The Brew Cabin

Tony
I'm a diy'er. You were very helpful when I contacted you three years ago for advice on my patio. I'm now proposing to use Charcon Rumbled (tumbled) offset herringbone pattern in two sizes 135x135 and 135x200mm for my driveway as illustrated in their catalogue Page 17. Do I need their 60mm depth block or will the 50mm thick one suffice for a normal car use? I am not proposing to use any upstand edging as I think they look a bit industrial in the domestic setting. Instead I will use the same blocks either in soldier course or some other border pattern. For the purpose of this note assume I have a rectangular area 9.5m x 5.5 to pave. Would it be possible to give me a nice edge detail showing the offset herringbone in relation to the edge. Assuming the edging is done properly - on concrete bedding with a little haunching?? would the soldier course stay in place if driven on - I am thinking of the edges away from the public highway (which must of course be crossed over to gain access) "She who must be obeyed" is likely to proof test these also. My idea is to have flower beds partially covering the soldier edge eventually. What other manufacturers do his tumbled block?
Any help would be gratefully appreciated and I promise to send you the pation snaps you asked me for three years ago.
All the best in 2004
Eamon

Hi Eamon,

I thought the name looked familiar - was it really 3 years ago? Tempus does indeed fugit!

I know the blocks you mention, and a 50mm will be fine for a residential driveway. The so-called offset Herringbone pattern works well over a larger area, but you need to give some thought to the layout. It can be established to a 45 or 90 degree layout, but choosing which would be best for your project depends on the site itself and how it would align with any buildings, etc. The image on p6 of that catalogue shows it laid as a 45 pattern.

I'm not sure why you need an edge detail drawing - the finished look of the paving will be similar to that image on p6 and the cross-section is the same as for any other form of block edge restraint, with the edge block(s) laid on and haunched with concrete as shown on the Edge Restraints page. Was there something specific you had in mind?

If the edge blocks are laid on concrete, then there should be absolutely no problem in trafficking them, so your beloved need not worry.

Most manufacturers have a version of a tumbled block. The first one to become popular in the UK, and still the 'brand leader' is the Tegula block from Marshalls, which is sold as 'Drivesett' in its 50mm incarnation. Brett call their version 'Alpha' (with a sdmaller version called 'Theta'), while TopPave use the name 'Antique'. Stone & Style have their 'Mediterranean Rustic', Plasmor have Siena and RMC have the 'Chelsea' range as their main entrant in the residential tumbled paving stakes, with Priory for the commercial market.

And that listing is not even comprehensive! There are products from smaller companies, such as Formpave, Lakeland and Armstrong, and the Clay Paver boyoes have recognised the 'added-value' potential of tumbled products, and the last couple of years have seen several varieties of tumbled clay pavers dip their toe into the crowded market.

If you've seen the Woburn and you like them, then go for them, as you can waste weeks looking at the alternatives and, at the end of the day, they are all much of a muchness.