Drive hardcore

All forms of block paving, brick paving, flexible or rigid, concrete or clays, new construction or renovation
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duffsparky
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Sep 14, 2009 10:46 am
Location: North Hampshire, UK

Post: # 41741Post duffsparky

Hi from a newbie,

Great forum!

I'm extending my drive for, occasional use, sideways and have loads of old rubble waiting for a good home. I know and understand the need to use good quality aggregate for the sub-base and to adequately crush/smash up old bricks, blocks and lumps of concrete etc when used for the hardcore.

In the past I've shied away from using Theralite type blocks in hardcore fearing them to be unsuitable for the task, but are they??? I have a heap of broken ones that I'd sooner use up than sent to land fill somewhere. If I can use them I would break them up into lumps of about 50mm and smaller and make sure they are mixed in well with the other materials.

If the Thermalight type blocks are no good for the 'lumpy bits' would they be suitable for use as the finings if crushed small enough.

Kind regards.

Dave_L
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Post: # 41748Post Dave_L

Do not skimp on the quality of your subase.

I can't say any more than that, quite simply.

Load those Thermalites away and forget about them!
RW Gale Ltd - Civils & Surfacing Contractors based in Somerset

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lutonlagerlout
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Location: bedfordshire

Post: # 41752Post lutonlagerlout

thermalite or breeze type blocks are NOT suitable for subbase,crushed or not.
they degrade in the ground and in the past we have had to re-excavate soakaways when the site numpty has thrown blocks into the hardcore
concrete blocks are fine for this purpose
LLL
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Bob_A
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Location: SE London/ NW Kent

Post: # 41756Post Bob_A

Sorry to hijack your thread duffsparky but I've got a similar(ish) question regarding 5 bags of cement that are a year old.
They've been stored under a plastic cover in a shed, although I haven't fully checked them I think they are still more or less powdery. Now I realise I can't use it in the proper sense but rather than stick it in my new car and use good petrol to take them to the dump can I somehow get rid of them in the patio I'm construction (60 sq metres), perhaps spread it out over the sub grade before the sub base goes down?

dig dug dan
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Location: hemel hempstead,herts. 01442 212315

Post: # 41759Post dig dug dan

how gone off are they. Sometimes you can get away with using it in a sand and cement mix for slab laying, otherwise i think its fine to use on the subbase!
Dan the Crusher Man
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lutonlagerlout
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Location: bedfordshire

Post: # 41761Post lutonlagerlout

cement like that can normally be used in rough concrete mixes,lean mix or whatever
or just spread it on your subbase
LLL :)
"what,you want paying today??"

YOUR TEXT GOES HERE

Bob_A
Posts: 861
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2008 9:30 pm
Location: SE London/ NW Kent

Post: # 41774Post Bob_A

Cheers gents :)

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