I’ve decided to block pave my own driveway, and came to RUclips to see how it’s done! After watching a few clips of people doing it I must say after watching this one it beats all the others hands down. It was exactly what I was wanting to see. Clear and simply explained. I am now confident I can block pave my own driveway- PROPERLY!! Thanks Stuart for taking the time to do this video. It’s appreciated
wanted to treat my sister to doing her garden up while she is away as it was a complete tip, never attempted anything like this before ever, watched this and laid her a lovely path down the side of garden in about 3 and half days lovely simple instructions and watched one of your videos for a garden storage box but made into a little bench so she can sit and watch the kids play and have somewhere to store there copious amounts of toys and had enough time left over to level off the other side and lay some turf, great videos mate, now to build my self a work bench haha
Great job, thanks for sharing. Using masking tape on the bricks too when pointing, such as Scotch Blue rough surface tape, keeps the brick face nice and clean.
I used the dye in mortar in the summer when i replaced a retaining wall with block kerb edgings, as you say its trial and error. to get the colour right... Where the kerb edges went around the 1 corner it left large gaps which i filled with the dyed mortar. and smoothed flat to the next blocks. Once it started to cure i ran the trowel edge down the sides, this makes it look like a cut block or sliver of a block inserted in the gaps, Then used the same stuff on door step to fill the gaps which has survived the frost with ease, Great video
Always like your videos. Watching from Canada where climate changes are something else. We have flexible edge banding made of plastic with spikes for the edges that keeps everything in place. Then you can use sand to fill the gaps. We also have polymer sand which is like your kiln dried sand with a "resin" coating. Once you finish vibrating it in, you mist it with water and it turns hard as concrete. Fills large gaps too. Great job on the pathway.
Another excellent instructional video Stuart, well done! I've watched quite a few videos about laying block paving but your video beats them hands down for a clear explanation. Regards Keith
Always look forward to notifications from your channel. Not only is the work first class, so is the filming and editing. How you do both at the same time is pure skill. Just wished we were taught this stuff at school, especially by someone like you. Look forward to the next one.
Top job sir, excellent. I prefer a plastic float for sand. Also a wee rubber mallet for tapping in cuts. Here’s my top tip…….. When pointing flags or border blocks in this instance if you sit your metal plasters float on its edge exactly on the edge of the material you’re about to fill, then offer in the mortar against it and it slides nicely down the face into the gap. As you do it you can use the trowel that you’re emptying the mortar off as the second “edge” in the motion. Also you can hold the gear against the float and if you’ve got too much just scoop it back up the face and back into the bucket, it’ll just sit nicely against the metal float on its edge, just cut it off level using the other pointing trowel with the top of the block/flag, then run the pointing tool over it etc.It’s a bit hard to explain writing but I’m sure you get the idea. It’s not bomb proof but it does stop things getting really messy! Cheers all the best
Good tip about keeping track of what you're digging out as you go. I over-enthusiastically got stuck in digging out the base of a play house in the garden, dug about twice as deep as I needed to and then had to bring a load of it back, as you warned about. :-(
Good work and good advice. I threw some block pavers down on size 11 boot compacted sharp sand and smacked the blocks level with a rubber mallet. Still solid 5 years later, although I prefer your method. 👍
Thanks. A footpath doesn't need much. The 75mm I put down will never go anywhere. However I'm still waiting for comments tell me I should have used 150mm of type 1!
In Germany your Type 1 is called 0/32, which stands for 0mm - 32mm, usually lime or basalt. Instead of Sand which is a great ant home, we use 2/5 basalt.
Great video, I need to do something similar so pleased to see your approach. Just a tip for cutting bricks with a chisel, try it on the grass, which will absorb some of the energy and stop the brick splitting somewhere else.
Great video really shows how much pre-preparing/excavating work must be done before the actual paving is laid Thought of doing the exact thing as well as levelling my front garden
Excellent video, I’ve planned a walkway out to the deck on the side of our house that my wife will be able to use in her wheelchair. This is the perfect video for the project I was thinking of, many thanks!
