Page 1 of 1

Posted: Thu May 29, 2003 7:04 pm
by 100-1093880205
I have a new home, with no driveway at all yet. I want to install pavers and would like to know if it is best to install them on crushed rock & sand or in mortar on top of a lowered cement driveway?
Thanks!

Posted: Fri May 30, 2003 10:37 am
by 84-1093879891
You don't give your location, but from your email address, It seems that you're not in the UK or Ireland, so what follows might not be applicable.

Over here, on these soggy but pleasant islands, the most common construction is the flexible bedding, what you describe as 'crushed rock and sand', and I know the same constructioon is used in other parts of the world, even those experiencing problems with frost heave. Rigid bedding (laying on mortar over a concrete base) is much harder work, more expensive and requires bricks specifically manufactured for that type of construction and so tends not to be used for residential driveways unless there is a specific reason to do so.

I'd hazard an educated guess and say that flexible bedding is the way to go with your project.

Posted: Fri May 30, 2003 3:32 pm
by 100-1093880205
Thanks, I'm in El Paso, Texas, USA. It is very hot & dry weather here. Would there be any advantage to setting the pavers in mortar?

Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2003 2:47 pm
by 84-1093879891
None that I can think of, but you may be better off asking a US-based contractor. I've seen dozens of case studies of flexible paving in the US, inclusing some in hot/dry areas, and there doesn't appear to be any problems.