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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.

Clearing snow from a gravel driveway can be tricky – you need to remove the snow without taking the gravel with it.

If the snow’s quite light and dry, try using a leaf blower. You might find that this is enough to get the snow out the way. If it isn’t, start by using a shovel. Use this to clear the top layer of snow off your driveway, leaving about an inch behind. Then, use a rake to remove most of the remaining snow. This won’t take away 100% of the snow or leave all of your gravel in place, but it’s still pretty effective. You can then lay salt to melt away the rest of the snow and stop it turning into ice.

While resin bound and resin bonded driveways have similar names, it might surprise you to know that they’re very different. Both paving systems use resin and aggregates (stones) to form a fixed surface, but there are plenty more differences than there are similarities.

Resin bound driveways are made from a resin and aggregate mix that is trowelled onto a bitmac or concrete base. It leaves a smooth, flat finish and you won’t find any loose gravel. It’s also a pourous surface, which means that rainwater can pass through into the ground, avoiding pools and flooding.

However, resin bonded driveways involve spreading resin across a base, then scattering aggregate into it. Most of the stones will stick to the resin, but some will stay loose. That means you’ll get the effect of loose gravel without so much to sweep and take care of. Because the stones are scattered onto a complete layer of resin, water can’t pass through it. That means you could end up with water pooling, and it also means that a resin bonded driveway isn’t frost resistant, meaning it could get slippery.

So which is better – a resin bound or resin bonded driveway? The answer depends on a few things. If you have a period property where a smooth, shiny surface might not complement the look of your home, you might want to go for resin bonded. If you need lots of grip, for example if you’re a wheelchair user, resin bonded may also be the way to go – even though resin bound surfaces still offer enough grip for sloped driveways and ramps. But if you want a low-maintenance, weed-free, permeable surface, resin bound driveways are the way to go.

Gravel, asphalt, concrete and paving can all be permeable. However, some types of asphalt and concrete are impermeable. This is why it’s important to be precise about what material you want for your driveway. If you want a permeable driveway, you should also make sure that your sub-base is also permeable.

Whether you think resin bound driveways are expensive or not will depend on your perception. While resin bound driveways are the most expensive up front, they should last much longer than other types of driveway. You should expect a resin bound driveway to last at least 25 years, if not longer, while a concrete or asphalt driveway may last between 15-20 years. A pattern imprinted driveway may last even less time due to the maintenance required to keep them looking pristine.

It’s also worth considering that resin bound driveways are good permeable surfaces, so will drain well and keep water from pooling around your property. This will keep your property maintenance costs down, since pooling water or flooding around your home could cause damp in your walls which is a very expensive problem to fix.

Resin bound driveways are by far the most attractive type of driveway to have. There are no loose stones to sweep up, no weeds to pull out from the gaps, and there’s no extensive power washing required to keep them looking good. If you want a driveway that gives your home true kerb appeal and you value your time, resin bound driveways don’t seem that expensive.

The other factor that can make resin bonded driveways less expensive is that sometimes you can lay them on top of the existing surface. For example, if you already have a concrete or asphalt driveway that is in good condition with no large cracks, a driveway contractor may be able to lay the resin and aggregate mix straight over the top, which will cost much less money than if you have to dig up the existing driveway and start from scratch.

If your concrete driveway’s looking grubby, it’s best to try cleaning it with water and a brush, or a mild detergent. However, if this doesn’t work, it can be worth trying bleach.

Dilute your bleach down to 50% bleach and 50% water, and apply it to your driveway. Leave it for 10 minutes, then scrub it using gloves and a stiff brush. Finish by rinsing your driveway off with clean water.

It’s important to remember that bleach can stain certain surfaces and kill plants. So, if you’re concerned about materials and boarders around your driveway, it might be best to use a different type of detergent, like floor cleaner or degreaser.