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Posted: Sat Oct 17, 2009 11:08 am
by Barney Ruble
I want to change old concrete driveway to a gravel one as my best (budget) option. I'm going to knock up the old concrete drive, so could I use this as a sub-base or am I better off getting a skip in and ordering in some material?
The drive is high at the road and slopes towards the house so do I need to consider anything for this?
Is it worth putting a landscaping fabric between the sub-base and the gravel?
Any advice would be much appreciated
Posted: Sat Oct 17, 2009 12:56 pm
by Mikey_C
you could reuse the concrete as a sub base, if you use a crusher to break it up in to a suitable size, whether it is worth it depends on the hire costs (including delivery charges) of the crusher, the muck away costs (skip or grab lorry) and the cost of the new materials (type 1). this is something you will have to work out based on your local prices.
there are several brew cabin irregulars that operate crushers who may be able to quote for that aspect of the job.
its not worth putting fabric between gravel and sub base only between sub base and sub grade.
Posted: Sat Oct 17, 2009 4:29 pm
by msh paving
barny im in kings lynn , pm me with you phone number i have a crusher and mini digers MSH 
Edited By msh paving on 1255793361
Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2009 12:51 pm
by Barney Ruble
I've had a look but is there anywhere on the site that could give me some info on the construction of a gravel drive?
Thanks
Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2009 12:53 pm
by GB_Groundworks
Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2009 1:32 pm
by Barney Ruble
Thanks for that GB_Groundworks, just what I'm after!
Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2009 5:25 pm
by Marian
Is there any reason not to use Breedon gravel on a new vehicle crossover to a public highway? (It's onto a C road in deep countryside, grade 2* house, so in keeping) I planned to use concreted in granite setts as an edging, type 1 below, and the Breedon should set once rolled, so as good as tarmac? There is no spec for materials in the Highway Services permission letter unless it was for vehicles over 3.5T which it's not, so I thought I'd ask the voices of experience please
Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2009 5:38 pm
by cookiewales
that should be fine make sure you have good sub base and good falls for water
Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2009 5:49 pm
by Marian
Thank you Stephen, for such a fast reply. Love your website, beautiful ground work and great stone table and chairs.
Thanks for your help:)
Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2009 5:57 pm
by Dave_L
Any crossover or entrace to the public highway has to be of a sealed surface (tarmac) for 5m from the road edge. Gravel is not acceptable.
Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2009 7:42 pm
by Tony McC
Dave's right. You will need to check with your local highways dept as each area has its own list of acceptable surfacings, which usually includes bitmac/asphalt, block paving and flags. Some areas make exceptions on individual projects, such as the setts we laid to a crossover in Knutsford earlier this year, but you need permission before you can do this work.
As a rough'n'ready rule, highways depts don;t like unbound surfacing such as Breedon, which although it is described and sold as 'self-binding' never, ever achieve the stability or a bound material such as blacktop, concrete or resin.
Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2009 7:48 pm
by Marian
Thanks very much Tony and Dave, I will give them a call in the morning and see what they say. We may have to tarmac up to the gate and roll gravel in to make it look decent. They have Breedon at Greenwich Music College etc, which is rock solid - I must check out what they did outside the gate..
Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 8:18 am
by cookiewales
hi marian name is cookie lay the breedon gravel on wet concrete you will need people who know what there doing to achiev the desired finish i used to do a lot of work in your area firm was called coppings landscapes dont think there trading any more they were good have contact for table and chairs if you need there good but mighty heavey cheers cookie