Driveways
Block paving,
laid to hold.
The workhorse driveway. Done right, block paving takes decades of cars, holds its line and can be lifted and relaid if a service ever needs digging up. Done cheaply, it sinks in the tyre tracks within two winters.
Nine times out of ten the blocks are not the problem — the base is. A block driveway is only ever as good as what sits under it: a proper dig-out, a compacted sub-base, sharp sand screeded to a fall, and edges haunched in concrete so nothing creeps outwards. Skip any of those and the surface tells on you.
We lay concrete block and clay pavers in herringbone, stretcher bond and basketweave, in whatever colour suits the house. Herringbone for anywhere cars turn or brake — it locks in both directions and resists the shove of a wheel. Stretcher bond for paths and borders. It is not a fashion choice; it is about where the load goes.
What sits under the blocks
We excavate to depth — usually 200–250mm for a car drive, deeper on the soft clay south of the Mersey — and cart the spoil away. Then a geotextile membrane to stop the sub-base sinking into the ground, 150mm-plus of MOT Type 1 compacted in layers with a plate, a screeded sand laying course, and the blocks themselves bedded and consolidated.
Edges are the bit budget jobs skip. Every free edge gets an edging course or kerb, haunched in concrete, so the field of paving has something firm to push against. Without it, the outside rows spread and the whole drive loosens from the perimeter in.
Colours, patterns and kerb appeal
A single block laid three ways looks like three different driveways. We will bring samples out and lay a few dry against your brick and render before anything is cut, because a colour that looks right in a brochure can fight the house in daylight.
A soldier-course border in a contrasting block frames the drive and gives a clean line to work the pattern into. On the tighter frontages around Cheadle village and Gatley, that framing is what makes a modest drive look considered rather than just paved.
Every block paving job includes
- Full excavation and spoil removal — no laying over the old surface
- Geotextile membrane and compacted MOT Type 1 sub-base
- Concrete-haunched edge restraints on every free edge
- Falls set away from the house, to a permeable area or drainage
- Kiln-dried sand jointing and a final consolidation pass
- 10-year written guarantee on base and workmanship
Common questions
How long does a block paving driveway take?
A typical single or double drive is three to five working days, depending on the dig, the ground and the weather. We give you a programme with the quote and stick to it.
Will weeds grow through the joints?
Far less than they used to. We finish with kiln-dried jointing sand, and you can add a stabilising sealer. The odd windblown seed on the surface is easy to brush or wash off — it is not rooted through the drive.
Can you match my existing paving?
Often, yes. Ranges do get discontinued, so an exact match is not always possible, but we will get as close as the current stock allows and show you samples first.
Get a price for block paving
A written, itemised quote covering the base, the surface and the drainage — with a fixed programme and no surprises halfway through.