New Driveway Laid With Tegula Paving in Durham

New driveway installation completed by TFJ Paving LTD. Experts at laying new driveways with block paving in Durham. The old driveway was built with a concrete slab (council style). We removed the entire driveway including the manhole cover in the middle of the driveway.

We put in a new foundation, a new recessed inspection chamber to help blend in the manhole cover on the driveway and put down membrane sheeting to help block weeds.

We laid the paving on the driveway in a stretcher offset pattern. The paving range is the Tegula range from Marshalls, laid in 3 sizes. Standard charcoal block paving brick around the driveway in a 9 inch header style.

Call TFJ Paving LTD today to get a free quote on replacing your driveway in Durham. Unbeatable prices. Find out more at https://www.tfjpavingltd.co.uk/

Kerbing Installations

We provide a range of kerbing options for your driveway. These options are designed to not only retain your driveway but also to function as decorative and to add style to any driveway area.

We have options ranging from standard brick on edge to concrete edging kerbs, block paving curbs and natural stone edging. Below, we will highlight some of the various styles available so you can see which type of edging might suit your driveway.

Concrete Edging Kerb

Concrete edging kerbs are one of the most common type of kerbing available. They are available generally just the one colour, that being grey. They’re available in various sizes depending whether you wish it to finish flush with your driveway.

Concrete edging kerbs are available with a sloped edge, a rounded edge, or a flat top edging. Generally, we always use flat top edging kerbs as a divide at the front of the driveway from the local pavement.

Brick on Edge

A brick on edge, is commonly used as a small retaining line for driveways against lawn areas and flower beds. A brick on edge is a block paving brick, laid on its side and bench the concrete. The benefit to using this is that you can use a matching colour to the driveway if you are opting for block paving. Find out more about our block paving in Durham here.

Block Paving Kerbs

block paving kerbs, are available in two different sizes generally. KL kerb which is a large kerb and a Ks kerb which is a small kerb. They are available in multiple colours with the two most common being brindle and charcoal.

Block paving kerbs are available as a rounded kerb and a slanted kerb. They are also available in a matching style to cobblestone and Tegula Paving.

Natural Stone Kerbing

Natural stone kerbing is generally made from hewn stone and squared off. You can also use cobblestone as a natural stone kerb provided it has the depth to allow benching in concrete. With natural stone you are limited with the option of colours however you are guaranteed that whatever colour you pick, that colour will remain throughout its entire lifespan.

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All our kerbing is installed to industry standards, providing both function and appeal to any driveway. To read more about our paving options including custom bespoke steps and block paving laying patterns, visit our paving services. We hope you’ve enjoyed this article and if you require more information or would like to discuss your driveway in Durham, we would love to hear from you. Find out more at https://www.tfjpavingltd.co.uk/

Guide: Cobblestone Driveway Installations

Cobblestone driveways are one of the almost old-fashioned style for driveways. As manufacturers have improved the quality of the materials you can opt for natural cobblestone or manufactured cobblestone.

The laying of cobblestone really comes down to what style you’ve chosen and what the overall appearance needs to look like. You can opt for a fan/wave style of cobblestone laying or you can choose a more traditional style laying it in an offset pattern.

An offset pattern installation of cobblestones can also be replicated using Tegula style or the Thomas Armstrong manufactured Durham Setts.

Having cobblestones laid on your driveway is not the cheapest option when compared to block paving in Durham. The reason for this excluding the extra price for the materials is also the extra work that is involved when laying the cobblestones.

Unlike block paving especially if you are opting for a fan style, it all has to be laid individually and by hand with no replicating pattern which makes it difficult to lay at any great speed.

Choosing to lay the cobblestones in an offset staggered pattern does speed up the installation process so an average driveway, you can save over two days work using this pattern style. Of course, this applies to an average driveway size of 100m2. Larger sized driveway will impact it even more and smaller, less.

Another great inclusion with a cobble stone driveway is bordering or edging. You can opt for a granite cobble stone border which is benched in concrete or you can put in a tumbled paving kerb. You can learn more about our kerbing options here.

