When planning out your garden, drive or pathway first consider how you are going to use it?. Is it to form an access area to another zone in the garden or simply an area to traffic a vehicle? Either way, you should consider how you will want to navigate the area, or in the case of vehicles the access and turning circle, you will need to manoeuvre. It is, therefore, a good idea to mark out the proposed area or route with string or marking paint.
The proposed driveway surface needs to be dug off to a minimum depth of 175mm, or thicker if trafficked by heavier vehicles such as vans and pick-up trucks. Ensure the removal of all weeds and other unwanted organic matter.
The subbase to the driveway is important to ensure the finished drive has the strength and must be well compacted to prevent settlement that otherwise could occur at a later date. The subbase will comprise of an MOT Type1 aggregate ideally to a depth of 125-150mm compacted using a vibrating plate. A top surface of 40mm thick slate aggregate should then be raked to get an even surface dressing to a depth of approx. 50mm, and again compacted with a vibrator plate to ensure there are no soft spots over the drive area, and spread a top dressing of slate aggregate if required to ensure the surface is evenly spread and to the required finished surface level.
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