Find a Driveway Installer you can trust in Bideford.

If you’re considering getting a new tarmac driveway or outside area, it’s important to know how long it takes to dry. Try to use it too early and you might damage it and ruin its appearance.

It won’t be long before you can walk on your new surface, as long as you’re careful. However, it’s a good idea to avoid putting heavy objects or driving on it for 2-3 days. For a more accurate timescale, ask your tarmac paving and driveway pro.

From gravel and crushed stones to asphalt and tarmac, the choice when it comes to surfacing options for driveways is truly staggering. However, what’s not too clear is the options that best suits a sloping driveway. If you also possess a sloping driveway and wondering the best material to install, you’re definitely not alone. This is a major source of concern for several home and property owners in the UK being fully aware that making the wrong choice here can prove really costly and disastrous. In order to help you make the best informed decision possible, we’ve put together this post which takes a look at the various driveway material options available to you.

• Gravel
  This driveway surfacing option provides a truly enjoyable “crunch sound when driven on, however, the satisfaction will be short lived if installed on a sloped driveway. If installed on a sloped driveway, there’s going to be a continual displacement as instinctively rolls downhill on an incline.

• Concrete
  This can prove to be a great problem if installed on an incline. This is due to the fact that concrete is subject to freeze/thaw phenomenon which makes it steep and slippery lacking the needed traction.

• Tarmac
  This is particularly far from ideal when it comes to a steep driveway surface. This is because it requires continuous maintenance to prevent spillages from spoiling the surface.

• Resin
  The best surface for a steep driveway is simply that made from resin. This is due to the fact that this surfacing option allows water to soak away naturally. They’re perfectly permeable, preventing water from pooling and reducing the risk of falls.

To inexperienced people laying of paving slab isn’t much more than digging a little, purchasing little amount of mortar and pressing down the paving slabs. But how good would it have been if only it were that easy in real life? The truth is, in reality, laying paving slabs does not only require you to prepare your sub-base painstakingly and mix your mortar using the appropriate materials, but you’d also have to work with accurate and precise paver placements to guarantee the patio’s longevity. As a result, if you lack proper training or experience, we’d recommend you hire the services of a seasoned professional who can guarantee the best results and also save you time and extra cash that may result from possible costly errors. In this guide, you’d gain more insight into the paving slabs laying process.

To get started, you’ll need sharp sand, cement, shovel, wheelbarrow, pointing trowel, rubber mallet, spirit level, jointing compound, hard-bristled brush and tarpaulin.

• Mix a layer of mortar for each paver.

• Apply the mixed mortar onto the sub base by using the trowel.

• Slot the first flag in place and ensure not to stain the paver’s surface with the mixed mortar.

• Using a rubber mallet, carefully tap the paver to the mortar bed. Once done, ensure the surface is even with a spirit level.

• Take a measurement of the gap between the pavers

• Repeat the above steps until all pavers have been perfectly laid

• Leave the pavers to dry for about 1 to 2 days. You can protect it using a tarpaulin if concerned about rain.

• Use the jointing compound to fill up the paver gaps to bind together the pavers. Ensure to wipe off any excess compound using the hard bristled brush.

While many professionals will recommend a pressure washer to clean block paving, it’s possible to clean your paving without one – just scrub the affected areas with a firm bristled brush and use plenty of soap. Then, rinse off the area with clean water.

Do you know why paving slaps is a popular choice for both driveways and patios? Well, it’s the versatility! With its durability, diverse colour range, different styles as well as a timeless appeal, paving slabs happen to be a common choice amongst home owners. However, you should know that redeeming these benefits is not as simple as shovelling mortar and pressing down the paving slabs, and neither is it a case whereby you can just copy the laying process of a porcelain paving or block paving. Laying of paving slabs is on a whole other level! As a result, we’d recommend employing a trustworthy professional who can guarantee the best results the first time, especially if you lack proper training or experience to complete the task. In this step by step guide, you’ll discover more about the paving slabs laying process.

• Prepare your paving foundation. This includes checking that your foundation is level, marking out the area to be paved with wooden pegs, removing all vegetation and top soil to a depth of about 200mm to 250mm and raking the area level to ensure and even depth.

• Mix a layer of mortar for each paver and apply the mixed mortar onto the sub base by using the trowel.

• Lay the slabs on top of the laying course at the lowest point of the area to be paved.

• Take note that you may need to cut some slabs depending on the paving area size, your chosen slabs and the pattern selected.

• Once done, brush the area clean and start jointing. The best way to do this is by applying kiln dried sand to the paved area and carefully brush into the joints with a brush.

• Push the sands into the joints using a plate compactor

• Check the paved area for any gaps and fill where necessary.

• Where you live
• How big you want your driveway to be
• What colour or design you would like
• Whether any additional work will need to be completed to prepare the area for the driveway

How To Repair A Pothole In Gravel Driveways

When the integrity of your gravel driveway is impaired not only does it have a negative impact on the curb appeal of your property, but also makes your driveway a danger zone. If your driveway needs to be repaired, you’d simply have to grab the bull by the horn and get it done - the sooner, the better to avoid the problem getting worse and to have your beautiful gravel driveway back as soon as possible.

The major cause of potholes in driveways is usually water, when it gets trapped beneath the surface of the driveway. Therefore, you may also want to enhance the drainage in the area as part of your repair. The repair process is quite simple for confident do-it-yourselfers, but if otherwise, then calling in a reliable professional will save you some time and extra money that can result from possible errors. So how do you repair gravel driveway potholes?

✓ Prepare the area. This involves removing all forms of debris from the pothole. To achieve this, you can rake, shovel or brush the loose stones, soil and other debris from the pothole.

✓ Fill the pot hole. Make use of a coarse gravel to fill up the pothole to a depth of about 3 inches beneath the driveway’s level. Upon the filling, simply tamp down the coarse gravel using a commercial tamper or any available homemade option. Once done, the final 3 inches to the surface of the gravel driveway should then be filled up with gravel which perfectly matches the colour and texture of the remaining driveway.

✓ Compact the patch. To achieve this in an easy and fast way, simply run your car’s wheel up and down over the repaired spot gently a couple of times. This will be enough to compact the patch and seal the pothole.