With any new paving installation, there are many factors to take into account. Pretoria paving has extensive experience in the abovementioned and will share some of the key areas to focus on whether you are looking at driveway paving, pool paving, patio areas or any paving project in between. The fundamentals always remain constant.
Something to bear in mind:
Paving is expected to last a lifetime, with that being said a rushed job is never going to be a long-lasting job. The preparation is the most important part, if not done correctly/ rushed/ or the workmanship and knowledge of the installers are not up to scratch, you will end up spending more in the long run than you expect.
Going for the cheapest quote and rushing the installers to have the job done in the shortest possible time will always cost further down the line.
Paving Preparation:
Selection of your paving material and pattern:
Not all paving bricks or stones are the same. Purchasing from a reputable supplier ensures the quality needed to stand the test of time and endurance through all conditions.
This is the key factor in the planning of the project as with the selection of the material comes the selection of the pattern that will be used in the project. A more complex pattern will take longer to complete than a simple pattern.
Basket Weave
Square Bond
Stretcherbond
Herringbone
Modular
Removal of existing paving/ possible subbase repairs.
The existing paving needs to be removed, this process can be messy and time-consuming as all precautions need to be taken to not damage any pipes/ wiring that is just below.
Once this has been completed and the drainage needs to be taken into account any Poor drainage and run-off plans will cause ponding which will infiltrate the foundation layers, leading to the eventual failure of the installation.
The foundation layer underneath the paving, known as the sub-base, should be compacted well. If the subbase isn’t compacted properly, the following can happen:
- The paved area may sag in certain areas as layers beneath the surface of the earth shift and organic material in topsoil deteriorates over time.
- The paving blocks or slabs may break due to the weight on top of the paving, use a car, for example, isn’t distributed throughout the layers beneath the paving.
- If the surrounding soil has a high clay content, it can cause movement in the subbase when it expands or retracts – this is a big concern with regards to having a solid sub-base.
The sub-base will then have to either be stabilized with a lime or cement additive or replaced with a G5 or G7 filling.
Ensure the correct bedding sand is used:
The use of correct bedding sand will go a long when in ensuring that the paving installation won’t begin sagging.
The bedding sand should also be moist to ensure that the pavers bed evenly with no high or low pavers. Once again, any shortcuts taken or the use of installers with a lack of understanding of these concepts will lead to an overall sub-standard job.
Plastic sheeting beneath the subbase is not advised under any circumstances.
Use solid edge restraints
The importance and use of edge restraints in most cases are overlooked. Edge restraints are used to ensure that paving doesn’t creep sideways. Should this happen, jointing sand can easily erode and cause chipping, unwanted water will seep in and ultimately lead to the failure of the installation. Pretoria Paving Has a wealth of experience and we recommend using Kerbs as they are reinforced and are proven to last.
In summary, there are a lot more points that could be touched on however the abovementioned are what we consider to be the most important when planning any paving job.
Pretoria paving has a proven track record, rest assured we will provide a competitive quote.
In this industry as with most, there are no shortcuts.
Contact us today:
Tel: 012 012 5224
Cell: 061 448 6822