this except a complete lift and relay; taking into account the excavation of the concrete too.
Good luck.
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seanandruby
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