Building a Paved Driveway

[plasteredric]

I'm putting in a driveway and could use a bit of advice.

I've acquired a number of 2" thick slabs that i'll be using to widen an existing drive.

So far i've dug out around a foot deep to remove the rubble, glass, crap and whatever else that's been buried in the garden. I'm thinking i need to compact a layer of rubble/dolomite as a sub base to around 150mm.
Do I then need a concrete layer over this? or if the sub base above is thicker can I lay straight on top of that?
Do I also need a mortar layer? or is it ok to just place the slabs onto an inch or so of sand?
Also, at which point would I need to place the geo fabric?

A lot of questions I know.

Appreciate any help you chaps can give.

 

[Tyrone Thompson]

I’ve done my driveway recently (I’m an electrician so wasn’t too clued up)

it was block paved but,

we dug our a foot deep, place geo textile down (Taram). Then put about 200mm type 1 (hardcore) down, levelled out then sand.

In your case build up the hardcore to within 100-80mm of the finished level, and mix up type 1/some 10mm stone, with cement and then add water, I think they call it a “Lean” mix. Sloshy but still thick in consistency.

this should be fine for laying 2” slabs on

 

[Munroast]

Did something similar last summer, dug down about 9", filled with hard core and battered down with compactor, then layed the blocks onto an inch and a half of sharp sand.

 

[plasteredric]

cheers for the replies guys, Interestingly two quite different methods lol

 

[mikeey84]

As always pavingexpert.com is the real go to guide for this sort of work, however they are very much belt and braces in their approach, as you would have to be for commercial work, so their DIY level stuff seems massively over the top to some people

1 thing to watch out for- are you adding more than 5square meters? If so the planning officer may come calling!

 

[John D v2.0]

You won't need concrete except a bit of mortar to level the slabs and stop them rocking. The hard core should be solid but 150mm you'll need to compact in a couple of layers

 

[mikeey84]

Layers:
Soil
Geotextile
150mm type 1 or similar
50mm full bed mortar
Slabs