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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.

Your contractor should have access to your driveway and a power source. If they have these things, you don’t need to be there while they’re working on your driveway. However, it’s worth being around if you can so you can clarify details and answer any questions.

The most commonly used driveway surfacing materials are gravel, asphalt, concrete and paving - which can be block, slabbed or patten imprinted. Take a look at our product information pages to help you decide which one to use and which one will look best for your driveway.

Clearing snow from a gravel driveway can be tricky – you need to remove the snow without taking the gravel with it.

If the snow’s quite light and dry, try using a leaf blower. You might find that this is enough to get the snow out the way. If it isn’t, start by using a shovel. Use this to clear the top layer of snow off your driveway, leaving about an inch behind. Then, use a rake to remove most of the remaining snow. This won’t take away 100% of the snow or leave all of your gravel in place, but it’s still pretty effective. You can then lay salt to melt away the rest of the snow and stop it turning into ice.

Have you decided to install block paving and wondering what the best sand to be applied to the joints is in order to achieve a perfect job? Well, you’re at the right place! This is one of the most frequently asked questions when it comes to block paving and we seek to give you a reliable solution once and for all.

The best sand for block paving is a kiln-dried sand. It’s an extremely fine sand which has been dried in a kiln to get rid of all the water before it’s incorporated to achieve the best results. Therefore, the sand contains no moisture and is commonly used to fill the joints of block paving to keep the paving’s structure rigid and strong. It also goes a long way to prevent the ingress of water while stopping the paving from moving and becoming loose. The major reason why the paving sand must be dried is to allow it flow easily into the joints as well as the block paving’s gaps. As result of this smooth flowing to the bottom of the joints, there will be no sand sticking to the sides of the pavers.

Another major reason why kiln-dried sand is commonly applied to the block paving’s joints is to prevent water from penetrating the paved area. It also tightens the individual pavers together to prevent from moving and becoming loose. In the event whereby you happen to leave the joints of your block paving without kiln dried sand, it’s highly likely that they’ll sink as a result of water penetration and the blocks will become very loose. After washing block paving, it’s very important to also replace any sand washed off in the process once the paving is dried to prevent water ingress into the joints.

How To Repair A Pothole In Gravel Driveways

When the integrity of your gravel driveway is impaired not only does it have a negative impact on the curb appeal of your property, but also makes your driveway a danger zone. If your driveway needs to be repaired, you’d simply have to grab the bull by the horn and get it done - the sooner, the better to avoid the problem getting worse and to have your beautiful gravel driveway back as soon as possible.

The major cause of potholes in driveways is usually water, when it gets trapped beneath the surface of the driveway. Therefore, you may also want to enhance the drainage in the area as part of your repair. The repair process is quite simple for confident do-it-yourselfers, but if otherwise, then calling in a reliable professional will save you some time and extra money that can result from possible errors. So how do you repair gravel driveway potholes?

✓ Prepare the area. This involves removing all forms of debris from the pothole. To achieve this, you can rake, shovel or brush the loose stones, soil and other debris from the pothole.

✓ Fill the pot hole. Make use of a coarse gravel to fill up the pothole to a depth of about 3 inches beneath the driveway’s level. Upon the filling, simply tamp down the coarse gravel using a commercial tamper or any available homemade option. Once done, the final 3 inches to the surface of the gravel driveway should then be filled up with gravel which perfectly matches the colour and texture of the remaining driveway.

✓ Compact the patch. To achieve this in an easy and fast way, simply run your car’s wheel up and down over the repaired spot gently a couple of times. This will be enough to compact the patch and seal the pothole.

While resin bound and resin bonded driveways have similar names, it might surprise you to know that they’re very different. Both paving systems use resin and aggregates (stones) to form a fixed surface, but there are plenty more differences than there are similarities.

Resin bound driveways are made from a resin and aggregate mix that is trowelled onto a bitmac or concrete base. It leaves a smooth, flat finish and you won’t find any loose gravel. It’s also a pourous surface, which means that rainwater can pass through into the ground, avoiding pools and flooding.

However, resin bonded driveways involve spreading resin across a base, then scattering aggregate into it. Most of the stones will stick to the resin, but some will stay loose. That means you’ll get the effect of loose gravel without so much to sweep and take care of. Because the stones are scattered onto a complete layer of resin, water can’t pass through it. That means you could end up with water pooling, and it also means that a resin bonded driveway isn’t frost resistant, meaning it could get slippery.

So which is better – a resin bound or resin bonded driveway? The answer depends on a few things. If you have a period property where a smooth, shiny surface might not complement the look of your home, you might want to go for resin bonded. If you need lots of grip, for example if you’re a wheelchair user, resin bonded may also be the way to go – even though resin bound surfaces still offer enough grip for sloped driveways and ramps. But if you want a low-maintenance, weed-free, permeable surface, resin bound driveways are the way to go.

How to joint pave or grout paving slabs is a common question asked by several home owners. Most times they may have some existing paving and thinking its high time to have them re-pointed or laid some new pavings and wondering how to fill the gaps.

In the UK, patios don’t get much use especially during cold winter months. However even when not in use, the combination of wet weather and cold temperatures is capable of having the hardest outdoor living spaces looking a bit neglected. This may lead to cracked grouting which leaves gaps between stones making way to a place where weeds can grow and flourish during spring. You definitely wouldn’t want your outdoor living space looking this messy. Hence, there’s a need to get your patio back on track by grouting the paving slabs. However, if you lack proper training or experience, it’s advisable to employ a reliable professional who can guarantee the best results. In this guide, you’ll learn more about the paving slabs grouting process.

• Saturate the area that needs to be repointed with the help of a hosepipe and/or watering cans. Use a yard brush to distribute the water across the paving slabs.

• Pour a generous amount of your compound product over the newly soaked patio.

• Sweep the into the joints where it’s needed with the help of a broom. Do this carefully in order to make sure each and every joint is fully filled with the compound. If done right, this can help prevent premature cracking for a long period of time.

• Once the joints are filled with the compound, brush aside the exces product and strike it in. Ensure that the product is pressed firmly into each gap leaving behind no spaces.

• Sweep out the excesses which can be kept for future use.