- Prepare the sub-base The driveway company will excavate, or dig, the existing surface down to a depth of around 200mm. They will remove any debris from the area may place it in a skip or arrange for it to be removed in another way. When they dig down to the sub-base of your previous driveway, they will assess how much hardcore they need and arrange for that to be delivered to the site. They will then spread the hardcore across the sub-base to create a level surface to pour the concrete on. Most good contractors will apply a gel to any walls and doors to protect them from concrete splashes. They will also add any gulley tops, manhole covers or shuttering that’s required.
- Installation and imprinting Next, the tradespeople will have the concrete either poured from a large mixer vehicle or barrow it in from a mixer and pour onto the surface. They level it with rakes, then add a colour surface hardener in a colour of your choice. This will give the driveway its permanent colour. They will then wait until the concrete has hardened to the correct consistency for imprinting the pattern, then will use special tools and stencils to make the pattern that you asked for. They will then spread a colour powder called a release agent over the surface, and leave to dry for 1 to 2 days depending on the weather conditions.
- Cleaning When the contractors return, they will add crack control cuts into the concrete. This is important because concrete expands and contracts in the heat, so there needs to be some give to stop any larger cracks from forming. Then everything is power washed clean, and a chemical wash is also used on the concrete to ensure it’s completely dust-free. The installers will ensure all your walls and doors are clean, which will hopefully be an easy job if they used wall gel.
- Sealing The final step is to seal the driveway. There needs to have been at least two dry days before the tradespeople can do it, so you might find it’s best to have your pattern imprinted driveway installed in the summer. The contractors will blow any debris away from the surface and dry any damp areas where necessary. They will then add an anti-slip agent to the sealant and brush it on. It’s best to not walk or drive onto your new concrete driveway for about 4 days after sealing to allow everything to set. But after that, you’re ready to use your new driveway!
Avoch
Avoch is a harbour-village located on the south-east shore of the Black Isle, on the Moray Firth. Ormond Castle or Avoch Castle was a fortress improved the site as well as worked as a royal castle to William the Lion; handed down to the Morays of Petty then Archibald the Grim, Lord of Galloway, upon his marriage to Joanna de Moravia in 1362. Descendants of Archibald, were to take the title of Earl of Ormonde from the castle. Tale has it that the town was founded by survivors of the Spanish Armada. Avoch remained in the control of David Chalmers, Lord Ormond from 1560/61 however he waived his castle as well as control of Avoch in 1568 when he was ousted as a result of his part in assisting the getaway of Mary Queen of Scots. The castle and village after that passed to Andrew Munro of Milntown. Intrepid Scottish-Canadian traveler Sir Alexander Mackenzie, the very first European to discover the wonderful Canadian river now called the Mackenzie River, crossing The United States and Canada two times, to the Arctic Ocean in 1789 and also Pacific Ocean in 1793, retired to Avoch in 1812 where he passed away in 1820 and was buried in the old Avoch Parish cemetery. Avoch was the location of Rosehaugh (Pittanochtie) House, an imposing mansion house till it was knocked down in 1959. A considerable home fed on this site because 1790. Craigie Well at Avoch on the Black Isle has offerings of both coins and also clouties. Cloths, woollen as well as human hair were likewise made use of as appeals against sorcery, and as tokens of penenace and fulfilment of an oath (Sharp 1998). Much of Avoch's wealth has actually come from its fishing market, and it continues to be a significant contributor to the village economic climate, with several large fishing watercrafts owned or crewed from Avoch and also an energetic fishermen's co-operative based there. The harbour is no more used by the larger boats for landing however is made use of by recreation craft as well as boats taking visitors to see the dolphins in the internal Moray Firth at Chanonry Point. In addition to the angling sector, travelling to Inverness and tourism offer income to the village. Lazy Corner, named for the youngsters that gathered there to waste time, has been relocated by the roadway widening in the Eighties, as well as fixed up by a sculpture meant to add character to the village. It is still a gathering place.
