Block Paving in Church

Block paving is the surface most Church homeowners ask Accrington Landscaping & Driveways for, whether for a new driveway, a path to the front door, a patio or a side passage that takes the bins. We lay concrete blocks, clay pavers and permeable blocks on a full-depth compacted sub-base, and we relay existing block paving that has sunk or filled with weeds. Our customers are homeowners and landlords in Church who want a surface that takes cars and weather and can be fixed in sections.

The difference between block paving that lasts and block paving that dips within a few years is all below the surface. From our base in Accrington we build every job with a geotextile membrane, Type 1 MOT compacted in layers, concrete-haunched edges and a properly screeded sand bed, to BS 7533 guidance.

This page covers the blocks and patterns we use, how they suit Church homes, our laying process and what moves the price in Accrington.

What Block Paving in Church Involves

Block paving is a flexible pavement. Individual blocks sit on sharp sand over a compacted stone sub-base, locked together by the pattern and by kiln-dried sand in the joints rather than mortar. That gives the surface a little give under load, so it does not crack like concrete, and any block can be lifted if a pipe beneath needs reaching.

For Church we offer:

• Concrete blocks in 50 millimetres for paths and patios and 60 or 80 millimetres for driveways, in a wide range of colours and textures
• Clay pavers, which never fade and sit well against older brick houses
• Permeable blocks with spacer nibs and an open-graded sub-base, so rain drains straight through

Pattern is not just decoration. Driveways are laid in 45 or 90 degree herringbone, which resists the twisting forces of a turning car. Stretcher bond and basketweave suit paths and patios. A soldier course or contrasting border holds the pattern square.

Repairs are a large part of our work in Church: lifting sunken sections, rebuilding the base, relaying the original blocks, re-sanding and sealing where wanted.

Suitability for Properties in Church

Block paving works on almost every type of house in Church. On terraced and semi-detached frontages the usual job is a driveway with a path to the door, keeping a narrow planted strip along one side for both appearance and drainage. Permeable blocks let the whole front be paved while still meeting the 5 square metre rule without planning permission, which simplifies small frontages considerably.

If your subsoil is clay, that is the main technical consideration. Clay is strong when dry but softens when wet, so we excavate deeper than on free-draining ground, typically 250 to 300 millimetres for a driveway in Church, and lay a membrane so the stone cannot work down into the clay. At least 150 millimetres of compacted Type 1 goes in before the sand bed.

In back gardens, block paving gives a harder-wearing patio than slabs and copes well with side passages and bin stores. On sloping plots it can be stepped with edging blocks.

How We Lay Block Paving

1. Survey and quote. We measure the area, check falls, locate manholes and services, and agree block type, pattern and border. The quote specifies dig depth and sub-base thickness.
2. Excavation. Old surfacing and soft ground are dug out with a mini digger and removed under our waste carrier licence.
3. Edge restraints. Kerbs or edging blocks are bedded in concrete and haunched on the outside so the paving cannot creep under load.
4. Sub-base. Geotextile membrane first, then Type 1 MOT, or open-graded stone for permeable paving, compacted with a plate compactor in layers.
5. Screeding. Sharp sand is screeded to a consistent 30 to 40 millimetre bed with a fall of at least 1 in 80 away from the building.
6. Laying and cutting. Blocks go down from a straight edge in the chosen pattern, with cuts made on a bench saw for neat joints around manholes, curves and edges.
7. Compaction and jointing. The surface is vibrated, kiln-dried sand is brushed in, and the area is vibrated again until every joint is full.

A single block paved driveway in Church typically takes three to five working days. Larger areas, complex borders and recessed manhole covers add time. All our work in Accrington follows BS 7533.

What Affects the Price of Block Paving in Church

Every quote from Accrington Landscaping & Driveways itemises the job so you can see what drives the figure. The main elements are:

• Area, and whether it is a driveway needing thicker blocks and a deeper base, or a path or patio
• Block choice: standard concrete, textured or tumbled concrete, clay or permeable
• Excavation depth, following the ground and what is being taken out
• Disposal of old paving, concrete and spoil
• Edge restraints, steps, retaining and any brickwork at the boundary
• Drainage, from channel drains and gullies to a full permeable build-up
• Pattern complexity, borders and the number of cuts around manholes and curves
• Access for the digger and deliveries, particularly if your street is tight
• Sealing, if chosen, a few weeks after laying

Relaying an existing drive usually costs less than a new one because the blocks are reused; the price depends on how much of the base needs rebuilding.

Other Services in Church

To weigh block paving against other finishes, our Driveway Installation service in Church covers resin bound, tarmac, gravel and concrete on the same sub-base principles. Landscaping takes on the back garden as a whole, combining patios, lawns, walls, fencing and planting. Once laid, your paving stays weed-free with the occasional re-sand, which our Garden Maintenance team can include in a regular visit. All four services are run from our Accrington base.