Looks great Stuart. Little tip when cutting...To avoid cutting tiny slithers of block, replace the full block behind your cut with a half block. This way your cuts will always be at least half a block in length.
Excellent job well demonstrated...My so called drive way installer laid my blocks on building sand and when i asked him about it he said its fine. Anyway i told him not to come back and got someone else to do the job. Great video as always.
Thanks for the help much appreciated, I wasn't sure if i needed block edging or not, but after seeing your video, I don't need them as mine will be foot traffic only 👍
Thats a really nice job. Something I was never that sure about doing myself but it's like everything else, once you know how to do it properly it looks great. Nice work.
Hello Stuart. A good way of cutting a brick/paving block with a hammer and bolster is to place it on a mound of sand, this minimises the splitting in an unwanted part.
It’s “sun-formation” under your type one. The type one is your formation. And you don’t need to compact virgin ground as it’s as hard as it will get already. Only reason you would do that would be to seal it. And you can over compact type one as it migrates the fines and you lose the bond - and method of measurement would give you the amount of passes necessary at what compaction
That's a nice neat finished job. I can do anything but groundwork. I worked for years at a university in their electrical departments. I can't do groundwork! Of course you can, people say! No i can't! I wish i could, but i cannot. Well done to anyone who can.
Decent looking job that. Placing blocks on a bed of sand when bolster cutting helps them cut in the right place but disk cutting is the way forward as shown by those nice fits on the cuts. Highly recommend the Marcrist blades. Not the cheapest but they last.
... I just came across your channel and you had my subscription at "no respect!" instantly. Still laughing...I knew I've found a kindred spirit. Looking fwd to watching all your videos.
VERY IMPORTANT AND RICH INFORMATION :) I LEARN A LOT FROM THIS VIDEO :) THANK YOU VERY MACH FOR SHARING :) AND IT LOOKS GREAT :) THANK YOU FROM ISRAEL :)
Ah ha! So that's how you make the bricks along the edges super strong! You dig out some material underneath and then couch the whole corner in mortar! That would give you heroic-strength corners. Thanks Mr. Proper DIY.
What a lot of work buddy for something or nothing Saying that my mate who laid my 10m sq curved in places driveway didn't seem to put in much effort as you did Thanks for your demo, that bugger owes me a 50% reduction lol Good job 🙌🙌
Well done I'm most impressed. (To let you into a secret the broom one was not a video just me clearing out the garage before starting to build the garage door!)
Superb job as always Stuart👍. However, having watched watched your video on mixing cement with soil, would it be possible to do away with the Type 1 base by using that method for a path/patio base and then incorporate the sand/screed on top as usual? Thanks if you can respond👍
Great job mate. Depending on whether they’re Clays or concrete blocks all depends on how they split. I use a 9” grinder as I consider it to be far neater than a block splitter or hammer and bolster, although as you say the grinder does make it a dirty and noisy job. Got yourself a new sub either way 👍🏼
Great video, thanks! I'm curious if weed growth through the joints will be am issue? Our house with existing block paving from I don't know how many years ago gets growth through it like crazy. I'm wondering if it wasn't done properly or if even if I do what you did here it will be the same?
Proper job. I’m thinking of doing my own front path soon with similar blocks, so some great tips here. I am interested in how possible/hard it would be without a tamping machine, though. The path is about 70cm wide and 3 metres long so not huge. It’s on a very tight budget basically, so trying to avoid hiring anything. Cheers.
Just did my 70sqm patio this summer with porcelain 20mm thick slabs. 24” sq down to 12” sq I decided to use a thin layer of (sharp sand) concrete. And then exterior tile adhesive (since mortar doesn’t adhere to porcelain without prep) I did consider just using just the sharp sand but the area I had to work with was nasty. Lots of different areas all mixed together (some old foundations, some garden, some drainage etc) Nice job you did 👍
absolutely great video.........i just have one question, what about membrane to stop weeds? ...and where should this be positioned - below the crushed limestone? above the limestone but below the sand? above the sand and below the block?
