Find a Driveway Installer you can trust in Nairn.

Oil stains on your concrete driveway can look obvious and unsightly. However, there are several different ways to remove them.

If you’ve only just spilled the oil, you can use a mixture of absorbent material, like sawdust, and solvent, like acetone or lacquer. Combine these, place them on the stain, cover and leave for about 24 hours. Then sweep up the mixture and rinse the area with water.

If you’ve got a small, older stain, you can use a detergent like baking soda, vinegar, washing up liquid or laundry detergent. Cover the stain with the detergent and leave for about 30 minutes. Then, add hot water and scrub the area and rinse. You might need to repeat this if necessary.

If it’s a larger, more stubborn stain, you might need to use a special degreaser. You can use this similarly to a detergent but make sure you follow the instruction on the bottle carefully.

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.

Slab paving is a great material to use to create a sturdy shed base.

Start by measuring out the area where your shed is going to be. This needs to be the size of your shed, plus about 10-20cm extra each way. Mark it out with string and pegs, make sure it’s square, and dig it down to about 6cm deep.

Then create a sand and cement mixture and put a layer down, followed by your paving slabs. Make sure you start in one corner and use a rubber mallet and spirit level to make sure they’re as level as possible. Leave this to set and you’re ready to use your shed base.

• 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 Sunken Concrete Driveway

If you have concrete driveway that’s cracked, uneven and mostly especially sunken, you’d know how distasteful it can be just viewing it on your property. A sunken concrete driveway is most likely caused by rainwater erosion removing the soil under it or a big root under it which as rotted over time. Another possible cause of the sunken concrete is an improperly prepared base which implies that the soil beneath wasn’t fully compact when the concrete was poured on it. Later on the soil beneath will eventually settle and shift below the concrete driveway which weakens the integrity of the entire driveway, making it more vulnerable to cracks, unevenness and sunken.

Two ways in which you can fix this problem includes either demolishing the whole driveway, re-compact the soil underneath and fill with new concrete or repair the entire driveway using an easy process called slabjacking. In this article, we’re going to look at the slabjacking repair process as it’s significantly less expensive than the demolishing approach and will also cause minimal disruption to your lifestyle.

Also referred to as mudjacking or concrete lifting, slabjacking is simply a process used to float your existing concrete back to its original position. If you are not a competent DIYer or lack confidence to pull this off, we’d recommend reach out to a professional for help. If otherwise, then you can practice the slabjacking process given below.

✓ Drill holes through the slab.

✓ Pump grout mixture through the holes. This mixture will spread out beneath he driveway and raise it up.

✓ Lastly, fill the holes and level the concrete driveway surface.in such a way to hide the signs of the repair made.

This is a process that works to efficiently get your driveway back in a top condition relatively quickly.

Gravel is the cheapest driveway surfacing material. Asphalt costs a little more than gravel, and concrete is significantly more expensive. The cost of paving depends on the material you use. Obtain as many quotes as possible as materials and costs differ from company to company.

Paving can be used for driveways and is capable of bearing the weight of cars and other vehicles. Ensure that you choose the appropriate type of paving, as some are designed for paths or decorative use. Correct installation is vital as improperly installed paving may move or break under the weight of a car.

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.