Help with depth of sharp sand - Block paving: suggest way forward

[haribol]

Hi
I have undertaken a project to do Block paving and have reached the stage where I have done the perimeter blocks and added the sand in. The sand is approx 160mm deep and am looking to screed it soon. However, after talking to my builders merchant, he has adviced me that I should do the first 100mm as dry mix sand&cement and let it settle. Once hard, put the rest of the sand to the correct level for screeding. Now I have used this excellent site for How to do it and nowhere does it mention what was suggested by my merchant. He said that the depth of sand I have will make it sag a lot hence his suggestion.

The other thing is that I have already put the sand in about 16tonnes worth and will mean more back breaking work.

What would you suggest I do ? Any help would be much appreciated

Many thanks in advance
Haribol

[Tony McC]

Thanks for sending the very same question in by email, thereby adding to my massive mountain of work, despite the clear instruction not to do so on the introduction page to this service.

There's a few things I could suggest you do, but confining my comments to your block paving, if you lay blocks on 160mm of sand, the paving won't last the season. Full and proper advice on how to construct a block paved driveway are given on the main website - I can't see the point of reproducing all that info here, so you'll have to go and read the relevant pages.