How much concrete around the edges?? - Edgings

[BenK]

Firstly, thanks for a great site. If there was a site like this for every trade the world would be a better place!

I've had, or am having a block paved drive installed at my house and I'm a little concerned about the edges. There's no retaining wall around the drive to support it only garden. They have put an edging course around the drive but this is only layed on the sub base and bedding not concreted in. They have then stood a 60mm block on edge around that edging which they have concreted in. From looking at the edging courses page on this site I would say that the edges are the retaining structure and both the edging course and the block on edge should be concreted. Also in places the haunches are well below the 75mm minimum shown in the Free Edge diagram. When I have challenged the fitters on this point they assure me that only the 60mm block on edge needs to be bedded in. Is this right??

[rimexboy]

no as far as i know any blocks on the edges need to be haunched in to stop them moving away over time .... take a look at this page it explains all on it... clicky here


i am only a diyer and i am sure a more experianced member will confirm your position

simon

[seanandruby]

Cowboys mate. You need at least a 150 edging unit haunched up with a good concrete mix. Have you instructed them to use a brick on edge? If using blocks for edging they need to be on at least 100ml concrete and haunched proper.

[BenK]

Thank you for your reply Sean. Do you know if the 150mm edging on 100mm and haunched is a regulation or just best practice?? I'd like to be able to present something concrete (pardon the pun!) to them so they have no come backs. All I seem to be getting from them at the minute is excuses and comments about how long they've been doing drives.

[Dave_L]

All here Ben http://www.pavingexpert.com/blocks04.htm

[lutonlagerlout]

the block on edge is a typical pikey routine
either 150 by 50 edgings or kerbs are needed
LLL

[Dave_L]

But surely a soldier [block] course as above laid on a 10mm oversanded "sticky" concrete bed @ 100mm would be OK - as that is what I'd do, normally.

[seanandruby]

Can't see the point of a block on edge, unless it is a purpose made block edging ???

[lutonlagerlout]

But surely a soldier [block] course as above laid on a 10mm oversanded "sticky" concrete bed @ 100mm would be OK - as that is what I'd do, normally.

of course done correctly its great dave
but more often than not when a drive has migrated its insufficient haunching thats too blame

[BenK]

Just to clarify guys. The 60mm block on edge is there to raise the height of edge so it meets the level of the flower bed border. I don't really have an issue with the block on edge more the face that it's the only thing they have concreted in. There is a 200mm edged border too though this is only laid on the sub base and bedding.
I thought both the 200mm edge and the the block on edge should have been concreted in?

[pickwell paving]

Both the 200mm edging and the block on edge should be concreted in, there will be insufficient strength with just the block on edge concreted in, a block paving kerb unit would probably have looked better but all depends on budget etc.

[BenK]

Thanks for your help. I've spoken to the contractor and they're coming back to concrete the 200mm edges too, fingers crossed thats the end of it!!

[Adam Ashworth]

seanandruby you said a good concrete mix, what would you say a good mix is for the edging? i am doing mine 100mm deep for the threshold that meets the pavement but 50mm around the wall.

cheers

[lutonlagerlout]

a good mix would be half a bag of cement to 12 shovels of ballast
LLL

[Adam Ashworth]

So about a 3:1 ratio of sharp sand to cement? It says on here to add gravel also, do you do that?