Wed, 29 Apr 2026 04:06:56 +0100 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/ Lussumo Vanilla 1.0.3 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=300963#Comment_300963 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=300963#Comment_300963 Sun, 26 Mar 2023 23:01:59 +0100 zak99
We need to replace our broken concrete driveway and also provide a separate hardstanding for parking/working on a vehicle etc

Other than the usual concrete, block paving, slabs, gravel are there any other lowish impact surfaces I may not be aware of please?

Permaculture garden designer suggested gravel and sleepers for the drive or gravel with random planting in the gravel but she is hard to nail down on the details. Like will a wheelie bin or wheel barrow pull through the gravel or how do I do low nutrient random planting with type 1 sub base or will the sleepers be slippery in winter. My wife would like to break up the gravel expanse with some sparse slabs but designer feels gravel will always end up on top of slabs.

For the hard standing beside the garage I may possibly be able to reuse some old slabs but wondered if there are other lowish impact materials for a new surface?

Whats your experience please?]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=300964#Comment_300964 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=300964#Comment_300964 Mon, 27 Mar 2023 04:49:27 +0100 tony
Grasscrete using plastic formers works if you give it a good base

Weeds are a BIG problem with paviours

Re-using slabs sounds best

I also like road planeings they can go hard like tarmac but are porous

Whatever you do do a good well compacted base]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=300965#Comment_300965 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=300965#Comment_300965 Mon, 27 Mar 2023 07:44:13 +0100 borpin
As ever, preparation is the key. Get the T1 in and use it like that for a while so it properly compacts. No amount of roller/vibrating plate will truly get it to compact properly.]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=300967#Comment_300967 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=300967#Comment_300967 Mon, 27 Mar 2023 12:06:42 +0100 djh https://www.pavingexpert.com/

Whatever you choose should be permeable - techniques vary with materials.]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=300969#Comment_300969 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=300969#Comment_300969 Mon, 27 Mar 2023 12:50:35 +0100 philedge https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=300970#Comment_300970 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=300970#Comment_300970 Mon, 27 Mar 2023 13:55:53 +0100 Doubting_Thomas Posted By: tonyGrasscrete using plastic formers works if you give it a good base

You can also get precast grasscrete blocks as a SUDS measure for areas of parking.

Here is one example: https://www.tobermore.co.uk/professional/products/block-paving/turfstone/]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=300971#Comment_300971 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=300971#Comment_300971 Mon, 27 Mar 2023 14:29:16 +0100 revor
https://www.contractorsyard.com/product/bodpave-85/

In my previous house I used clay paviours they looked good red contrasting with blue but them being clay varied more is size than concrete ones so more prone to weed less so on concrete ones.]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=300972#Comment_300972 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=300972#Comment_300972 Mon, 27 Mar 2023 15:07:09 +0100 djh https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=300973#Comment_300973 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=300973#Comment_300973 Mon, 27 Mar 2023 16:35:43 +0100 Dominic Cooney https://britishrecycledplastic.co.uk/products/recycled-driveway-grids/
the base is the important bit that gives you the weight bearing, the filling is decorative. We used soil seeded with grass and mowed the drive/parking area like a lawn. I would use it again in a heartbeat. If you chose grass but park a car in the same spot all day every day then grass will probably not grow very well under it, if at all.]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=300987#Comment_300987 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=300987#Comment_300987 Tue, 28 Mar 2023 15:30:31 +0100 zak99
I hadn't realised resin bonded was permeable

Re plastic grid pavers
- Does the plastic grid tend to visibly grin though the gravel after a while ?
- I saw red plastic grids with light grey gravel in chelmsford park embracing the grin through !! (I must admit it did look ok)
- We will usually have one car parked long term, Would it be feasible to use gravel on the main drive area blending into a grassed grid paved area for over spill parking, I guess the gravel would migrate to the grassed area.

These were the two designs the garden lady came up with, I guess she specced wooden sleepers in the first to keep the gravel contained but we questioned wether the sleepers would become slippery and also about dragging a full garden wheelie across the gravel and asked about perhaps a few sparse slabs but then designers being designers the rule of not more than 3 materials in the design cropped up. It got more complicated from there.
A local contractor that has done some nice jobs felt that with a good base and just the right amount of decorative agg its doable without plastic pavers but I note here in the comments that they are a popular choice.
He also spoke about routing channels in oak sleepers, to reduce the slip risk.]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=300988#Comment_300988 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=300988#Comment_300988 Tue, 28 Mar 2023 15:36:10 +0100 zak99 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=300990#Comment_300990 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=300990#Comment_300990 Tue, 28 Mar 2023 18:20:18 +0100 djh
Stuff just grows in the gravel; poppies etc. Regular pulling of grass and thistles keeps it under control. If you wanted a larger plant I've thought about digging some gravel out and sinking a big pot in; I can't see why that wouldn't work.]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=300993#Comment_300993 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=300993#Comment_300993 Tue, 28 Mar 2023 21:12:02 +0100 Artiglio https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=300996#Comment_300996 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=300996#Comment_300996 Wed, 29 Mar 2023 11:55:11 +0100 Dominic Cooney Posted By: zak99gravel on the main drive area blending into a grassed grid paved area for over spill parking

As mentioned above there is no probem with this. I think you can even get push-in plastic marker units to delineate specific parking spaces (useful for larger car parks etc.)]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=300997#Comment_300997 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=300997#Comment_300997 Wed, 29 Mar 2023 11:59:33 +0100 Dominic Cooney https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=300998#Comment_300998 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=300998#Comment_300998 Wed, 29 Mar 2023 13:01:39 +0100 WillInAberdeen https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=300999#Comment_300999 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=300999#Comment_300999 Wed, 29 Mar 2023 13:11:56 +0100 revor Posted By: WillInAberdeenIf there are trees around the gravel then the dead leaves get mixed into the gravel and turn it into gravelly compost. The previous owner of our place did this, and after 10 years it just looks like mud, though still firm enough to drive on.

Perhaps enough compost in there now to sow some grass seed?

Mine has been down about 3 years now and not showing this problem but it is one I am concerned might happen. Fortunately it is pretty windy where I am and leaves do not stay around long enough but I do collect up in the autumn as much as I can and do not drive over them. Think drives are like kitchen worktops there is no one best solution.
My previous house had paviours and round the back of the house and where little sunlight fell it got very mossy and slippery, and around the front weeds would grow and become a sticky mess due to a very mature lime tree which attracted aphids.]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=301041#Comment_301041 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=301041#Comment_301041 Thu, 30 Mar 2023 20:09:03 +0100 djh https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=310441#Comment_310441 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=310441#Comment_310441 Mon, 06 Apr 2026 19:32:13 +0100 Victorianeco
Tarmac? Stoner resin? gravel in honeycomb grids?

Looking at about 30m2 that we want low future maintenance for]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=310442#Comment_310442 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=310442#Comment_310442 Tue, 07 Apr 2026 13:58:38 +0100 borpin
Honeycomb grids are OK, but if not filled fully the edges can easily start snapping off and also susceptible if a turning area.

There really isn't one good solution.]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=310443#Comment_310443 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17796&Focus=310443#Comment_310443 Tue, 07 Apr 2026 20:05:31 +0100 Nick Parsons