The Brew Cabin

Sorry if this is a silly question ! I am embarking on a diy block paving driveway project and I am wondering how you achieve the regular gaps between the blocks when laying ? Matchsticks like kitchen tiles ? Or are they tapered slightly in manufacture to allow the sand to settle in the gap ?

Most British and Irish blocks, both clay and concrete, have spacer lugs. Some continental European concrete blocks are slightly tapered, but then, they don't always comply with the BS for block pavers.

So, put away your matchbox. :)

Thanks for prompt reply to both my posts Tony.
Next question - the width of the drive is to be nominally 3.5 metres. When laying the edging , I obviously want the two sides to be apart an "exact" amount so that I don't have to fill small gaps with bits of block. How can I account for the spacer lugs to determine edging seperation - is this likely to be the same for all GB manufacturers or should I be contacting the block manufacturers. Hope this makes sense.

Bloody hell! You like making work for yerself, Darren!

Just lay the edges where you want them, and then cut the body blocks to fit. If you want an exact dimension, it can be calculated if you know the block you plan to use and the pattern, but I can more or less guarantee that, even if you set it out with a laser level, an Earth Station and GPS, it would still end up being 5-10mm out one way or t'other!

That's the wonder of block paving. :)

I like it when major problems ( in my head ) become minor ones . Cheers.
Gonna scan some photos in and let you see how me "zig-zag" paving comes out :biggrin:
By the way , had 2 interesting quotes to excavate and remove the existing concrete / soil ( approx 14m x 3.5 m with a few nadgery bits) - £325 ( seemed reasonable)and £1600 !! Do you think he didn't want to do the job ? :o

I designed a driveway earlier this spring and the client put it out to tender amongst some local contractors around their town. The prices they were quoted ranged from 5,000 to...get this...29,000 quid, for the same job!
And I'd done all the branework for them!! :o

That's why I say always get at least 3 prices for any residential building work.

Hi Tony,
Superb site. I'm a computer bod and I'd be proud of a site like this. Referring to your earlier reply about bids coming back from £5k-£29k - How did your client decide which one to pick? I always think that the cheapest one will be from a cowboy but I'm sure this isn't always the case. Or do you have to trust to instinct?

We knew the approximate cost of the work, and so eliminated the silly bids, leaving those that were within 10% of the cost I'd estimated. After a bit of further negotiation, there was one obvious 'candidate' who knew his trade and was given the job.

Last I heard, it was finished 2 days ahead of schedule looking, and I quote, "***king brilliant" :)

Can't believe its taken this long to get the Groundwork/excavation sorted , but the man with the digger turns up tomorrow at 8am. And so it begins ....................
This may be my last "stress-free" posting for a while. :)

At least it's stopped raining!

Keep us informed on your progress (or lack of it!)

I stopped at road gang who where laying a pipeline.
Asked if the would dig out my spoil wityh there mini digger. They charged me £60 to dig out 18 yards by 6 yards. Then he got his mate to cart it off for £50.
I got a breaker to break up the old tarmac drive and he picked that up for another £50.
so i got the whole dig out done for £170 including hire of the breaker.
It would have cost me £100 to hire a digger and at least 3 skips. so i recon i've saved £250.
You just have to be cheeky and ask

It's not a matter of being cheeky - many roadworks gangs are usually quite happy to earn a few extra Beer Vouchers :)

I've decided on 915 x 150 x 50 flat top edging. The majority of the are being laid is straight , and therefore "easy" to lay the edging. One section however will be curved . It is not a constant radius curve. Is there any special technique/tool for cutting these edging blocks to give the curve a fluid appearance rather than loking staggered ?
Thanks for continued inspiration.

The 'special technique' is to snap them in half, making them (roughly) 450mm long and that gives you a sweeter curve than a 900mm (ok - a 915mm) unit.

You could do the 'Friday afternoon' cut, which involves smacking the edging in the middle with a lump hammer, giving a wonderfully organic-looking raggedy edge to the cut on the top face, or, you could go for the 'professional' cut, which means using a power saw or nangle grinder to nick the top face to a depth of around 20mm, and then smacking the edging in the middle with a lump hammer - this gives a nice, neat edge to the cut. :)

Experience - it cannot be bought! ;)

Thanks for edging advice - all in and sweet.
Next problem :
I was originally going to split the drive in two sections. Bottom four metres to be tarmaced (by contractor), top 17 m to be blocks. Reason for splitting the drive was that there is a dyke at the bottom of our drive and although it doesn't carry a river all the time, it has been known to flood and flow on occasions. The bottom four metres have had standing water on them in the past(the flooding happens about once every 10 years) but it could never be described as a torrent. I thought blocks would not be a good idea in this bottom 4 m as the sand might get washed away and the blocks then subside. :(
However, now the kerbs are in , I am tempted to do it all block as it would certainly look better.
Any ideas ?
Thanks.