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Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 3:41 pm
by Sid in Scotland
Can you use slabs on a driveway and if so what is the best construction
Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 3:49 pm
by MRA
Steer well clear of using slabs on a driveway, particularly the decorative variety (as opposed to the 'council' type slab).
Block Paving was developed for vehicular traffic, as was Pattern Imprinted Concrete, specialist Resin/chipping finishes, tarmac, gravel etc.
Slabs, on the whole, will not give a strong enough base upon which to park cars etc, but there are many others options. Good luck.
Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 5:48 pm
by Rich H
Not sure I'd totally agree with that. As long as they are at least 50mm thick then they should be alright. Most manufacturers will tell you which slabs are suitable for loads and which aren't. The important thing is the prep and laying method. Rigid construction is the only realistic option.
Having said that, I'd still be wary about it!
Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 6:22 pm
by MRA
Rich H wrote:Not sure I'd totally agree with that. As long as they are at least 50mm thick then they should be alright. Most manufacturers will tell you which slabs are suitable for loads and which aren't. The important thing is the prep and laying method. Rigid construction is the only realistic option.
Having said that, I'd still be wary about it!
OK, I was assuming the poster is a DIY'er with no commercial experience; hence why they were asking I guess.
Yes, there are products that would do the job, but stay within the domestic market for a domestic driveway if you have little experience of installation.
Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 8:14 pm
by lutonlagerlout
50mm pressed concrete slabs on 100 mm c15 concrete on 150 mm compressed type 1
LLL :;):
Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 5:28 pm
by Tony McC
If you think about it, many new homes feature concrete flag driveways: many still skimp to the extent of offering two strips of D50s (900x600x50) separated by 600mm of cheapest-possible gravel.
If laid properly, and I'd urge the use of 100mm thick concrete, there's nowt wrong with using pressed concrete flags for residential driveways used solely by the family car. However, I'd be much more cautious regarding wet-cast flags: while some of the better brands would be "adequate", many are manufactured to maximise the moulding detail and so use a concrete with a higher-than-ideal fines content, resulting is a flag that abrades too readily for vehicular use.
As for the imported stone, again the hardness and durability have to be assessed, but I would also urge consideration of the colour. Mint and the lighter-coloured limestones are notorious for being easily marked by tyres, and it's not always possible to remove such stains.
Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 10:56 am
by colordrives
As long as the slab is suitable I think its fine, however my problem with slabs on a driveway is 90% of the time its is not done to a high standard and after a few years they are all over the place, to get a job thats gonna last I think its would be cheaper to just go for block paving.