Charcoal block drive with kiln-dried jointing, Gloucester

Why is kiln-dried sand brushed in before the final pass?

Blocks only work as a surface once the joints are full. Dry sand brushed in and vibrated home wedges each block against its neighbour, so wheel loads spread across the whole area instead of rocking individual blocks loose.

• Sand must be dry — damp sand bridges and leaves voids
• Brushed in, vibrated, then topped up again
• Excess washed off once the joints are full

Why use a contrasting border on a narrow drive?

A soldier course border restrains the field blocks and gives a clean edge line against the house and the old red paving. On a narrow drive it also makes the space read wider than a single-colour surface would.

How long before the drive can be used?

Once the final compaction and wash down are complete the surface can take foot traffic immediately and vehicles the same day. Joints are topped up again after a few weeks of use as the sand settles.