Block paving drive - Sinking

[ian123]

Another quick question on the same point, I just checked out the resiblock website and the resiblock 22 states;

"PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH PAVER DESTABILISATION AND RUTTING VIRTUALLY ELIMINATED."

Could this really help provent rutting of my drive and possibly aid with the bonding problems associated with the basketweave layout?

I believe it's very expensive anyone any idea how much for a 40 sqm drive?

[msh paving]

Another quick question on the same point, I just checked out the resiblock website and the resiblock 22 states;

"PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH PAVER DESTABILISATION AND RUTTING VIRTUALLY ELIMINATED."

Could this really help provent rutting of my drive and possibly aid with the bonding problems associated with the basketweave layout?

What a load of complete and total utter bolarks

its unbeliveable what they say

all that stuff will do is dent your wallet by about 100 soffs,and leave you with glossy or matt finish sheen, its tricky stuff to apply need a perfect dry blocks before and after end off may at the earliest before you could apply it

[Tony McC]

I think there's a bit missing from that quoted statement, the bit that reads, "under certain very specific conditions that don't occur all that often."

While a quality sealant can prevent loss of jointing sand and the settlement/rutting that sometimes occurs as a result, it cannot correct iffy sub-bases, poorly compacted laying courses or bad choice of pattern.

[ian123]

Thanks guys. Think I'm clutching at straws re the basketweave.

I still plan to seal the drive when the weather is right, but like I've read on this site I'll need a good 3 days of dry weather for the drive to dry out then another dry day to apply the sealant then 24-48 hours of dry weather afterwards.

Thats 5-6 consectutive dry days! if the last couple of summers are anything to go by, this could be a problem.

Weather permitting do you think resiblock 22 is worth the cost. My opinion is that if its genuinely better than other brands then £100s is exceptable to protect and visually enhance a drive that cost £1000s.

Have you ever used or would you recommend resiblock22?

[Rich H]

If it's only 40 sq.m why not lift the lot and re-lay in herringbone which is the preferred pattern for block paved drives?

[ian123]

One word, cost!

I can't afford to pay to have it relaid and I doubt the contractor isn't going to volunteer.

[Amogen]

Ian,

What do you want to achive from sealing the driveway?? Is it a particular look or sheen to the surface??

We renovate hundreds of block paved driveways and offer the client the option of sealing afterwards. Once we have discussed the ongoing maintainence of a sealed driveway to keep that look, it is 90% of the time not done.

Sealing the drive will not stop it gong green. Sealing the drive will not stop moss growing in the chamfers of the blocks. Sealing the drive is not 100% sucessfull in holding the sand in the joints.

Our opinion is not to seal block paved drives. Keep applying a weedkiller every few months (even if there are no weeds present - stops them coming!!) and only when the dirt discolouring the drive, give a professional a call to come and clean it for you. After they have finished, it will look lke new again!!!

Hope this helps...

[Tony McC]

Resiblock is widely regarded as a quality product and is used on thousands of metres of block paving each year. For a long time, it was seen as the unchallenged number one sealant for concrete block paving, but other products have upped their game and there is less clarity about the top product nowadays.

I will be sealing my own re-paved driveway later this Spring (it was re-laid hours before the implementation of the comedy legislation last year) and I'm seriously considering using Pavseel rather than Resiblock.

[ian123]

Thanks for the advice.

Amogen - My reason for wanting the drive sealed is mainly down to the look, it looks remarkably better when it has been rained on and I believe that sealing it will give it that wet look. I had thought a 'matt' rather than a shiny just been varnised kind of look.

Also, if what I have read is correct the sealant will (to a certain extent) bond the jointing sand together meaning I can jet wash the drive without the sand getting washed out. Which should make it easier to clean off tyre marks and moss/green that tends to build up over time.


Tony - Any particular reason for the pavseel? is it cheaper than resiblock, which I believe can be a bit pricey.

[Tony McC]

Why Pavseel? Well, I used to use it back in my contracting days but it seems to have been passed from pillar to post since and I sort of lost track of who was manufacturing and whether the recipe had been improved at all.

Then, 18 months or so ago I was talking with a colleague for whom I have enormous respect and he was telling me how they'd not use anything but Pavseel following "issues" with a couple of other well-known brands. Since then, I've looked at a dozen or so jobs where Pavseel has been used on CBPs and I'm suitably impressed.

However, I haven't seen Pavseel (or any other sealant) on the type of block I have on my driveway, so I'll probably do a trial on a test panel before committing to any particular product, but I haven't seen or heard anything to put me off Pavseel......yet.