Block paving edge - Should there be an edge?

[rab1]

their in breach off their own contract and the fact you have not with any money means you are king (for want of a better term).

you agreed to pay for a quality drive correctly constructed to the industry standards as laid out by the boss (tony m) as per best practice and British standard.

grab a beer and read the main site and then ask your contractor to rectify all works carried out to this standard.

:;):

[Suggers]

I know for a fact, that, after 2 yrs the grass will have crept.
Even the crap haunch is still okay.
However - what bugs me, is levels - I always want my hard standing below the level of the lawn ? ???

[seanandruby]

They may of used the mortar under the free edge as a a edge strengthener. It looks inadequate like building sand. Because it has no soldier course etc; it does'nt give the appearance of being finished. Can't believe you think the jobs a good un sugs, maybe you were looking at it with beer goggles on ???

[seanandruby]

For grass to grow you need soil under neath it
how it should be done

[lutonlagerlout]

its a bodge
they may be professional in that they work for pay, but the standard is shocking
1 lots of cuts under half a block
2 insufficient edge restraint
3 its not bricklaying mortar lads its a bit of screeding sand knocked up and smeared round the edge
4 stretcher bond ? on a driveway? no no no
herringbone is the only bond that gives adequate interlock on domestic driveways
ps can we please stop picking on rimex? everyone adds something to these discussions,it would be boring if we all sung from the same hymn sheet
cheers LLL

[Suggers]

Agree totally Sean - don't know why I said "even crap haunch is ok" ? - bit of an oxymoron there....
Was trying to say how quickly vegetation can creep sideways - like an advancing green carpet.

[rab1]

early for you mate, the night owl has awoken. ???

[Suggers]

must be monday :p

[lutonlagerlout]

i know what suggers means though,grass will soon colonise and cover any concrete given the chance
we uncovered a 600mm concrete path today the client didnt even know they had, about 10 mm of soil and grass +weeds
i wonder how long it would take vegetation to claw back the cities without mankind around?
LLL ???

[tlg]

Thanks to everyone who has contributed comments and advice on this post.

To update, the contractor has been out today but all they have done is turned some blocks around to make an edge on one side. This doesn't look right at all where the edge changes direction on the corner curve.

Despite me asking (I even printed out the page mentioned above to show them how it should be!), none of the edge blocks have any cement / concrete under them. Only the haunch is holding them in place.

Here is a photo of their attempted fix:

[local patios and driveway]

lll whats the issue with the bond? is this not the same as laying a tegula block in the smae manner? (im here to learn, not to question your opionin)

when laying in this bond i assume using two 2/3 sized blocks on the curve would illiminate the darts and possibly still keep the bond looking right? or would the 'perps' never line up regardless? i find it very frustrating to illiminate darts and lose the uniform pattern depsite it being a neccasary evil

[msh paving]

It's a looking ok now, but 1 small cut at start or radius,why did they not do a header course all the way same as the radius no more work no more blocks and would look all the same,with a edge next to lawn that can have a car wheel going over it concrete bed should be under the blocks, stick to your guns and get it done right you are the paymaster...MSH

[dig dug dan]

i concur with msh. The headers would look a lot better. but the lack of concrete under them in unacceptable!

[haggistini]

WTF. good effort on the radius and less darts (just the 1 in the pic) but whats with the different edge course

[lutonlagerlout]

see here for why a drive needs an interlocking pattern
the problem with stretcher bond,or basket weave on a drive is that because there are a lot of straight joints the blocks can move laterally more easily ===> drifting
and yes this does happen with tegula in straight lines and no i dont like tegula in straight lines
of course basket weave and stretcher bond are fine for paths and patios
just not for drives
and to TLG if they can take up the edge courses ,they can scrape out the sand and knock up some concrete and bed the edge course on concrete and then haunch
and the haunching should be done with ballast and cement
regards LLL