Page 1 of 3
Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2014 10:26 am
by scooby73466
Hello, newbie here.
I want to tarmac my drive. At the moment it is block paved. I don't really want to rip the paving up, I think they have been laid properly. There is about 300mm of hardcore, 150mm of type one, and 100mm-ish of sharp sand under them.
I have just built a new house and have been trundling about with my 3CX all over it and it hasn't really moved. Can I just get someone to lay the base and topping on the top pf the paving ?
Thanks in advance for any advice.
Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2014 11:29 am
by lutonlagerlout
simple answer is NO
if the subbase is that good take up the blocks and sand and then using correct layers tarmac
if you go on top its likely to break up
LLL
Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2014 5:39 pm
by scooby73466
Thanks for that LLL. So, if I take up the blocks & sand can I replace that with planings up to the height that I want to start with base tarmac ? I have a large heap of planings and I know it will have to be rolled/wacked but I wondered if you can put planings under tarmac.
I have laid quite a bit of concrete over the years and always use planings as a base but put a bit of type one and then the membrane on top of the planings before concreting. Someone once told me that you shouldn't put concrete directly onto planings and although it sounds a stupid question I just thought I'd ask if planings are O.K. under tarmac.
Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2014 7:56 pm
by msh paving
i use plannings alot for base work, never had a problem with it long as its fully compacted, MSH 
Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2014 8:40 pm
by scooby73466
msh paving wrote:i use plannings alot for base work, never had a problem with it long as its fully compacted, MSH
Thanks for that MSH. It's a whole lot cheaper than type one.
Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2014 10:04 pm
by lutonlagerlout
I thought technically there were reasons why you shouldn't use planings as sub base
LLL
Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2014 10:32 pm
by Kuts
Dont ever use planings under bitmac.
It's quarry waste and degrades over time. I use them if i need to build up 10-15mm under concrete but never more than that.
Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2014 10:41 pm
by scooby73466
Kuts wrote:Dont ever use planings under bitmac.
It's quarry waste and degrades over time. I use them if i need to build up 10-15mm under concrete but never more than that.
But I have a pile of about 100 tn in my yard and it came from a local road job. It was taken off very well and is nice and fine and has actually set in this warm weather. It breaks up well enough when I pull it about with the digger.
Can you tell me why I can't use it under tarmac please ?
Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2014 10:54 pm
by lutonlagerlout
It's quarry waste and degrades over time
to quote kuts
the reason you have 100tns is that nobody really wants it and is costly to dispose of
seem to recall that bitmac has essential oils that degrade over time and the bitmac breaks down
hear stories all the time about how good it is (read cheap) but the bottom line is its not british standard to use it
LLL
Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2014 7:08 am
by msh paving
in my area road planings are £17t from all the aggregate suppliers cant get enough of them usually a bidding war when a planing job is on the go for them to have stock, and are used buy large and small contractors never had a problem using them. but each to there own MSH
Edited By msh paving on 1407478226
Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2014 7:39 am
by scooby73466
msh paving wrote:in my area road planings are £17t from all the aggregate suppliers cant get enough of them usually a bidding war when a planing job is on the go for them to have stock, and are used buy large and small contractors never had a problem using them. but each to there own MSH
Ouch. That's a bit dear MSH. I am currently paying £100/load for an 8 legger. But they 'phone me and I take it when it's available. I never chase it. But I have a neighbour who is paying far more than that. He had a load the other day and the driver asked me for directions and it's only fair to swap information. 
Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2014 9:00 am
by scooby73466
Thanks for all the help so far. It has been suggested that I leave the sharp sand where it is and mix it in with the planings or would it be better to get that out and go back to the type one ?
Sorry for all the questions but I don't know anything about tarmac. ???
Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2014 10:01 am
by mickg
you are free to do what ever you so wish but we will not put our good names on the line and give advice what is detrimental to achieving what we consider to be the correct way to carry out constructing a sub base to British Standard and capable of standing the test of time
It's the bit you don't see when the work is completed what matter's more than the product you choose for the finished driveway
Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2014 10:36 am
by Kuts
I did a job with planings years ago, within a year i had to go back and dig it all up.
Its the only job i've used planings on and the only one i've had to dig up.
Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2014 10:14 pm
by scooby73466
O.K. I am now on plan B. I think that tarmac will not look right and have seen some reddish stone that might be better suited.
My question is, because we have no red stone in Warwickshire does anyone know where this sort of stone is quarried ?
I saw this at a National Trust property today and although it only looked like 10-15mm stuff I think I should be laying larger stone because I have vehicles with knobbly tyres. Question is: where does it come from ?
[
