Im going to widen my driveway myself about 6 feet bu 20 ft with conctete pavers soon to just add extra room for a car to park. There already is an excellent gradual sloape ther. Any hints before I start? Ive never done it but it seems rather eaisy. Whats an acceptible minimum for the 1st layer of rock?

Anyone thats tackled this before. Id like to hear your take on it

Thanks

Pooly

 

compaction, compaction, compacton.....stone, I would recommend 53's if just parking cars on them. Dig out and level for about 4" of the 53's and allow for the depth of the pavers. I would compact the ground once level, then the stone once level and pave away. Leave the grade in the direction that water needs to run off to as well. Good luck...

 

No expert, so I googled it because I was thinking about doing something with paving stones in my back yard. Granted this is just one site, but looks similar to what I saw locals doing on a road in Germany.

How To Install Concrete Pavers

 

Like oledoc says, compaction, compaction. But in addition to the #53 (1-1/2" and smaller) stone base, you'll want to top off with a couple inches of stone dust to set final grade for the pavers. You will be screeding the stone dust as you go almost like concrete to achieve a solid, flat paver base.

I think you'll find excavating to subgrade is the hardest part of the entire installation. Do you have a place on site to get rid of the excavated material? Between the stone and the stone dust, you'll be digging down at least six inches or more.

That and some Tylenol for your aching back, you should be good to go.




PS: I just looked and see in the Belgard link Erzer provided, they are using sand in lieu of the stone dust to set final grade. Either or, the same concept. But if you can get the dust delivered, it might be preferable. It will actually turn hard as stone over time.

 

That is a lot of work...lol The 53's I mentioned are a combination of stone and fines and will compact just fine, so no need for sand. It will save you a lot of work. Edging is needed only if the soil around the outer edges is soft, like sandy soil. You won't need to go that deep if just parking a car on it, if heavier traffic, like the actuall driveway, then more would be needed. Good luck....

 

Im starting to freak out ! Thats a lot of digging and dirt removal. At my folks place they made a walkway out of flagstone just here and there with about 1" of dirt dug out for each one. The ground Im looking at is always hard, except in spring/a little mushy (wont be using the space in winter)

Idealy I just want a set up that will prevent my yard from looking like an off road trail as the grass tends to take a beating with the tires. Is there another method simular to pavers that Im overlooking..ie less involved? I really dont have the resources to shovel and remove so much dirt. Besides, the wife's got so many other honey-do's planned for me too

 

It all comes down to "you get what you pay for", but the Belgard link shown above is the correct way to do a driveway. Sure, a walk-way is a lot easier, but that's why they call it a walk-way. If you drove a car too many times across the flag stone at your folk's place, well ... it would eventually be crushed stone.

Now for simply stabilizing a grass area for occasional parking, here's another thought:


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But no matter how you slice it, excavation (to us known as digging up a lotta' dirt) eventually becomes an issue.

 

Stone dust is great as well. It can be like concrete in itself if compacted properly. Well, sounds like you need to just park in the yard. After awhile, you will compact some wheel ruts, and after those ruts reach the about 4" deep, then fill with stone....no need for pavers....that's what my neighbor does.....lol

 

we replaced our drive with pavers last year. First year it was in. The side parking pad and the sidewalk was put in the year before that and everything has held up well.

Hire an excavating company, cheap to do, tell them what you want and they'll get it prepped right. What we did was take it down 10 inches, then 4" of class 5 gravel, compact, then 1" of paver sand, mixed with a bit of dry concrete. Compact really well. The the pavers go in to level, vibrate compact well to get them settled into the sand, then brush in the interlocking sand, you'll do that 2 or 3 times during the summer. At the end of the 1st season, garden spray 2 min, 3 better goats of concrete paver sealer and that seals in the sand and the pavers.

But really, in 1 or 2 days max the excavator can get this dug out for you and lay the particular material to spec, and you will have a well done base, then you get to lay the bricks which is kind of fun. See my gallery for the finished product. The herringbone run pattern is what you want for a drive, not the running brick pattern. the herringbone keeps them all together and not shift.

Terribele winter here in MN, and for two years now on the pad, one on the drive, no heaving, not settling. I'm very happy.

Toatal cost was 8500 for all, when a new ashphalt was gonna be at least 11. Pavers were the way to go here in MN as I can pop bricks out if I need to rather than rebuild the entire drive.

 

Youre onto something here Doc! Never thought of it like that

Thanks all for your ideas

Pooly