Starting off - Just a liitle advice need before i start

[kevans02]

Hi all, im sure this will be simple for you experts.

i am planning to replace a exisiting concrete strip drive with block paving and extend across to allow 2 car access.
i will excavate to 200mm and lay a 100mm subbase.

first question - i got price for subbase and was told i would need "SCALPINGS" is this another term for the subase that your site recommends or is it low quality subase.

second question - do i lay the edging block before or after the subbase is laid - a 100mm concrete bed for the edging block on top of the subbase will then require a 100mm of sand which i think will be too much so i am thinking that i do it before. please puch me in the right direction.

i havent attempted anything on this scale before but after having quotes i am keen to save some dosh and do it myself,

any help would be gratefully recieved

cheers kev

[Stuarty]

100mm is the bare minimum for a driveway subbase, i favour 150mm. Scalpings up here where i am is just another word for road planings - which are useless for anything to be honest. MOT Type 1 is what you need.

Lay your subbase to the level first, then scrape out a channel where the edgers will go and lay them on a concrete bed and haunch.

Im pretty sure all of the questions you asked are on the main site though Its worth a read.

[Tony McC]

Scalpings are usually a waste product, either an unregulated quarry waste or, as Stuart said, road planings. I cannot recommend their use as a sub-base layer. They might be used as a capping layer, but where you've just the one layer to get a good sub-base, you really ought to use the right material, which is DTp1 (formerly MOT1).

As for the edge courses, look here

[kevans02]

Thanks for the reply both. I thought this might be the case with the scalpings i will stay well clear.

Have read more of the site since posting and now have a better idea of where to start. this is a big project for a modest diyer like myself so am grateful for your expertise will keep you posted with progress.

thanks again , kev