Project
Tumbled block paving driveway and side passage
This homeowner had a long driveway running past the house and outbuildings, with a narrower side passage between timber gates. The old paving and gravel had worn out, so we took it all up and rebuilt the whole run properly from the ground up.
The photos below follow the job stage by stage, from the old surface to the finished driveway.
Before and after
Before
After
Before
AfterHow the job went
01 Before work started
The old paving had sunk and broken up in places, and a gravel path ran through the lawn. We laid boards to protect the ground while we lifted the old blocks.
02 Digging out
We dug out the full length of the driveway and the side passage with a mini excavator, down to firm ground, so the new surface has a solid base.
03 Membrane and sub-base
A geotextile membrane went down first to separate the sub-base from the soil. Then we spread the sub-base stone along the whole run and compacted it in layers with a plate compactor and a ride-on roller.
04 Edging
We set the edge course on both sides before laying any paving. The edging holds the blocks in place and gives a clean line against the lawn, the fence and the planting.
05 Laying the block paving
Tumbled blocks were laid on a screeded sand bed, with cuts made around the gate, the outbuildings and where the new paving meets the existing patio.
06 Finished driveway
The finished driveway runs from the gates, through the side passage and along to the outbuildings in one continuous tumbled block surface.
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