- 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!
Sandown
Sandown is a seaside resort and also civil parish on the south-east coast of the Isle of Wight, UK with the resort of Shanklin to the south and also the settlement of Lake in between. Along with Shanklin, Sandown creates a built-up area of 21,374 inhabitants. The northern most community of Sandown Bay, Sandown is understood for its stretches of quickly available, sandy shoreline. The resort's coastlines run constantly from the cliffs at Battery Gardens in the south to Yaverland in the north. The community grew as a Victorian resort surrounded by a wide range of natural attributes. The seaside and inland areas of Sandown become part of the Isle of Wight Biosphere Reserve marked by UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Programme in June 2019, as well as Sandown's sea front and also clifftops create part of the Isle of Wight Coastal Path. The Bay that offers Sandown its name is an outstanding instance of a concordant shoreline with a total amount of 5 miles of well-developed tidal beaches extending all the way from Shanklin to Culver Down because of Longshore drift. This makes Sandown Bay home to among the lengthiest unbroken beaches in the British Isles. To the north-east of the town is Culver Down, a chalk down easily accessible to the public, mostly owned and also handled by the National Trust. It supports typical chalk downland wild animals, in addition to seabirds and predators which nest on the adjoining high cliffs. Nearby are Sandown Degrees in the flood plain of the River Yar, among the few freshwater marshes on the Isle of Wight, where Alverstone Mead Resident Nature Reserve is a preferred area for birdwatching. Sandown Meadows Nature Reserve, acquired by the Hampshire and also Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust in 2012, is an area to spot kingfishers as well as water voles. Further inland, Borthwood Copse gives wonderful timberland strolls, with bluebells aplenty in the Springtime. The area's marine sub-littoral zone, including the coral reefs as well as seabed, likewise has the wild animals classification Special Area of Conservation. At extreme low tide, a scared forest is partly exposed in the northern part of the Bay, as well as pieces of petrified timber are commonly washed up on the coastline.
