PAVING

Kn order to create a quality pathway or plaza, it is important to prepare the sub-base correctly and to know the paving technology. The preparation of the sub-base must take into account the nature of the soil and the conditions under which the pavement is intended to operate. One solution for residential yards and driveways could be:– First, the soil – the frozen part of the topsoil – must be dug down to a depth of about 1 m. This is replaced by a layer of sand (making room for layers of crushed stone, gravel and paving). The sand layer shall be compacted. If the soil is sandy, the layer to be excavated may be thinner.– Above the sand layer, a layer of crushed stone about 25 cm thick (10-15 cm for footpaths) is placed and compacted.– The crushed stone layer is covered with a layer of gravel about 5 cm thick, which is also compacted and carefully levelled with a long spirit level or board before the pavement is laid.– Paving starts with the edging – first the recesses are made, then the concrete is poured in, followed by the edging or the outer row of paving stones.– The paving is then laid, leaving joints of 3-5 mm between the paving stones.– It is recommended to lay the pavement perpendicular to the direction of travel, which will reduce the formation of sinkholes and rutting.– The joints are filled with coarse sand using a broom and water.– After filling the joints, the surface is re-sanded with a vibratory plate (the vibratory plate requires a rubber or neoprene lining to avoid mechanical damage to the clinker surface).