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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.

• 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

Is Block Paving Permeable?

Back in 2008, there was a regulation introduced which comes with a requirement guiding the pavement of front gardens. It requires homeowners to incorporate the conventional impermeable driveways which makes for an uncontrolled run off of rainwater into sewers, roadways, local watercourses etc. However since then, new systems have been established which complies with the legislation and permit driveway laying of block paving without requiring planning permission while still providing the same visually appealing features as the conventional systems. Therefore, a short and simple answer to whether block paving is permeable is yes.

A permeable paving driveway (unlike the conventional ones which quickly diverts rainwater towards the edges to local drains) purposefully diverts rainwater into the built paving structure which oversees a controlled release of the rainwater into the environment. Permeable block paving comes with a wide range of benefits which includes the following:

• No Planning Permission Required

Unlike the traditional system, permeable block paving requires no planning permission as it oversees the driveway draining by ensuring that the surface water passes directly through the joints which makes sure the drains are not over worked and minimizing the risk of flood.

• Puddles Reduction By Natural Drainage

A permeable block paving minimizes puddles as well as standing water which helps to boost natural drainage. This is due to the laying process which features little voids that permits the passage of water.

• Natural Filtration

A natural filtration occurs when water is allowed to return to the ground by permeable block paving which helps assists in getting rid of any pollutants from the rain water.

• Flood Prevention

Permeable paving can help to prevent flooding as it absorbs water rather than directing it to the local drains or leaving it to build up on the surface’s top.

• Natural & Sustainable Materials

Natural and recyclable materials can be incorporated in producing permeable paving which is an excellent choice especially if you’re seeking a more sustainable driveway.

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.

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.