If you are shoveling type 1, get it tipped on to a hard surface ie old sheets of ply or concrete so much easier to shovel into wheel barrows shoveling out of bags is a nightmare.
Use a line , always plate your area 6x and mix cement through your sand say 1 shovel cement to a wheel barrow ..best with red sand gives a rock solid base .
Thank you. I would love to increase the frequency and currently thinking of different ways to do it - not necessarily by doing the big jobs - I don't think my body could stand it!
Wow, that looks great Stuart! Brilliant video as always 👍
Thank you very much Mr Rag 'n' Bone. I learnt how to pave following your excellent video last week!
@@ProperDIY 😂
Always looking forward to your blogs, especially enjoyed this one 👌🏻
There's nothing like buying a new build house and spending the rest of your life doing it up 👌
Lol nice one
So true, 4 years to sort ours
Lol true dat. But great videos and am learning loads. Thanks for the videos
Absolutely true
It never ends
I’ve decided to block pave my own driveway, and came to RUclips to see how it’s done! After watching a few clips of people doing it I must say after watching this one it beats all the others hands down. It was exactly what I was wanting to see. Clear and simply explained. I am now confident I can block pave my own driveway- PROPERLY!! Thanks Stuart for taking the time to do this video. It’s appreciated
Let us know how you get on, seriously thinking of doing mine & saving a small fortune 👍
And don't forget this was for foot traffic and a wheeliebin. Not a car drive
@@evansnick81 what will you do differently for a driveway?
@@enemona1the man's doing a good job, but thicker type 1 subbase if vehicles are driving on it
This is Not for a driveway.
wanted to treat my sister to doing her garden up while she is away as it was a complete tip, never attempted anything like this before ever, watched this and laid her a lovely path down the side of garden in about 3 and half days lovely simple instructions and watched one of your videos for a garden storage box but made into a little bench so she can sit and watch the kids play and have somewhere to store there copious amounts of toys and had enough time left over to level off the other side and lay some turf, great videos mate, now to build my self a work bench haha
THE best block paving 'How to' ever.
Amazing level of detail.
Brilliant.
Thank you very much
All I hope is, that many builders (people who call themselves builders) watch your video content to see what clients would be happy with. Many thanks.
Great job, thanks for sharing. Using masking tape on the bricks too when pointing, such as Scotch Blue rough surface tape, keeps the brick face nice and clean.
That's a great idea!
Love the description of a glug! Great video - I'm sure it won't be as easy when I do it....
I used the dye in mortar in the summer when i replaced a retaining wall with block kerb edgings, as you say its trial and error. to get the colour right... Where the kerb edges went around the 1 corner it left large gaps which i filled with the dyed mortar. and smoothed flat to the next blocks. Once it started to cure i ran the trowel edge down the sides, this makes it look like a cut block or sliver of a block inserted in the gaps, Then used the same stuff on door step to fill the gaps which has survived the frost with ease, Great video
Always like your videos. Watching from Canada where climate changes are something else. We have flexible edge banding made of plastic with spikes for the edges that keeps everything in place. Then you can use sand to fill the gaps. We also have polymer sand which is like your kiln dried sand with a "resin" coating. Once you finish vibrating it in, you mist it with water and it turns hard as concrete. Fills large gaps too. Great job on the pathway.
Another excellent instructional video Stuart, well done! I've watched quite a few videos about laying block paving but your video beats them hands down for a clear explanation. Regards Keith
Thank you very much and glad you enjoyed it
Always look forward to notifications from your channel. Not only is the work first class, so is the filming and editing. How you do both at the same time is pure skill. Just wished we were taught this stuff at school, especially by someone like you. Look forward to the next one.
Thank you very much for such nice comments. I do try to think ahead and it does take quiet a bit of time but worth it when I see comments like yours!
Top job sir, excellent.
I prefer a plastic float for sand. Also a wee rubber mallet for tapping in cuts.
Here’s my top tip……..
