Block Paving

Providing four colours to individually create a stunning finish - mix and match!  You could make contrasting borders or areas to create unique designs.

Each piece of Fossestone is either honed and lightly polished. You can choose either a smooth finish or a naturally split finish, revealing a riven surface.   Also choose:

Either Sawn: smooth cut square edges

Or Tumbled: To soften the edges

Calibrated: The stone is machine cut giving a consistent, nominal thickness and is easier to install than non-calibrated stone.

INSTALLATION

All block paving, whether it’s a patio, a pathway, a terrace or a driveway requires at least three layers: a sub-base to give it strength; a laying course of sharp sand to support the blocks; and the paving blocks themselves.

It also needs to have firm edges to hold the paving securely in place, and the right kind of jointing to fill the gaps. Follow the steps below:

EDGE RESTRAINTS

1. Set up taut string lines as necessary to act as guides to alignment and levels.
2. The entire paved areas must be framed by a firm edge restraint to stop the blocks and sand bed creeping.
3. For driveways, we have a range of Kerbs and Edgings to complement our ranges.
4. For patios and pathways, in addition to the Kerbs and Edgings, we have a range of walling that may be suitable to be utilised as edging options, they also complement the ranges. Otherwise, consider if haunching in the blocks themselves or an alternative colour is suitable, to create a great looking frame.
5. Haunch in your restraint units on a bed of concrete approximately 100-125mm deep to give a really solid edge, six-parts ballast to one-part cement is usually adequate. Tap down, with a rubber mallet, to your required level.
6. Allow to fully cure before using a Vibrating Plate Compactor in the area

Sand Screed / Bedding Sand

This is not as easy as it may look to some. Getting the levels right is an art. Only do in dry weather.  The finished screed should leave the blocks approximately 5mm proud of desired finished paving level.

1. Rake out a thin layer of sharp sand and compact down using a Vibrating Plate Compactor. One technique to acquire the desired level is to then place screeding rails in the sand and set to the finished level you require. Add more sand, covering your rails and compact again. For the DIY’er a couple of gas pipes is a good acquisition for this purpose.
2. Use a straight edge or straight timber and scrape back to the level of the embedded rails.
3. Do not walk on the compacted screed.
4. Remove the rails, taking care to back fill the void and compact back down by hand using a float to maintain your nice flat screed.

Laying the Blocks

1. Mix from crates, ensure you have enough product to finish the job.
2. Always work ‘uphill’.
3. Start at a corner or straight edge.
4. Then Place each block carefully onto the screed bed. Try to place the blocks straight down onto the bed so that sand isn’t trapped in the joints.
5. To avoid spalling and/or chipping of the blocks, a joint of 2-5mm is required (never butt joint). Consider using spacers.
6. Use stringlines throughout to maintain your lines, adjust joints between 2-5mm as required to allow for product tolerances.
7. Lay all full blocks first

Cutting

1. Blocks to fill any gaps at the edges or around drainage fittings can be cut to size.
2. Use a block splitter or diamond tipped blade with an appropriate powered disc cutter. Those with a water feed are ideal in order to suppress dust and lengthen the blade life, but not essential for most natural stones.
3. Avoid very small cuts that are less than one-third the size of a full block. Instead, remove the full block just laid and then cut this along with another full block, each being more than half a block, and use these to fill the gap.

Vibrating and Jointing

The joints between adjacent blocks are filled (jointed) by sweeping kiln-dried sand over the surface to fill them completely.

1. Use a mat on your Vibrating Plate Compactor to avoid heavy scuffing.
2. Then travel across the paving in several directions, compacting down the blocks and settling the jointing sand. Once completed, the blocks should be at the set desired level.
3. Some joints may need topping-up with extra sand.
4. Your area is then ready for immediate use.
5. Check the jointing sand again every 3-4 weeks (or after the first heavy rain) as it may have settled further and keep checking until the joints have stabilised.
6. Finally, repeat after any maintenance that potentially washes out the joints. Fully topped-up joints will ensure the paving gives you many years of reliable service.