If you are opting for natural cobblestones versus manufactured style cobblestone, your colour choice will be very limited. Most natural stone is available in shades of grey, with options and darker and some gold mixes.

Opting for manufactured gives you a significant wider range of colours including red, black, charcoal, grey, brindle, burnt ochre and more.

Below, we will show off various examples of the different types of cobblestone paving that you choose for your driveway or patio. If you would like a free quote or to discuss your options please get in touch our team would love to hear from you.

 

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Permeable Driveway Options

A permeable driveway is a driveway that will let water drain naturally down through it with surface and the drain away safely through the foundation. This type of driveway is general required for SUDS regulations (Sustainable Drainage System) and to avoid the need for planning permission.

When it comes to permeable driveway, we provide various options to help you choose the style and finish of your driveway. These options include permeable block paving, permeable Tegula paving and gravel/shingle driveways. Using permeable paving means you can have the same patterns as standard paving as shown here.

Here we will highlight the types and benefits of choosing one style a permeable driveway over the other. Regardless of the finished surface the base preparation is generally the same. Let’s first look at how permeable driveways work and what the base requirements are.



Permeable driveway functions by letting the surface water drain away back to its natural environment. The method by which this is done is called attenuation. The surface water is collected by the driveway and held in storage as its release back through the base and then back out into its own environment.

One of the biggest differences with the base installations is not just the depth but also the finished base the sub base material should have no fines in it this means you cannot use type 1 MOT and you should be using type 4 MOT hardcore. This type of foundation is significantly coarser and will allow the water to penetrate faster.

In effect if you think of your base and imagine it like a porous sponge. It will soak up the water and gradually releases back into environment over a period of time.

There is effectively three layers that will be applied during installation of a permeable driveway, top layer will be your laying course which is generally a grit stone instead of river washed sand. The next layer underneath this will be your permeable sub base which would be Type 4 MOT or similar to allow the water to drain down fast.

The next layer will be your base layer which will be very coarse and will have gravel mixed through it. This will allow the water to enter this area very fast and store it to allow a slow release back.

Now do we know what type of base installation will require we can look at what the finished surface will be. You have the option of block paving finish using permeable paving or you can opt for a gravel finish.

PERMEABLE BLOCK PAVING

Permeable paving is very similar to having a standard block paved driveway. The biggest difference between the types of block paving is the edging which is designed to allow a bigger space between the gaps which is then filled with a grit instead of kiln dried sand. You can learn about laying block paving here.

The finished style and design can be whatever you choose as permeable paving like standard paving can be laid in a variety of styles colours and patterns. Once you have built your base correctly the water on your driveway should drain away very fast.

GRAVEL DRIVEWAY

Opting for a gravel driveway or as is commonly known shingle, is also a very common style for a natural driveway. You have as with any gravel driveway the choice of using plastic stabilisers which help to keep the gravel in place otherwise we recommend a solid border or edging curb around driveway to hold it in place. You can read more about driveway kerbing here.

You can choose to combine permeable block paving with gravel creating a block paved apron as an entrance or a paving inset at your door or on the driveway. The two options are the best choices available on the market for a completely sustainable drainage system for your driveway.

You also have the choice of using Aco drains which when piped correctly can take away water to a designated area like a soak pit or drainage system. This type of system is commonly used in standard driveways or patios.

You would like to know more about a permeable driveway options or would like to discuss getting a new driver installed, we would love to hear from you. Visit https://www.tfjpavingltd.co.uk/ for more details.

Block Paving Patterns and Styles For Your Driveway/Patio

One of the reasons the block paving in Durham is so popular is due to wide variety of laying patterns that are available when you when you choose block paving for your driveway, patio or garden area.

Here we will highlight some of the various pattern styles that are available for you to choose from when it comes to laying block paving on your driveway in Durham.

STRETCHER BOND

stretcher bond is generally used on pathways and garden areas. The benefit a stretcher bond is it can be laid without any real type of cutting required. It can be curved gradually to go around pathways. Stretcher bond is also commonly used as a laying pattern for a border around driveway. You will often see it laid in singular strips or double strips around a driveway.

