Find a Driveway Installer you can trust in Isle Of Gigha.

Are you worried there’s a slope on the area where your block paving is to be installed? Good news is, it’s very possible to lay block paving on a slope. However, this can be a very difficult task which should be done by a reliable professional ( especially if you lack proper training and experience) who can guarantee the best results, the first time and also help save you money from possible costly mistakes. This guide will provide you with everything you need about the slope block paving installation process. Let’s have a look!

• Demarcate The Walkway

To get started, you have to determine how and where you want your walkway to be while also determining the thickness of the paver. Ensure to choose the less sloppy area and utilize landscape paint to mark the area visibly.

• Prepare The Ground

Clear out all forms of dirts, roots, rocks and other debris on the soil. Once done, proceed to cutting the sods to the required length and put them somewhere close.

• Make Boundaries

There’s a need for landscape borders. Here, it’ll be easier to use plastics as boundaries for your lawn’s edges. Install them on the sides that have already been cut

• Apply A Level Of Gravel

Obtain the correct size of gravel and spread them evenly over the area to ensure a firm foundation for the pavers is formed. Makes sure that the rocks is at a minimum of 2 inches deep into the soil.

• Install The Block Pavers

Start from the centremost position of the pathway and work towards the sides until you’re able to cover every inch of the area.

• Apply A Layer Of Cement

Apply cement over the pavers and utilize a broom to sweep it and fill up all the gaps and spaces between the pavers. Then, press the pathway to be levelled using a compactor.

If you want your tarmac driveway or outdoor area to last as long as possible, it’s important to look after it. This means giving it a good clean every so often.

If there are any greasy or oily stains on your tarmac, you won’t get these off only using water. Get a degreaser and follow the instructions. You’ll then need to use a pressure washer or hose to rinse off the detergent and clean the rest of your tarmac or asphalt area.

Avoid getting your pressure washer too close to your outdoor surface or pointing it directly at it. You should also avoid cleaning the same area for too long. This will help you clean your tarmac while avoiding damaging it.

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.

If you’re considering giving your home a quick facelift, laying of paving slabs for your outdoor living spaces might be a great way to start. It can be installed in some many parts of your home’s exterior from the pathways to driveways and from the yards to the patios. With proper training and experience, laying paving slabs is a very easy and quick process. However, the issue here is, how do you calculate the number of paving slabs you need? In this step by step guide, you’ll find all the information needed to help you get started. Once you’re able to get the accurate number of paving slabs, do ensure to include extras that’ll cover up for possible errors or damages.

Just like any other measurement task, it’ll be a lot easier when you know how as well as when you have the right tools to use for the job. To get started, you’ll need a tape measure, pen or pencil, pegs, string, hammer, paper and calculator.

• Draw a sketch of the area. This sketch will take note of the area’s length and width.

• Using strings and pegs, mark out the area to be paved

• Using a tape measure, take a measurement of the length and width of the space along the string lines and note them on the sketch.

• If the area is a drive make sure that the paved area is wide enough to accommodate the cars intended

• Multiply the length of the space by the width to get the area of the space.

• Once calculated, divide the total area of the space by the area of the single slab. This will give you an accurate number of the paving slabs you’ll require to complete your project.

1. Prepare the sub-baseThe 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.
2. Installation and imprintingNext, 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.
3. CleaningWhen 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.
4. SealingThe 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!

Cleaning block paving is a fairly straightforward task, although you’ll want to be careful to not use any chemicals that may cause damage to the surface. Use a simple household soap, mixed with water, and brush this across the paving with a stiff brush. Then, simply rinse off with clean water. Alternatively, use a pressure washer – but be careful not to use it on a powerful setting, as this may damage the joints and can cause slabs to come loose. Using the pressure washer on a medium setting and at a 45 degree angle is recommended.

Can You Lay Block Paving On Top Of Concrete?

The replacement or improvement of your driveway is unarguably one of the most expensive projects you can undertake in the exterior of your home. When done by a true professional the results can be impressive and visually appealing, however you’d have to pay huge bucks to have this done. This is exactly the situation with block paving as it is not only time consuming, but also a lot more expensive when compared to other types of driveway.

A large chuck of this cost is associated with the removal of the existing driveway. So assuming your old driveway is concrete, can you simply pave over the existing concrete? If yes, will it save you money? The simple and short answer is yes. It’s in fact advisable to pave over concrete as this will not only add around 20% to your home’s value, but also make it look a lot more attractive and pleasing to the eye.

However, there are some problems associated with block paving over concrete. It may be better to remove the concrete in situations whereby the base is substandard. For instance, if the ground underneath the concrete is failing, there’ll most definitely be problems.

Also, there’ll be some issues with settling (not even the cracks). If your concrete is dropping little amounts every year, these can affect the blocks and ultimately lead to dropping of some sections of the block paving in such a way that they’ll no longer be on the same level as the other blocks. Giving a rise to the possibility of drainage issues, tripping hazard and lots more.

Other issues that may crop up can be triggered as a result of using the wrong size block height as well as totally ignoring or overlooking the undulations of the concrete.

Have you decided to install block paving and wondering what the best sand to be applied to the joints is in order to achieve a perfect job? Well, you’re at the right place! This is one of the most frequently asked questions when it comes to block paving and we seek to give you a reliable solution once and for all.

The best sand for block paving is a kiln-dried sand. It’s an extremely fine sand which has been dried in a kiln to get rid of all the water before it’s incorporated to achieve the best results. Therefore, the sand contains no moisture and is commonly used to fill the joints of block paving to keep the paving’s structure rigid and strong. It also goes a long way to prevent the ingress of water while stopping the paving from moving and becoming loose. The major reason why the paving sand must be dried is to allow it flow easily into the joints as well as the block paving’s gaps. As result of this smooth flowing to the bottom of the joints, there will be no sand sticking to the sides of the pavers.

Another major reason why kiln-dried sand is commonly applied to the block paving’s joints is to prevent water from penetrating the paved area. It also tightens the individual pavers together to prevent from moving and becoming loose. In the event whereby you happen to leave the joints of your block paving without kiln dried sand, it’s highly likely that they’ll sink as a result of water penetration and the blocks will become very loose. After washing block paving, it’s very important to also replace any sand washed off in the process once the paving is dried to prevent water ingress into the joints.