Laying edge courses - Concrete mix for edge courses

[mcelec]

hi everyone, im planning to start my new driveway next week and was just wondering how best i lay my edge courses, ive looked at the non conventional methods such as "linefix" but im not fully convinced that they are the best option! so im expecting to go for the traditional style of laying them on a bed of concrete, however having never mixed concrete before im concerned about getting the mix correct, and so was wondering if there is such a thing as a ready mixed version where you just add water? ive seen things such as post fix and was wondering if this type of product would be ok to use and if anyone has any to recommend?

[Pablo]

All the info you need is on the main site click on either sitemap or index and search your topics.

[wiganblockpaving.co.uk]

My dad has been block paving for what now must be 20 years, he has seen how methods have evolved over the years, but one thing he has never done is lay a full edging course.

Once the lines, levels, base etc. have been prepared, he lays the edging course no more than a metre or two at a time, then blocks up to this, and so on and so forth.

When it comes to curves he blocks slighlty over what is needed, lines up the curve with loose block, marks this, then cuts it with a Stihl saw.

He's found this saves on cutting up and gives you more flexibilty when doing the job, i.e. an inch or two adjustment here and there can allow you to block up flush to your edging course, particularly handy for Tegula/Sorrento block. On the other hand with an edging course that is concreted, there's no room for adjustment, which could lead to much more cutting.

Anyway, nice site, good to see and hear how others do things.

[seanandruby]

Cant see how you can adjust an edging course to suit your blocks. you've got to work to a set line, curve etc. Or am i missing something being so early ???

[Tony McC]

It's bad practice to make the edge course fit the blocks on an arc or curve. The curve *must* be sweet, and to shove it an inch or two one way or t'other just to make it easier to do the cutting-in is plain wrong.

If you have a curve with an arc length of, say, 3m, then you have 3m of cuts, because the curve will not take an uncut block. Moving that arc by 25-50mm or so will make very little difference to the arc length, so how does that reduce the amount of cutting?

The key to good block paving is to do the best job, not the easiest job.

[msh paving]

My dad has been block paving for what now must be 20 years, he has seen how methods have evolved over the years, but one thing he has never done is lay a full edging course.

Once the lines, levels, base etc. have been prepared, he lays the edging course no more than a metre or two at a time, then blocks up to this, and so on and so forth.

When it comes to curves he blocks slighlty over what is needed, lines up the curve with loose block, marks this, then cuts it with a Stihl saw.

He's found this saves on cutting up and gives you more flexibilty when doing the job, i.e. an inch or two adjustment here and there can allow you to block up flush to your edging course, particularly handy for Tegula/Sorrento block. On the other hand with an edging course that is concreted, there's no room for adjustment, which could lead to much more cutting.

Anyway, nice site, good to see and hear how others do things.

Laying 1-2m of edging at a time and screeding it takes forever with no control on the falls,disccutter for cuts is a messy time consuming job that's why "probst" made block snappers
As Tony says you can't save on cutting with a radius as it takes cut blocks all along it's length MSH

[wiganblockpaving.co.uk]

There seems to be some confusion here.

It's comes down to the type of block you use, 'our' method doesn't really have many benefits if you are using driveline in a herringbow pattern, but does for Sorrento/Tegula block and Arlanda.

Ideally we prepare lengths of 5m-10m per time, laying the edging course for this length down one side, plus the 'header', i.e.

then.......

Block across to the point were the opposite edging will be, i.e.

You can't really see it there but if you switch around a block or two (there are three different sizes) you have a straight line without the need to cut. You can then put in your edging, ensuring it's perfectly straight with your line.

All I'm saying is if this edging was already concreted in, a mm or two out and you'd need to cut each block for that length, that's were the block cutting saving I talked about comes in.

As for the radius, it's a matter of giving yourself some flexibilty. You block across as seen above, any radius will already be pinned out, block slightly beyond this point. At this stage you can place your edging block on top of the laid block, mark your radius, then cut it with the saw. Often customers have decided to increase/decrease the radius after seeing it laid out prior to cutting, i.e.

http://www.wiganblockpaving.co.uk/img/Block_Paving/DSC00109.JPG

As for using a block cutter, we have one but haven't used it for some time, Tegula/Sorrento cutting is minimal, while Arlanda block reqires two cuts for the whole driveway, meaning it can usually be completed in an hour or two.

[lutonlagerlout]

I "sort of" see where WBP is coming from

thats why i try and avoid 90 deg herringbone,
the times i have set the edgings then blocked across only to discover that 20 blocks doesn't work out 4M,more like 4020mm
If you use 45 deg herringbone its a cut-fest anyway

however personally i dont like putting edge course in after,unless i really have to

regards LLL

[msh paving]

As for the radius, it's a matter of giving yourself some flexibilty. You block across as seen above, any radius will already be pinned out, block slightly beyond this point. At this stage you can place your edging block on top of the laid block, mark your radius, then cut it with the saw. Often customers have decided to increase/decrease the radius after seeing it laid out prior to cutting, i.e.

http://www.wiganblockpaving.co.uk/img/Block_Paving/DSC00109.JPG

As for using a block cutter, we have one but haven't used it for some time, Tegula/Sorrento cutting is minimal, while Arlanda block reqires two cuts for the whole driveway, meaning it can usually be completed in an hour or two.

The cut blocks around this radius in you pic's contain to many "darts" as in small cuts lest than 1/3 of a block
cutting block paving

MSH