HERRINGBONE

herringbone pattern is most commonly laid pattern of block paving. The reason for this is because of interlocking. When you look at the side of the block pavior you will see little protruding sections under pavior. This is to ensure a gap for kiln dried sand and also to lock the paving in place. We would always recommend standard block paving on driveway 45° or 90° herringbone pattern.

BASKET WEAVE

the basket weave pattern is very commonly used on patio areas it can be laid in groups and provided you have mapped out your area correctly you won’t to carry out any cuts to your paving. As a decorative pattern it looks very nice however for heavy traffic areas would not recommend this pattern

OFFSET / STAGGERED

The offset staggered pattern is generally used with a form of block paving known as Tegula paving or cobblestone style paving depending on which manufacturer you use. The most popular paving manufacturers are Marshalls Paving and Thomas Armstrong.

It can be laid in a variety of sizes ranging in general small medium to large sized paving. You can opt to lay this pattern using all three varieties or using a single a variety if you choose to use a single a variety we recommend opting for the larger medium-size. The small size makes it very hard to offset the lines due to the size of the block.

The above options apply to both standard block paving and using block paving on a permeable driveway which you can see here.

We can lay all these types of block paving patterns and more on your driveway/patio or garden area. We can lay block paving inside of steps, which you can read about here.

We hope this guide has given you some idea on the various types of block paving that is available to choose from. You can read about our block paving laying services here. If you need more information please do not hesitate to get in touch, our team would love to discuss your driveway or patio project with you.

Various Styles of Steps for Your Driveway or Patio

One of the most common things that we are asked about is what different type of steps can we build and what are the different options available.

Here’s a list of various types of materials we can use to build steps at your home on your driveway or your patio area.

• Concrete steps


• Block paved steps


• Brick steps


• Flagstone steps


• Natural stone


• Wooden sleeper steps

Using any of the listed products above we are able to create custom and bespoke steps in a variety of shapes. You can choose from a circular step, square step, semi-moon shaped step, rectangle step and elongated steps.

We might recommend one style of step over another especially on driveways if we feel it will benefit you over the long term. You can read more about our block paving installations on driveways here.

You have the option of choosing how many steps for example you can choose to split a large step to smaller steps. We generally use whatever material was used on the driveway or patio to back-fill the step.

For example, if you chose an Indian sandstone patio, we would back fill the step using Indian sandstone capping on top of the step.

For a block paved patio or driveway, we would use standard block paving with a block paving curb to retain it. Block paving curbs are available in multiple styles, colours and finishes. You can read more about curbing here.

We can use a different type of block paving pattern inside the step to make it stand out or we can use a matching pattern to blend in your step with block paving. You can read about block paving patterns here.

If it is a larger step that it will require elevated heights, we will always recommend building the framework of the step using bricks. It is the only durable solution especially when looking to retain a larger step frame.

If we are building a new step using Indian sandstone or another type of slabbing on top of the step, we will always make sure to leave a lip protruding over the edge. Along with a slight level to ensure water drains off of the step. The reason the lip should protrude is to ensure that water does not run down the face of the step.

Here are some examples of the various types of step installations that are available on a driveway or patio area. To see more examples, make sure to visit our portfolio pages.

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If you would like to know more about the services that we provide in Durham, please get in touch. We provide free no obligation quotes and all work is backed by a written installation guarantee. Visit https://www.tfjpavingltd.co.uk/ for details.

Guide: Laying A Driveway Using Block Paving

One of the most common driveway installation options in County Durham is block paving. It provides great long-term value, durability and is extremely versatile with all the various colours, patterns and styles you can design with it. Here is a look at how we would normally lay a driveway in Durham using block paving.

Removal of existing driveway

 



The first step would any new driver installation is the removal of the existing driveway. Once you removed the existing driveway you need to excavate the area to ensure that you can have a new base foundation installed.

We recommend on larger driveways to always use diggers which will allow you to excavate concrete or tarmac without any problems.

Always make sure when excavating a driveway to check for any piping or electrical wiring may be running on the driveway. You can use cable detectors or similar to find hidden wiring.

