The Brew Cabin

Posted: **Wed Jun 12, 2013 9:28 pm**

With no rain forecast I cracked on with screeding and block laying on our driveway (40mm sharp sand over 100-150mm of MOT). And then it started raining. I rushed around to pull a tarp over it but it did get rained on before I could do that, and I couldn't cover one area of laid blocks as I ran out of tarp!

The screeded sand isn't saturated, just damp, and not chewed up by the rain.

Am I going to have any serious problems continuing to lay on the screeded bed?

If I continue is it best to leave the sand to drain and dry out prior to final compaction?

I must say the thought of tearing anything up at this stage is making me feel a bit sick

Thanks once again for your advice.

Posted: **Wed Jun 12, 2013 10:43 pm**

i only sceed what i can lay. i would'nt worry about a bit of rain. i never put tarp over anything when block paving. good look

Posted: **Thu Jun 13, 2013 7:07 am**

having 150mm of MOT sub base gives drainage so the water can soak through from the sand laying course

the only time we don't lay block paving is when its bounced it down with rain and the sand is soaking wet - if you lightly tap you foot just on top of the sand and it turns to slurry
leave it over night and normally if its not rained much since the first heavy down pour you can continue to screed the sand and lay the block paving but proceed with caution when you do the final compaction with the vibrating plate, you will know straight away not to carry on as the vibration off the vibrating plate will bring the water up from the sand laying course

Posted: **Thu Jun 13, 2013 8:51 am**

Thanks guys.

The only reason I screeded out so much in one go was because I changed the direction of screeding for the second half of the paved area (to parallel with laid courses) to follow the contour of the edge by the pavement. This isn't level, so short of relaying the entire dropped kerb crossing, I thought best to put a gentle bow in the edge course and use cold lay tarmac for a 6" strip along the threshold to sweeten it off.

Hopefully I can continue to lay blocks today then, but maybe compaction can wait for drier weather.

The Brew Cabin

Down came the rain...