Hello everyone,
we recently had our driveway paved with natural stones. Unfortunately, I am not satisfied with the result. Many stones are still loose, and the surface is extremely uneven. We had a pathway paved with the same stones about 2 years ago, and that one turned out perfect.
I have already spoken with the builders, and we will find some kind of agreement. However, they are not professional landscapers but rather a general construction team that handles various tasks. (After 4 companies didn’t even submit a quote, we were just glad they finally agreed to do it.)
The main question is: How can I make the already laid stones as level and firm as possible? We are now trying to get a heavy (700 kg (1,540 lbs)) vibrating plate, as the previous one was too weak. Will that be enough to level everything properly?
we recently had our driveway paved with natural stones. Unfortunately, I am not satisfied with the result. Many stones are still loose, and the surface is extremely uneven. We had a pathway paved with the same stones about 2 years ago, and that one turned out perfect.
I have already spoken with the builders, and we will find some kind of agreement. However, they are not professional landscapers but rather a general construction team that handles various tasks. (After 4 companies didn’t even submit a quote, we were just glad they finally agreed to do it.)
The main question is: How can I make the already laid stones as level and firm as possible? We are now trying to get a heavy (700 kg (1,540 lbs)) vibrating plate, as the previous one was too weak. Will that be enough to level everything properly?
You can dismiss the idea that the gravel or crushed sand beneath the stones gets washed away as an urban legend; otherwise, our houses would eventually tilt since they rest on the same gravel base (no crushed sand).
Our paved surfaces are bordered by curbstones, so nothing can wash out, at least not the subbase.
What can happen with gravel in the joints, eventually will happen... those pesky ants will carry it away over time. What color is the leveling material under your stones, and what color is the joint sand? My crushed sand is gray, and my gravel is yellow.
I compacted an additional parking area with a 60 kg (132 lb) plate compactor rented from a hardware store—it worked fine. You just can’t compact a 30 cm (12 inch) layer all at once.
But nothing else works except what you’ve already suggested yourself: either remove everything and start over or do some quick fixes...
Our paved surfaces are bordered by curbstones, so nothing can wash out, at least not the subbase.
What can happen with gravel in the joints, eventually will happen... those pesky ants will carry it away over time. What color is the leveling material under your stones, and what color is the joint sand? My crushed sand is gray, and my gravel is yellow.
I compacted an additional parking area with a 60 kg (132 lb) plate compactor rented from a hardware store—it worked fine. You just can’t compact a 30 cm (12 inch) layer all at once.
But nothing else works except what you’ve already suggested yourself: either remove everything and start over or do some quick fixes...
kaho674 schrieb:
It looked great until the small plate compactor was used. After that, it became uneven and crooked. hemali2003 schrieb:
But normally it looks more uneven before compaction than after, not the other way around... I agree with that: not compacting the base layer fully to a stable condition, but rather laying the paving between two compaction passes, seems to me to have been the main mistake in the process here.
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Today the construction worker came by again, and we looked at the situation together. The paving consists of two parts. One is the sidewalk connection with small stones. That is a disaster. He plans to redo it completely. It’s only about 6m² (65 sq ft).
The rest are the parking spaces for the cars. These are paved with larger stones, which are naturally more uneven. He will compact the entire area again. While doing that, he will try to smooth and stabilize it a bit. That would be enough for me if it works out. We’ll see.
The rest are the parking spaces for the cars. These are paved with larger stones, which are naturally more uneven. He will compact the entire area again. While doing that, he will try to smooth and stabilize it a bit. That would be enough for me if it works out. We’ll see.
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