The same applies for water and gas pipes. If in doubt we always recommend consulting your local council for drawings to highlight where the piping runs.

New base foundation

We recommend always with new driveway installations that you have at least 6 inches of a type 1 MOT foundation. This ensures not only a permeable base it also ensures a solid foundation that is capable of withstanding heavy vehicle traffic.

Standard foundation for any driveway is made up of 2 to 3 layers. The lowest level is generally a very coarse or dense crushed concrete stone with the finishing layers being type 1 MOT hardcore.

Of course, this only really applies to standard driveways if you are looking to install a permeable driveway which has to deal with heavy water flooding the base foundation would be deeper, It would also require type for MOT instead of type 1. You can read about our permeable driveway options here.

Membrane Sheeting

The next stage would be put down membrane sheeting this is not as people think to stop weeds this is to stop base mixing with the River wash sand which is applied on top of the membrane. Weeds very rarely will grow through the ground especially if you have done your base preparation correctly.

Weeds generally grow in the gaps between the paving joints the joints are normally made up of KDS which is short for kiln dried sand. This type of weed growth is easily handled with maintenance once to twice a year.

Bordering or Edging Driveway

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At this stage you will decide whether you wish to have a standard border around your driveway which will act as a retainer or if you would be using edging curbs. Regardless of your choice it should always be benched in concrete and set to an accurate finished level. We offer a range of kerbing choices for your driveway or patio, make sure to visit our kerbing section to read more about it.

Drainage / Inspection Chambers

the next stage of your driveway installation, is about setting in any drainage that is required according to SUDS regulations or as needed to handle surface water.

Inspection Chambers or is more commonly known manhole covers are generally replaced at this stage with a new recessed inspection chamber. This allows you to lay the paving inside of the cover allowing it to blend in with the driveway.

Step Installations

We will not go into detail on how to build steps or the choices available on this guide, you can visit our steps guide to see the various types of block paved steps we can build for you in Durham and the options available to you.

River Washed Sand

The next stage of preparation is applying a sand base preferably river washed to the driveway. Once you have roughly leveled off the sand you will have to set accurate screeding levels.

Screeding levels are generally set when you use conduit piping or similar which is set off a string line and a screeding bar is used to pull back the sand set at the level of the conduit piping.

When you have screeded off the driveway, you should remove your conduit piping. You can back-fill the gaps left by the piping by using sand and hand floating.

Laying The Block Paving

At this stage you can generally start laying your block paving. We always recommend pulling a string line from the house or from whichever angle you wish to lay the block paving off of.

The most common style of block paving pattern is 45° or a 90° herringbone. You can of course choose to lay the paving in a variety of different styles but the herringbone pattern is where the original term of interlocking comes from. This generally gives the strongest interlock to the driveway paving. Read more about block paving patterns here.

Once you have laid the block paving the next stage is to cut in any of the paving that needs to be cut. You have generally two different ways of cutting block paving

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The first option is to use block paving splitter. The most renowned splitter for block paving is from Probst. They are generally safe to use but we do recommend having two people using it. One inserting the block for cutting it and other to pull the handle of the splitter.

The second option is to use a consaw. This is large version of a grinder which is generally powered by petrol. It uses a diamond blade saw which will cut through the block paving at a very fast speed. This option provides the best quality of cuts but we only recommend using a consaw if you have prior experience to using similar equipment. It can be very dangerous to use and not recommended as an amateur.

Once you have carried out all your cutting, then apply KDS for jointing block paving. KDS is short for kiln dried sand which is brushed into the joints. You will vibrate compact the finished block paving using a Wacker plate.

Once you have finished compacting the block paving, you will then reapply KDS over the driveway, making sure all the joints are topped up. Sweep off and enjoy your new block paved driveway in Durham.

If you would like to know more or would like a free quote, please make sure to get in touch. Visit our website: https://www.tfjpavingltd.co.uk/ for details.

New Patio and Garden Installation With Sandstone

New garden and patio installation completed by TFJ Paving LTD. Experts at patio laying in Durham. The old patio was a block paved patio which we removed completely. We redesigned the layout of the patio so the customers could have a proper area to sit down in with their patio furniture.

