 | Home > Off Topic > making a job of it |
 
|
|
|
| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6308   
|
so to set the scene;
you've had a tarmacked drive way for the last 35 years. clearly any subsidence, settling, compacting etc has all taken place years ago. you decide you'd like a nice new block pave driveway. guys arrive to lay new drive. first thing they do is rip up tarmac and road stone below so they can put several tons of stone back in and compact it before they start to screed it - why? can't you just rip up the minimal depth of tarmac and screed straight on top of the already compacted base? |
||
5th Aug 2014 7:53am |
|
| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6308
|
I've not had my drive done but I am thinking of doing it myself (bit by bit).
admittedly it will be more labour intensive but I plan to carefully lift the tarmac to the required depth, screed and lay blocks, leaving base as it is / has been for the last c30 years. |
||
|
5th Aug 2014 8:12am |
|
| scotty38 Member Since: 21 May 2011 Location: Lincolnshire Posts: 571 
|
Will it affect your MPG having different drive materials?
|
||
|
5th Aug 2014 1:16pm |
|
| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6308
|
I sincerely hope so - that's the motivating force behind this idea.
I'm thinking highly polised marble blocks to reduce friction improving mpg and tyre wear.  |
||
|
5th Aug 2014 1:25pm |
|
| diesel_jim Member Since: 13 Oct 2008 Location: hiding Posts: 6105  
|
A nice smooth drive also helps you to see the nuts & bolts that fall off overnight.....
|
||
|
5th Aug 2014 2:03pm |
|
| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6308
|
don't remind me.
damn cups / springs on the handbrake shoes retainers. |
||
|
5th Aug 2014 2:29pm |
|
| gilarion Member Since: 05 Dec 2013 Location: Wales Posts: 5111  
|
I would haver asked for an inclined path that way you could just either roll in or roll out of your drive with the engine off, the fuel saved over a lifetime would be considerable.  |
||
|
5th Aug 2014 2:31pm |
|
| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6308
|
I guess this is going off topic just a little but you've given me a great idea.....
each night when I park up I could jack the back up on to some ramps and then each morning roll off them.  |
||
|
5th Aug 2014 2:52pm |
|
| Happyoldgit Member Since: 14 Sep 2007 Location: Norfolk Posts: 3471 
|
 Steve.
Owned numerous Land Rover vehicles of all shapes and sizes over the decades. Current Defender: A non tarts hand-bagged Puma 110 XS USW. [Insert something impressive here such as extensive list of previous Land Rovers or examples of your prestigeous and expensive items, trinkets, houses, bikes, vehicles etc] http://forums.lr4x4.com I used to be Miserable ...but now I'm ecstatic. |
||
|
5th Aug 2014 5:52pm |
|
| What puddle? Member Since: 25 Oct 2013 Location: Reading Posts: 952
|
I've done a lot of research on driveways over the past couple of years, as we plan to do ours next year. I've spoken to many 'experts' along the way about what's good, and what isn't. We've finally decided on the following due to it being relatively cheap, REALLY easy to do (easy diy), and practical...
http://www.coregravel.co.uk/products/coreg...ilisation/ It works out at around £20 per sq mtr - plus gravel (Wickes do a nice shade of Cotswold pea shingle for about £32 a tonne bag). We currently have a concrete imprinted/patterned driveway. However, it has become patchy, and although I have looked at having it re-siliconed, it will just do the same again in time. I know the above stuff won't appeal to everyone, but having looked at EVERYTHING and every way possible of doing a driveway, we think this is, on balance, the best. The plastic cores are only an inch deep, and very strong. It allows water through, and you can get it up if you need to get at a water main, etc. Now left. |
||
|
5th Aug 2014 8:42pm |
|
| munch90 Member Since: 26 Oct 2013 Location: guildford Posts: 3558
|
gravel drive as a another sercurity measure , ever tried walking on gravel quietly
 |
||
|
5th Aug 2014 9:06pm |
|
| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6308
|
like it Steve.....I can actually believe this happens to some owners.......... |
||
|
5th Aug 2014 9:31pm |
|
| Happyoldgit Member Since: 14 Sep 2007 Location: Norfolk Posts: 3471
|
Gravel is a PITA. It treads in the house, gets stuck in tyres which spreads the stuff onto the road, drop anything small on it and it's immediately lost, weeds appear in it even if its got a membrane barrier, it's painful to lay or kneel on. Terrible stuff. Steve.
Owned numerous Land Rover vehicles of all shapes and sizes over the decades. Current Defender: A non tarts hand-bagged Puma 110 XS USW. [Insert something impressive here such as extensive list of previous Land Rovers or examples of your prestigeous and expensive items, trinkets, houses, bikes, vehicles etc] http://forums.lr4x4.com I used to be Miserable ...but now I'm ecstatic. |
||
|
6th Aug 2014 7:25am |
|
| landy andy Member Since: 15 Feb 2009 Location: Ware, Herts Posts: 5741 
|
I would do as you first suggest, and just remove top layer, leaving the stone base, then apply a membrane, then lay blocks on sharp sand.
When I did my block drive, I put down the hardcore, and hogging/type 1, and then left it for about a year (whilst drive in use) before block paving, and even after compacting it still settled a lot during this period. Was pleased I had given it this time before final layer. Andy |
||
|
6th Aug 2014 7:42am |
|
|
|
| All times are GMT |
< Previous Topic | Next Topic > |
Posting Rules
|
Site Copyright © 2006-2025 Futuranet Ltd & Martin Lewis