When pointing flags or border blocks in this instance if you sit your metal plasters float on its edge exactly on the edge of the material you’re about to fill, then offer in the mortar against it and it slides nicely down the face into the gap. As you do it you can use the trowel that you’re emptying the mortar off as the second “edge” in the motion. Also you can hold the gear against the float and if you’ve got too much just scoop it back up the face and back into the bucket, it’ll just sit nicely against the metal float on its edge, just cut it off level using the other pointing trowel with the top of the block/flag, then run the pointing tool over it etc.It’s a bit hard to explain writing but I’m sure you get the idea. It’s not bomb proof but it does stop things getting really messy! Cheers all the best
Sounds good to me
This channel has a therapeutic effect on my mood. 🙏😀
Good tip about keeping track of what you're digging out as you go. I over-enthusiastically got stuck in digging out the base of a play house in the garden, dug about twice as deep as I needed to and then had to bring a load of it back, as you warned about. :-(
Good video thanks for your hard work 👍
Good work and good advice. I threw some block pavers down on size 11 boot compacted sharp sand and smacked the blocks level with a rubber mallet. Still solid 5 years later, although I prefer your method. 👍
Thanks. A footpath doesn't need much. The 75mm I put down will never go anywhere. However I'm still waiting for comments tell me I should have used 150mm of type 1!
In Germany your Type 1 is called 0/32, which stands for 0mm - 32mm, usually lime or basalt. Instead of Sand which is a great ant home, we use 2/5 basalt.
Great video, I need to do something similar so pleased to see your approach.
Just a tip for cutting bricks with a chisel, try it on the grass, which will absorb some of the energy and stop the brick splitting somewhere else.
Thanks. Good tip - maybe thats why it worked for me before
Great video really shows how much pre-preparing/excavating work must be done before the actual paving is laid
Thought of doing the exact thing as well as levelling my front garden
Thanks - yes that's where most of the work is.
Excellent video, I’ve planned a walkway out to the deck on the side of our house that my wife will be able to use in her wheelchair. This is the perfect video for the project I was thinking of, many thanks!
That is a very neat and tidy job and the bottom line is the bins are happy.
That's the main thing!
Looks great Stuart. Little tip when cutting...To avoid cutting tiny slithers of block, replace the full block behind your cut with a half block. This way your cuts will always be at least half a block in length.
Good point!
Great video. Watched it to help with my driveway. Really helpful 👍
Excellent job well demonstrated...My so called drive way installer laid my blocks on building sand and when i asked him about it he said its fine. Anyway i told him not to come back and got someone else to do the job. Great video as always.
Good call! Anyone who thinks building sand is going to work long term should be removed from the job!
really helpful video, loved all the background explanation, like why we use MOT Type 1. Appreciate it.
Wow, that part about the petrol was really eye-opening! I was wondering what was wrong with my compactor.
Hardest bit on Oct 1. Refilling my compactor with petrol ⛽️ as there is none to be had…. 😁
Nicely explained as always
Yes that was strange timming really! Thanks
That looks amazing. A classy job from start to finish.
I suspect this will be one of your most well-viewed and highest-rated videos.
Thanks for the help much appreciated, I wasn't sure if i needed block edging or not, but after seeing your video, I don't need them as mine will be foot traffic only 👍
Answers my thoughts on restraining edge. Genius! Well, ingenious.
Thank you - based on sound knowledge as ever. Always listen to the Engineer.
Sir, that was a excellent job you done on the small bin path, I hope you are keeping safe and well.
Thank you
Thats a really nice job. Something I was never that sure about doing myself but it's like everything else, once you know how to do it properly it looks great. Nice work.
Thank you. Start small - buy blocks individually from B&Q and work up
really awesome and clear instructions, one of the best I'v seen
Hello Stuart. A good way of cutting a brick/paving block with a hammer and bolster is to place it on a mound of sand, this minimises the splitting in an unwanted part.
Fantastic job there. You make it look so easy!
Not too difficult except digging 2 cube of earth on your own - that's not fun!
