Topic: Block paved drive

[Baaaaaaaa]

I have just weeded a friends block paved drive, but notices there's some quite big gaps between the blocks and they wobble like an old man's teeth

The problem is that the drive is on a slope and if I just fill the gaps with kiln dried sand, the rain will just wash it all out again.

Is there anything I can do/ anything better I can use ?

[campanula]

I am afraid might be no easy answer to this. Firstly, where are the gaps? top or bottom of slope. How big? How many? It is presumably laid on sand and I am guessing that the gaps have been exacerbated by the growth, and removal of weeds. True, sand could wash away but, you could do this anyway and hire a wackaplate for a day (about£40.00) to vibrate the blocks into the sand. They tend to bind together. There are also some mediums on the market which work like grout - you brush the dry material into the gaps and it sets within 90minutes (Geofix) but, this always looks a bit weird with paviours and is not cheap. Grout Sand and cement may look even worse but you can, at least, add colour to the grout mix. Let me know more info about the gaps and I will have a think (We are landscapers).

[Mimi]

Have you tried crushed slate?  We live in Welsh Wales and there is a local place that is crushing slag from the old slate quarries.  They use it as a sand substitute in laying paviers. Not quite as fine and sets reasonably firm once wet a couple of times.

[Baaaaaaaa]

Many thanks. I will take some photos later this week.


The drive is only small, about 25 sq m, how many 25kg bags of sand/slate would I need ?

I've been looking up crushed slate, and wondered how fine an aggregate I would need.  Is 3mm too big?

What if I made a mix of sand and 3mm slate, would that withstand the rain any better ?

What about clay, would that be any good ?

[tonybloke]

if the gaps are over 3mm, then the slate will be OK to use. you'd probably be better off using a dry/lean mix of sharp sand and cement, this will set after being brushed in, and should solve any future problems