We made a new step down from the patio area leading into the garden area. A new pathway was built to run along the side of the house as well.

Patio was laid with a sandstone slab and a charcoal block paving border around it.

Get TFJ Paving LTD to build you a new patio today in Durham. Find out more at https://www.tfjpavingltd.co.uk/

Driveway Paving Installation With Tegula Paving

Another driveway installation completed by TFJ Paving LTD. Your local paving contractors for Durham. We graded off the original driveway which was mainly made up of a gravel surface. We put in a new Type 1 MOT foundation and membrane sheeting.

We laid the new driveway paving over the entire area. The driveway paving is the Tegula range from Marshalls which was laid using 3 different sizes. We put in a new step at the front door.

When you want a quality driveway installation in Durham, you want TFJ Paving LTD. Find out more about our wide range of services in Durham by visiting: https://www.tfjpavingltd.co.uk/

New Patio Installation in County Durham

Here is another patio redesign by TFJ Paving LTD. Expert patio installers for Durham. This was a two tier project. We reset some of the levels in the original patio section, relaid the slabs and cleaned it all up. The elevated section at the back was redesigned from a square style to a more circular area. We ended up using the slabs from the elevated section in the lower tier and put in a new matching slab stone for the top section.

When you want a quality patio installer in Durham, you want TFJ Paving LTD. You can get a free quote today by visiting our website at: https://www.tfjpavingltd.co.uk



 

New Driveway With A Block Paving Finish in Durham

New driveway installation in County Durham. When you want a block paved driveway installation in Durham, you want TFJ Paving LTD. There originally was only a lawn area with a foot path at the front of the house. We dug out the entire area and benched it off with a concrete edging kerb set in concrete.

We put in a new drainage system to comply with SUDS which we piped into a new soak pit we have built off to the side of the driveway.

We put in a new Type 1 MOT foundation on the driveway and added in membrane sheeting on top of it. We put down sand to let us set accurate levels for the block paving finish.

We laid the block paving down on the new driveway in a 45 degree herringbone pattern. The colours used were brindle paving for the main section and a red / charcoal border brick to bring out the colours in the brindle in the driveway.

Get a free quote today by visiting TFJ Paving LTD at https://www.tfjpavingltd.co.uk/



 

New Driveway With Block Paving in Durham

Another block paved driveway installation completed by TFJ Paving LTD in County Durham. Your expert paving contractors for Durham. Removed the old tarmac driveway. Put in a new Type 1 MOT base on the driveway. Added a new membrane sheeting and laid the sand base on top of it.

We put down the new block paving on top of the screed sand. The block paving was laid in a 45 degree herringbone pattern. Charcoal colour paving with a buff coloured border to make the charcoal stand out a bit more. Triple interlock diamond laid into the driveway.

Want a free quote in County Durham, head over to our website at https://www.tfjpavingltd.co.uk/

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TFJ PAVING LTD

DRIVEWAY AND PATIO CONTRACTORS FOR DURHAM

We are local driveway / patio / garden contractors based in Durham. We cover all of the Durham County and Newcastle upon Tyne areas for block paving, tarmac, gravel and patio installations.

We provide a host of other services for your home including drainage systems, wooden fencing, new lawns, masonry work, new steps and tree removal services.

DRIVEWAY SERVICES:

• Block Paving
• Tarmac Driveways
• Resin Bond
• Gravel Driveways
• Concrete Driveways
• New Driveways
• Replacement Driveways
• Driveway Repairs

PATIO SERVICES:

• Patio Paving
• Garden Slabbing
• Flagstone Laying
• Indian Sandstone Patios
• Porcelain Patios
• Granite Patios
• New Lawns
• Artificial Lawns
• Roll on Turf
• Fencing
• Brick Walls

Call our team today to book in a free quote on replacing your driveway / patio or garden in Durham. Unbeatable service at a very affordable price.

TFJ PAVING LTD

Green Acres, Haswell
County Durham DH6 2AW

Durham: 0191 543 8609
Middlesborough: 01642 924611

Website: https://www.tfjpavingltd.co.uk/