Recessed manhole covers - Soldier course

[Tiatodd]

Has any paving contractor ever been advised to use a soldier course around a recessed manhole cover.a drive i installed has failed BS7533-3 under technical examination because the cuts around said manhole are less than 1/4 block size.surely the idea of a soldier course negates the idea behind the use of recessed covers and would only serve to highlight the fact it is in use?Advice please.

[Tony McC]

Who failed the drive? I've assessed and inspected hundreds of block paved driveways and never, ever failed one for not having a soldier around a recess tray cover. The whole point of a recess tray cover is to eliminate the need for a soldier edge course.

Although the less-than-a-quarter cut blocks would, technically, fail to meet 7533:3, only a real miserable bastard that hadn't had a shag for months would be so mean-spirited as to fail an installation on such a minor point. If small slips and darts had been used extensively against an edge course, then that's a different matter, but around a recess tray is a different matter. Similarly, if this had been a standard cover and the soldier course had been missed out, then that could constitute grounds to fail an installation, but surely not for a RTC.

Although 7533:3 is our code of practice, it has to be "interpreted", and for me, and for most other contractors, the aesthetics of an installation, particularly on a private driveway or patio, have to be taken into consideration. The clients generally don't want to make a feature of their sewer covers, which is why RTCs have become so popular.

I would definitely appeal, and, if necessary, I'll back-up your appeal because some eejit is being a Little Hitler.

[Reidy]

Just a word or two on the aesthetics in defense of the miserable bastard...

I realise that this is an altogether different application, but I think the basic principles still hold. I have recently been involved with the installation of block paving in a town centre pedestrianised area, where there were numerous recessed covers - all of course at different angles to the bond of the paving, which means lots more cutting of blocks at some pretty awkward angles.

The question of stretcher courses around the covers was raised, and so we decided to carry out a trial with and without the stretcher course to see what looked best.

In my opinion, for what its worth, I have to say the covers with the stretcher course around were by far the better job. Although it relies on workmanship to an extent, the covers without the stretcher showed up the uneven cuts and did not look too easy on the eye.

Just wanted to play Devil's Advocate...

Merry Xmas

Reidy

[Tony McC]

I can agree with you to some extent, reidy. For commercial applications, where MHs, ICs, BT chambers and the like need to be easily spotted, I've no objection whatsoever to the use of a soldier course; in fact, I'd probably prefer it. After all, the sort of numpties that normally have cause to remove these covers need all the help they can get - have you ever noticed just how many covers are put back on the wrong way around, so ruing the patterning?

However, on a private driveway, where aesthetics are more relevant than being able to find a slightly-camouflaged chamber cover which the property-owner could probably locate with pinpoint accuracy while blindfolded.

Perhaps I should have ascertained from the OP whether this was a driveway or a commercial installation, but what I said holds true: I would never fail a driveway installation because the soldeir course detail around a recess tray cover was absent.

[Paverman Dan]

Any chance we can get a photo of this gem?

[Tony McC]

Dan - do you know where recess trays can be bought in the US? Is there a national distributor? I get at least two emails a week from some geographically-challenged eejit asking me for the stockist nearest to Springfield VA or Memphis TN