Block Paving Layer in Wiggaton

Block Paving Layers in Wiggaton — what to expect

When it comes to resetting a tired driveway or laying a fresh terrace in Wiggaton, the local installers tend to take a methodical approach that suits the region’s free-draining soil and gentle slopes. A typical block paving installation begins with a compacted sub-base, topped with a screeded grit sand bed that is carefully levelled to falls, before the blocks themselves are laid in either a herringbone bond or a stretcher bond, depending on the driveway’s loading and the look the householder prefers. Many of the more established contractors in the EX11 district will edge the whole area with concrete-haunched edge courses, which gives the paving a solid frame and stops the blocks from creeping over time, a detail that matters on the slightly undulating plots found around Wiggaton. Once the tegula blocks are down, a plate compactor is passed over the surface several times to settle everything, and then the joints are brushed with kiln-dried jointing sand; where a longer-lasting finish is wanted, some tradespeople will switch to a polymeric jointing sand, which locks the surface together under the compactor’s weight. If an older patio has sunk or the sand has washed out, a lift and relay service is common, where the blocks are carefully taken up, the sub-base re-graded, and the same material re-laid, often with a fresh screed underneath. Sealing is less frequent but not rare, and it is usually done after a few dry days so the joints are fully set, giving a damp-proof finish that makes cleaning easier after a Devon downpour. Homeowners up the hill in Wiggaton or over towards the EX11 postcode often find that a local pair of hands, familiar with the local stone and ground conditions, can make a difference to how well the job beds in over the first winter. The trick is to get two or three quotes, because prices can vary for the same square footage, and a careful comparison often reveals what is included in the labour and what is left for materials.