How to Lay a Driveway Block

Block paving adds visual interest and contrast to a front yard.

Laying block paving over a driveway adds value and beauty to a home. Paving blocks come in different sizes and open up a wide range of design possibilities, including interlocking patterns. Novice and experienced do-it-yourselfers need only basic tools to lay driveway blocks over a gravel and sand foundation. The project takes a few days to finish, but the results will impress guests for years.

Things You'll Need

• Wooden pegs
• String
• Flat shovel
• Manual tamper
• 3/4-inch crushed rock
• Rake
• Edge restraints
• Hammer
• 12-inch nails
• Grit sand
• Straight board
• Paving blocks
• Level
• Board
• Stiff brush
• Fine sand

Instructions

1. Outline the driveway area with wooden pegs and a string. Clear the grass and dirt with a flat shovel and dig an expanse 12 inches deep. Compact the loose dirt at the bottom with a manual tamper to make the subsoil stable.

2. Fill the expanse with two 4-inch-thick layers of 3/4-inch crushed rock, tamping down the first before adding the second. Rake the gravel so the base is slightly sloped toward the street by 1 inch for every 8 feet of distance. Tamp the second layer until the rocks are packed snugly.

3. Lay strong edge restraints against the inner walls and hammer 12-inch nails through pre-cut slots.

4. Pour grit sand over the crushed rocks and spread it with a straight board. A portion of the sand will fall between the rocks. The finished sand bed should be 1-inch thick.

5. Place the first driveway blocks on one end of the driveway. Butt adjacent blocks against each other and the edging. Follow your chosen pattern and use a level to check that each section is even. Lay a board over the blocks and walk over it several times to press the blocks into the sand.

6. Fill the joints between the paving blocks with a stiff brush and fine sand.

References

• Home Depot Garden Club: Installing Pavers in Sand

Resources

• Lowe's: Block Paving Buying Guide