How to Blockpave a Driveway
Block pavers are versatile yet stylish materials commonly used for driveways, patios and walkways. Made from concrete, stone or clay, the landscaping material is cut into rectangular blocks of different dimensions. Block paving your driveway not only enhances its appearance, it prevents vehicles from becoming muddy or windows from damage due to flying stones. Although the project requires patience and elbow grease, you can complete it yourself and save on costs of hiring a professional contractor. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Tape measure
- Flags or stakes and string
- Shovel
- Gravel
- Scrap lumber
- Vibrating roller or vibrating plate
- Edging blocks
- Quick-dry cement
- Grit sand
- Rubber mallet
- Kiln-dried sand
Instructions
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Measure the area of the driveway you want to block pave. Provide an 18-foot-long and 10-foot-wide area for every car. Mark the desired area with plastic flags, or insert stakes and extend sticks in between. Include 3 to 6 inches along each side of the width for edging. Multiply the length and width to determine the area of the driveway.
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Remove the topsoil or existing surface to a depth that accommodates the gravel or hard-core base material, the sand and block pavers. For instance, excavate to a depth of at least 10 inches to accommodate 6 inches of gravel, 2 inches of sand and 2-inch pavers. Dig 1-inch deeper every 60 inches along the length of the excavation to provide the necessary drop that assists drainage.
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Spread 6 inches of gravel over the base of the excavation and level it with a length of scrap lumber. Compact the gravel using a vibrating roller for a larger area, or vibrating plate if the area is small, so it provides a stable sub base for the block pavers.
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Install edging restraints along the length of the driveway to keep the sand and paver blocks in place. Insert a stake at each corner of the same side of the excavation, and extend a length of taut string in between. Using the string to keep the front edge of the edging blocks straight, lay the blocks on quick-dry cement. Allow the cement to dry.
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Spread 2 inches of grit sand within the edging restraints over the compacted sub base. Smooth the sand with scrap lumber until level from the top.
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Lay the block pavers over the sand within the restraints, in your desired pattern. Depending on personal preference, lay the blocks with their short sides or long sides against an edge. Tap each block you lay with a rubber mallet so it sets in the sand. Inspect the heights of every section of four to eight blocks after you lay them to ensure they are level, and add or remove sand underneath if necessary. Continue laying the pavers along the driveway.
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Spread kiln-dried sand over the pavers and sweep the area so it falls into gaps between the blocks. Add more sand, if necessary, so the gaps are full to the top.
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Run a vibrating plate over the driveway two to three times to help the pavers settle in the sand bed.
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Tips & Warnings
Use a masonry saw or tap a chisel with a hammer if you need to cut a block paver to the desired size.
References
- Photo Credit IT Stock Free/Polka Dot/Getty Images
