Driveway and patio guides

Choosing the right driveway or patio

These are the questions we are asked most at design visits, answered plainly.

Tarmac

Tarmac is quick to lay and good value on a wide frontage. It comes in red or black and is usually edged with a block paved border, which holds the edge and adds colour. It is ready to use far sooner than concrete and can be re-coloured and resealed when it fades.

Block paving

Block paving gives you the most choice of pattern and colour: herringbone, tumbled cobble-effect, two-tone borders and inlays. Because single blocks can be lifted and relaid, repairs are simple. It needs a proper sub-base and kiln-dried sand in the joints.

Resin

Resin bound surfacing is stone and clear resin trowelled smooth. There are no loose stones, it drains through, and it comes in a wide range of stone colours. It needs a sound base, which we either build new or check before laying.

Gravel

Gravel is the lowest cost driveway and drains naturally. With a compacted base, a membrane, stabilising grids and firm edging, the stone stays where it should.

Patios: sandstone or porcelain

Indian sandstone is natural stone with warm, varied colours that suit brick houses. Porcelain is dense, consistent and resists moss and stains. Both need a full mortar bed and a fall away from the house.

What makes any drive or patio last

The base. Every surface we lay starts with digging out and a compacted stone sub-base, with edges set on concrete and drainage planned so water runs away from the house. That is why we can guarantee all our work for 10 years.