New driveway - Advice required

[weejack]

Hello All,
New here and of course I've just found this great site a few days after my driveway has been blocked. The problem is that it has not stopped raining for two days and most of the jointing sand has washed out from between the blocks - the contractor says I just need to wait for dry weather and brush more in, and I can use the driveway for parking at the moment - can anyone tell me if this is ok? - he is looking for his final payment as well!

Many thanks in advance

[GB_Groundworks]

well first of all get him to sand it and dont pay till its done

block is not really my area of expertise put i should think that the rain should have washed the sand into the joints and consolidated it in there,

did he sand the drive then compact it again or just lay the block then throw the sand on?

[Dave_L]

If the drive was properly whacked and sanded after laying the blocks any jointing sand washout should be to an absolute minimum.

[jonnyboyentire]

If he goes over it with a decent backpack leaf blower on a dry day it will be dry enough for HIM to resand it no bother, but, as has been said, was it properly compacted after jointing sand applied?

[pickwell paving]

We did a drive not that long ago that was quite steep and the rain rushing down it was washing the jointing sand out when it absolutely chucked it down, ended up putting keybond over it

[weejack]

Thanks everyone for the replies .
He put down the sub-base, then a thick layer of sand over that, which he wackered down til it was firm, he then laid the blocks and wackered them, then finished off by brushing in kiln sand.
He came back yesterday and brushed in another load of sand , but he says he doesn't wacker 50mm blocks after jointing for fear of breakages !
Must say though - the drive looks great - guess I'll just have to wait and see what transpires........

[pickwell paving]

Hope he wacked down the sub base before putting the sand over it? Not compacting after jointing in case of breakages is rubbish it needs compacting to vibrate the sand into the joints fully hence the reason you keep losing the jointing sand.

[mickg]

>>>>>he doesn't wacker 50mm blocks after jointing for fear of breakages
if there was an issue with compacting a 50mm paving block then the manufacturers would advise accordingly

the reason you run the vibrating plate over the paving is to bed everything into place including the kiln dried sand which causes friction between the blocks so there is no movement, if the joints are not fully filled over a period in time it would lead to a driveway failure