The Brew Cabin

We are new at the game and laying a large drive, which has already been excavated, but also includes an area of original concrete drive which has not been dug out, which we are going to lay blocks over on just a screed bed.

One question we have is what should the screed material be over the compacted sub-base and existing concrete drive. We were thinking of using a dry sand/cement mix so it would go off hard and be a suitable hard base for the drive without involving any further compaction. Advise on what should be used would be gratefully recieved, and are we just looking for a non existing shortcut!!.

Thanks



(Edited by bodgersincorporated at 12:42 pm on June 18, 2004)

You do not lay block paving on a sand and cement screed. Please read the main website.

And i wondered why people keep demolishing our quotations. Good luck to you.

Is it just me or do we seem to be having a spate of folks who have not bothered looking at the main website, despite me adding a navigation bar to the Brew Cabin header a couple of weeks ago?

im not sure what is going on with some people, i meant no offence to the persons who left that mesage but it sounds like they are running a business doing this , if they are and they dont know what they are doing then sub contract it to someone who does.

I tend to agree Alan. I was deliberately curt because that's the impression I received - that this query comes from someone with no real knowledge or experience, but that hasn't prevented them from taking on a job that is beyond them.

Mind you, there's hardly a day goes by without someone emailing me with an absolutely basic, fundamental question and then adding the comment that they've decided to set themselves up as a paving contractor as they did their mam's back yard and it looked really good.

Although I set up this site to educate the public about what was right and was was tosh, it seems I'm also making it too easy for Bodgers to give the impression that they know what they're talking about.

I think someone's playing silly beggars.
Have a look at the e mail address!
steve

Yeah, but anyone working for a local authority can have a gov.uk address. They might be the head of the highways department or the trainee tea boy - they all get a gov.uk address.

BTW, did you send me an email with no text a couple of days ago?

Thanks for all the advice guys, we did not expect to raise such a tirade of answers back to what was just a simple request.

We have read the web site - indeed printed most of it off to build up a compendium of advice before starting the job, where we took on board all the advice on screeding from the various sections which are very comprehensive.

The question was raised by a contractor who was talking about drives to a colleague, and it was he who raised the sand/cement base, so we thought we would enquire with the forum, as I thought that was what this was for.

Anyway, we are not contractors, nor are we people who take on more than we can do, we know our limits, we are not Directors of highways departments, just very capable do-it-yourselfers, the name was a gimmick not intended as a put down to anyone.

We will let you know how we get on, and post you progress pictures of the job.

....but you don't deny being the Tea Boy! Your secret is out! ;)

None of the comments were personal, but more of a general comment on the type of queries seen here in the Brew Cabin and by email. I had one last night asking me how to convert feet to square metres....!!!

Anyway, I look forward to hearing how it all goes, and seeing the pictures.....and no sugar in my tea, thanks! :)

Coffee none for me aswell,, sorry if i offended but it did seem that way Alan, PS. if this qustion was raised by a contractor do us all a favour and shoot the t++t.