Matching block paving - Need to replace some stained ones

[rimexboy]

hi ive got a block paved drive the car has done the oil stains on it and ive tried loads of things to get it clean with no success.

how hard is it to match my old blocks, they have been down outside for over 20 years and ive just had them all up and relaid them..
here is a picture


any place in romford essex or enfield middlesex that does them please??
thanks simon

[lutonlagerlout]

Suds?
you would be better to make the border a bit bigger there by nicking a few blocks from the body of the paving
cheers LLL

[rimexboy]

Sorry tony this is all blocked in its an old picture just to show the blocks.

The border are not a problem I got them from a local wicks

Thanks simon

Ps also this job was done 6 weeks before SUDS came into force

[specialbranch]

Get on ebay there are always folks trying yo sell a few old blocks. Second hand is the way to go new ones will always stand out

[Tony McC]

I'm not overly familiar with the blocks of Lower Britain, but they do look like Drivelines - summat about the colouring and the aggregate.

There is no way to hide replacement blocks, even if you get ones of the same age. They *always* look slightly different, so the only way to hide them is to scatter them throughout the driveway. You could either take up individual good blocks from elsewhere in the pavement to generate working spares that *do* match, and replace them with single 'imports', or you could take up an area roughly 3 to 4 times as big as the patch to be repaired, randomise the existing good blocks with the replacements, then re-lay the lot.

The end effect is to scatter the imports throughout a larger area so they are much less notioceable - no "sore thumb sysndrome".

I've been wanting to photo-document this technique for a few years but the opportunity has never arisen. It was something we did half-a-dozen times a year back in the contracting days, but either cars have fewer oil leaks these days, or no-one bothers changing out stained blocks.

[rimexboy]

ok all many thanks fr the info, i will have a quick look on fleabay to see whats local

thanks simon

[ken]

Or lay the oil stained blocks in that area at the side of the bay window, and hide them under a big potted plant or a wheelie bin.

[local patios and driveway]

Buy more blacks and double the border up

[RAPressureWashing]

Simon,

Can you email me or post a photo of the oil stain?
Was it you that used the Extra KT on there sandstone for the bar-b-q/fat/grease staining earlier this year? if yes and you have some left then that will remove the stain, but you will need a dry day to use it.