Paver and stone driveway

[Stonehenge]

I have a client that wants a drive similar to the one below. The pic was taken in SC, and appeared to all be mortared, and I hope to do something dry laid.

They may also want something with smaller stones.

At first blush I'm thinking sand with organic binder to hold stones in place, but will need to bury 2/3 of each stone for them to stay in place.

Can anyone offer some advice? Will I have to suck it up and go the poured route?

[BJR]

I have done quite a few similar jobs. Mainly using porfyry stone which is a granit tile app 100mm square but varies in thickness by 20mm. I find it better and easier to lay the tiles or rocks into a mortar bed, or at least a dry sand / cement bed. That way I can sleep at night knowing they will never move and the client will have a job that will last.

I have also seen jobs where the rocks are laid into paving sand. The rocks were laid longways down so they bedded in better. Paving sand was also hosed into the joints.

It is very time consuming, you can only expect to lay app 6 sq metres per man per 8 hour day.

Sorry I am metric, I have forgotten Imperial.

[dan deutekom]

This is one that I am only guessing at but I think if the stones were laid in a dry sand/cement mix and then dry swept with the same cement mix, and then misted with water so that the cement would set it would work. The tire areas would just be like regular lockstone work. I love the look of that and it would be great to discover the best way to do it. I can see that it would be very time consuming but then most good things are.:D

[PSUscaper]

They refer to those stones in England as "Duckstones"

Often used along the sides of walks, along streets, around patios, etc. etc. to offer a deterent to people from walking/driving over the edge.

Here's the best site for info:

http://www.pavingexpert.com/ducks.htm

(I know I refer this place a lot, by hey, its awesome.........well.....except all this metric junk)

Stonehenge, I have to say one thing to you.........Your fear of Masonry is really starting to upset me. I know you do top quality work and doing these any other way but wet would just not do justice.

I think I see someone hiring a full time mason soon..................
You can't dry lay everything (though I know you make every effort to do so!)


steve

PS.......I saw duckstones all over the place in mexico..........but you have to keep one thing in mind.............NO SNOW..........kind of a dilemna here.....especially if they are going to use the driveway daily. I'd hate to shovel those.........and can only imagine freezing rain.........think of people salting them because there's no other way to remove ice....

Also, as much as it sucks, and I just hate to mention it....but the liability issue has to be considered...........Is this a 'safe' thing to have people walk on. I've done jobs for the sole reason that their homeowner insurance company wouldn't renew their policy because of uneven pavements...........I don't know about how well this would go over.

many pondering questions to be asked on the practicallity.

[dan deutekom]

Saw the picture, love the look, didn't think about the snowplow blade trying to rip it all up every winter:woot: That website is very imformative and us Canadians even understand the metric terms.

[Stonehenge]

For this client, they would be willing to shovel the drive in order to have a cool driveway.

Steve - about 4 weeks ago I hired a guy who's been a mason for a number of years, so wet work is no longer an issue - we'll be jumping into that very soon. I just want to know my dry options first. Also, I don't want a rigid pavement between two flexible ones - seems to be asking for trouble. If we do it wet, we do the whole thing wet, if dry, yadda yadda.

Insurance be damned - this pavement is all over Philly in the historic areas. It feels good, so I'm gonna do it.

[Stonehenge]

We had about 50 members when this thread was last at the top of the forum list - as it turns out, this client has gotten back to us (three years later) to have this driveway done.

Now that we have a few thousand more members, anyone else have any input on the installation of the cobbles?

Thanks in advance.

[cutntrim]

Three years is a long time to take making up your mind. I've done zero "wet" work, but I'd imagine that'd be the best way to go, for the center section anyhow. If you can get the "duckstones" level or recessed slightly below the outer slabs then that should allow a plow to go over top. That plow operator should have a poly edge on his blade too. I wonder if you could seal coat the drive like you might a poolside patio...using the anti-slip "silica sand-type" additive mixed with the sealant to give some traction on the stones. Don't know how well it'd adhere to them though...

[Raj Venugopal]

I'd do something this for my place, but it's the ploughing/snow removal thing that's throwing me.

Going below the top of stone level sounds like a good suggestion.

Would you do a mortar bed and then point it with a frosting bag?

Raj

[Stonehenge]

Plow blades likely will never be hitting this thing. Shovel, yes. Snowblower, maybe.

3 years is a long time to wait - so long that I had thrown away the original drawing and all of my notes from their file - had to reclaim the design copy from the client. :bag:

[agla]

The island of Nantucket's Main Street has been dry laid cobbles for a couple of centuries. They do get snow and freezing. The freezing is nothing comparedto Wisconsin. But they do use snow plows.

http://www.answers.com/topic/sum04-118-jpg

[mark allen]

I do expect to see your mason at work doing this, I have one concern though, if it is laid lower than the sides will it collect an unfair amount of water?... your mason will know how to do it. since you're at it, why not pour a footing/foundation for the tires and lay the brick on that? you wont need to go down 18"-24" as probably planned and it can be close as far as finishing goes and fill the top with a thin layer of sand/gravel... ??

[Busy Bee]

Pennscapes, I was reading your link to cobbles and ducks and with the metric conversion the base doesn't seem to be deep enough to keep the twisting, frozen ground from destroying your work. Is the formula correct?

[Raj Venugopal]

So...after all the discussion on this...Stonehenge...did you end up doing the job? If so, got any pics?

Second question...in areas with high snowfall how do we deal with installation to ensure no problems when ploughing/snowblowing/shovelling?

If duckstones/cobbles are too bumpy, and the driveway was short and narrow (single car), could pointed flags be used? If so, how thick should they be?

Appreciate the discussion on this one. It's a really interesting and potentially unique way of installing driveways on historic homes.