Chat & Social > The Bar - General Chat

How do I build a drive?

(1/8) > >>

Matt_H:
I need to build an extra drive in the front garden. The exisiting drive is tarmac.

I thought about just doing a concrete drive but it will look a bit weird agaisnt the tarmac i think.  Looking around the area a few people have that red concrete or slabs which look ok.  So I thought I'd do a slab driveway and front patio area (guessing red concrete is expensive), but... I've no idea what I'm doing.

I assume to take the weight of cars I need to put a concrete base,
-How thick should the base be?
-Does it need balastunderneath like broken bricks?

When it comes to laying the slabs do I wait until the concrete is dry?  Do I lay them on blobs of mortar (or is that asking them to crack?)

It should be approx 7 feet wide and 20 feet long.   Can you have the right amount delivered and if so any idea on cost?

I am mega skint and don't mind a bit of hard work but if it takes 6 weeks and puts me in hospital cus of a bad back I'd rather pay a bit extra.

Thanks very much
Matthew

landraver:
Hi Matt, Can you post a picture of the area you want to make into a drive, also is it sloping, does it hold water (is it soggy under foot after a bit of rain)? plus any more info you can think of!

Jeff

ps have you seen your truck cab? (90 is finished post)

strapping young lad:
http://www.bradstone.com/garden/index.html?./Technical/how_to_lay_a_driveway.shtml&2


might help

Matt_H:
It slopes ever so slightly  but that is mostly due to extra mud in the front garden, we're not on a hill so that extra can be removed at the same time if needed. After rain, there are two bits which do get a bit soggy, two ruts basically where I used to park the car up there but then stopped. It only gets soggy where there isa dip and it's only right up by the existing drive.

The ground is really stoney, I dug a little and it's a real pain in the whatsit to get a shovel in, so wasn't sure if this negated using hard core or not..

Ta for the link,  thinking more I'd love block paving, but it scares me for some reason - it's got to be more expensive too!


I finished the wheel carrier today Jeff, cleaned up at weekend and moved the top mount for the hi-lift welding in a new mount and it's all fixed up now:-)

v8kenny:
Hi Matt
If you are going to use 450mmX450mm slabs you will need around 70 to cover that area
Lay them direct on a full bed of mortar made up of a 50/50 mix of sharp sand and building sand - you don't want too strong a mix so 6/7 shovels of sand to 1 of cement will be fine
Mix the mortar quite wet and level out with a float to a depth of about 2 inches and  lay the slabs on top tapping level with a mallet or wooden handle of a club hammer
Point them up following day and I'll guarantee they won't shift
You will need about 2 tonnes of sand so get it delivered in ton sacks - one each of building and sharp sand - you will also need about 8/10 bags cement
Use a mixer and add a squeeze of cheap washing up liquid to each batch to make it more pliable and esier to float level
£300 - £400 should do as long as you don't pick expensive slabs !

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page