Great finished job with great tips along the way that may prove useful for other projects for us novices.
As always thanks
Thank you
It’s “sun-formation” under your type one. The type one is your formation. And you don’t need to compact virgin ground as it’s as hard as it will get already. Only reason you would do that would be to seal it. And you can over compact type one as it migrates the fines and you lose the bond - and method of measurement would give you the amount of passes necessary at what compaction
Very good tutorial with clear instructions through the whole of your video, very useful, thank you. 👍
Looked like a lot of hard work but a nice stylish path in the end. Great result.
Thanks. Anything based around digging and moving heavy materials is always hard work
That's a nice neat finished job. I can do anything but groundwork. I worked for years at a university in their electrical departments. I can't do groundwork! Of course you can, people say! No i can't! I wish i could, but i cannot. Well done to anyone who can.
Excellent Video, I made the mistake of no enough sub base so made up the level with sand. Even though it was compacted. it ha now started to settle.
Thanks. Oh, thats a shame
Thanks for "large bulbous end" and the definition of a glug 😀 Another cracking job as usual.
You only get a large bulbous end on this channel!!!
Decent looking job that. Placing blocks on a bed of sand when bolster cutting helps them cut in the right place but disk cutting is the way forward as shown by those nice fits on the cuts. Highly recommend the Marcrist blades. Not the cheapest but they last.
Thanks. Good tips - I'll have to try next time.
... I just came across your channel and you had my subscription at "no respect!" instantly. Still laughing...I knew I've found a kindred spirit. Looking fwd to watching all your videos.
Nice one!
Fantastic video
Will give me the confidence to try to build my own patio
Thank you
You can do it!
VERY IMPORTANT AND RICH INFORMATION :)
I LEARN A LOT FROM THIS VIDEO :)
THANK YOU VERY MACH FOR SHARING :)
AND IT LOOKS GREAT :)
THANK YOU FROM ISRAEL :)
Great video - it's refreshing to see someone doing it properly!
Thank you very much!
Ah ha! So that's how you make the bricks along the edges super strong! You dig out some material underneath and then couch the whole corner in mortar! That would give you heroic-strength corners. Thanks Mr. Proper DIY.
im sri lankan gardner i had very importen your vedio thank you .
Excellent job, properly explained with pure simplicity, well done mate.
You're so professional. I wish I had you do my driveway 😊
Great little video, gives me all the information to have a go myself.
This guy is a UNIT, a straight machine 💪🏼 Awesome job, got me motivated!!!
+1 Subscription
Thank you . I am going to do this project soon.
You are superb.
What a lot of work buddy for something or nothing
Saying that my mate who laid my 10m sq curved in places driveway didn't seem to put in much effort as you did
Thanks for your demo, that bugger owes me a 50% reduction lol
Good job 🙌🙌
I've watched all videos from the intro now, minus the broom one!
great video as always!
Well done I'm most impressed. (To let you into a secret the broom one was not a video just me clearing out the garage before starting to build the garage door!)
Your friend here from the philippines really enjoying your video,
Full of knowledge.thanks for sharing this video my friend.
Thanks and welcome
Superb job as always Stuart👍. However, having watched watched your video on mixing cement with soil, would it be possible to do away with the Type 1 base by using that method for a path/patio base and then incorporate the sand/screed on top as usual? Thanks if you can respond👍
Great job mate. Depending on whether they’re Clays or concrete blocks all depends on how they split. I use a 9” grinder as I consider it to be far neater than a block splitter or hammer and bolster, although as you say the grinder does make it a dirty and noisy job. Got yourself a new sub either way 👍🏼
Oh wow Stuart, you really very hard….turned out great though so well done to you….as always, take care and be safe
Amazing work with a neat and professional finish. Top notch.
Glad you like it!
Another great video. Finished job looks great. Love to be able to do the same. Oh the house I could have if I was any way handy
This is great. Would I need to worry about weeds with this method?
