Block paving mid-installation

What order is a block driveway built in?

Excavate, compact the sub-base, fix the edge restraints and drainage, screed the laying course, then lay the field into it and cut in last. Edges and channels go first because everything else takes its level from them.

Why are blocks stacked out across the drive?

Blocks are brought forward in small stacks so the layer never walks on the screeded sand. Working off the laid face keeps the bed undisturbed and the courses tight, which is what stops wandering joint lines later.

• Sand screeded to a consistent depth, then left untrodden
• Blocks mixed across packs to avoid colour banding
• Cuts left until the full field is laid

When does the drive get compacted?

Only once every block including cuts is down. The surface is swept with kiln dried sand, vibrated with a plate compactor on a protective mat, then topped up and vibrated again so joints are full.