Great video, thanks! I'm curious if weed growth through the joints will be am issue? Our house with existing block paving from I don't know how many years ago gets growth through it like crazy. I'm wondering if it wasn't done properly or if even if I do what you did here it will be the same?
Excellent video Stuart, one of the best yet I think.
Thank you, do you think so, I'm glad you liked it.
Proper job. I’m thinking of doing my own front path soon with similar blocks, so some great tips here. I am interested in how possible/hard it would be without a tamping machine, though. The path is about 70cm wide and 3 metres long so not huge. It’s on a very tight budget basically, so trying to avoid hiring anything. Cheers.
Happy bins, that’s what we all came for and indeed aspire to 👍
Yep
Excellent attention to detail. Quality job.
Glad you liked it!
When you explained MOT, WE called it tip and run, so put the sub base down then Compact
Just did my 70sqm patio this summer with porcelain 20mm thick slabs. 24” sq down to 12” sq
I decided to use a thin layer of (sharp sand) concrete. And then exterior tile adhesive (since mortar doesn’t adhere to porcelain without prep)
I did consider just using just the sharp sand but the area I had to work with was nasty. Lots of different areas all mixed together (some old foundations, some garden, some drainage etc)
Nice job you did 👍
Thanks. 70m2 of porcelain is quite a job - well done!
We have just had ours laid 50 sq m porcelain. The prep part to work with mortar is very simple to do using a simple slurry mix
Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Love your videos.
Great video - brilliantly explained and finished !
absolutely great video.........i just have one question, what about membrane to stop weeds? ...and where should this be positioned - below the crushed limestone? above the limestone but below the sand? above the sand and below the block?
Brilliant job . Back must be aching , well done 👏
Yes, thanks
Fantastic video. Clear, concise explanation of how it's done. Looks beautiful. Great work ethic. 👏👍👌💥😉
Thank you very much
If you are shoveling type 1, get it tipped on to a hard surface ie old sheets of ply or concrete so much easier to shovel into wheel barrows shoveling out of bags is a nightmare.
Honestly really grateful for the help
Love your videos. U make the jobs look easy. Look forward to the next one
Glad you like them!
That's a super nice job .
I suspect you could drive a car on that .
impressive result 👍
looks great and fantastic walkthrough there, thanks
Cheers mate, now I want to become a builder.
Nice quality building tips... much appreciated.... I'll be laying foundations for a green house... any tips in your new view ??
I did the same with my patio, extended it so I had more bin storage space. The prices we pay to store our bins 😝
Outstanding video. Just about to do an L shaped path at the back of my house
Wickes sell a sand that has a weed suppressant ingrained into it , I've used it for a couple of customers on resanding block paving .
Cracking channel. I live in a rental at the moment but I have big plans for the forever home to see me way into old age 🤣🤣
Thank you
Use a line , always plate your area 6x and mix cement through your sand say 1 shovel cement to a wheel barrow ..best with red sand gives a rock solid base .
Mustard job Stewart! Really informative and clear instruction as usual 👌🏼 thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it
Brilliant job as usual and explained in a simple way, love watching the videos just wish there was more than the one a week!
Thank you. I would love to increase the frequency and currently thinking of different ways to do it - not necessarily by doing the big jobs - I don't think my body could stand it!
Fantastic Job! You made it look easy
Excellent video. Useful for project I have in mind. Thanks.
Glad it was helpful!
Awesome job- really useful tips and thanks for sharing your expertise 👍😊
No problem
Fabulously produced video , and a very neat job.. some great tips 👍👏
Thank you
very detailed and beautiful work !!!! learn a lot
Glad to hear that!
So a compactor won't run without fuel.....Who knew? 😁 Great tutorial and an excellent job. Cheers, Norm.
Thanks, very instructive. I need to do something similar. I see you also suffer from dreaded weeds in the gravel drive...
In a next video you could show us how to apply a proper block sealant which also stabilise the sand and inhibits weed growth
I haven't found one yet. All my other paving has resin mortar that is supposed to do that but still doesn't.
superb job stuart learnt alot from you thanks mate
Good job done there .Looks excellent .