Dear all,

Have been somewhat losing interest in a resin-bound gravel solution to replacing a drive.

The original drive was pea-shingle on bitumen but the loose shingle tended to migrate all over the place, including sticking to shoes and being dragged indoors.

But what about slate chippings? Presumably they would stay put and lie flattish, if the grade was right. Does anyone have experience of using slate chippings? And what grade, thickness, and substrate are recommended.

Thanks.

Chris

On 06/08/2014 17:27, wrote:
Dear all,

Have been somewhat losing interest in a resin-bound gravel solution to replacing a drive.

The original drive was pea-shingle on bitumen but the loose shingle tended to migrate all over the place, including sticking to shoes and being dragged indoors.

But what about slate chippings? Presumably they would stay put and lie flattish, if the grade was right. Does anyone have experience of using slate chippings? And what grade, thickness, and substrate are recommended.

Thanks.

Chris

Pea shingle is a nightmare on a drive. As you have found out, migrates,
sticks in shoes etc.

You need 20mm gravel. That doesn't shift much.

I think slate chippings would crack up.

--
Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

wrote in message
...
Dear all,

Have been somewhat losing interest in a resin-bound gravel solution to
replacing a drive.

The original drive was pea-shingle on bitumen but the loose shingle tended
to migrate all over the place, including sticking to shoes and being
dragged indoors.

But what about slate chippings? Presumably they would stay put and lie
flattish, if the grade was right. Does anyone have experience of using
slate chippings? And what grade, thickness, and substrate are
recommended.

Thanks.

Chris

All loose surfaces for driveways are cheap and nasty. They look like ****
after a few years
They move about, grow weeds and accumulate muck and oil and are hard to
clear snow off of.
Their only redeeming feature is porosity, ie let water drain away.

Get yourself a proper finish, tarmac or concrete or concrete blocks.

On 06/08/2014 18:40, harryagain wrote:


All loose surfaces for driveways are cheap and nasty. They look like ****
after a few years

Unless they are maintained properly.

They move about, grow weeds and accumulate muck and oil and are hard to
clear snow off of.
Their only redeeming feature is porosity, ie let water drain away.

Get yourself a proper finish, tarmac or concrete or concrete blocks.


Which, in a lot of places are forbidden except when replacing existing
tarmac or similar, and are even then discouraged due to the rapid runoff
f water into already overloaded road drains. This can cause localised
flooding, which has been increasing in recent years.

Porous finishes are required by the rules, so for a new driveway tarmac
is out, concrete is out, and the only concrete blocks permitted are the
ones where you can grow grass through the holes. You can use a porous
finish with impermeable strips to take the weight of the car wheels.

--
Tciao for Now!

John.

On 06/08/2014 17:27, wrote:
Dear all,

Have been somewhat losing interest in a resin-bound gravel solution
to replacing a drive.

The original drive was pea-shingle on bitumen but the loose shingle
tended to migrate all over the place, including sticking to shoes and
being dragged indoors.

But what about slate chippings? Presumably they would stay put and
lie flattish, if the grade was right. Does anyone have experience of
using slate chippings? And what grade, thickness, and substrate are
recommended.

Thanks.

Chris


Try stone chippings, about 20 mm.
They have sharpish edges and lock together.
They run trains on them so it must work.

On 06/08/14 18:49, John Williamson wrote:
On 06/08/2014 18:40, harryagain wrote:


All loose surfaces for driveways are cheap and nasty. They look like
****
after a few years

Unless they are maintained properly.

They move about, grow weeds and accumulate muck and oil and are hard to
clear snow off of.
Their only redeeming feature is porosity, ie let water drain away.

Get yourself a proper finish, tarmac or concrete or concrete blocks.


Which, in a lot of places are forbidden except when replacing existing
tarmac or similar, and are even then discouraged due to the rapid runoff
f water into already overloaded road drains. This can cause localised
flooding, which has been increasing in recent years.

Porous finishes are required by the rules, so for a new driveway tarmac
is out, concrete is out, and the only concrete blocks permitted are the
ones where you can grow grass through the holes. You can use a porous
finish with impermeable strips to take the weight of the car wheels.


Or ones with a run back into the property or into a drain with a local
soakaway.

Essentially if you can get the water off the road and soaking into your
own land, it's fine.

On 06/08/2014 18:49, John Williamson wrote:
On 06/08/2014 18:40, harryagain wrote:


All loose surfaces for driveways are cheap and nasty. They look like
****
after a few years

Unless they are maintained properly.

They move about, grow weeds and accumulate muck and oil and are hard to
clear snow off of.
Their only redeeming feature is porosity, ie let water drain away.

Get yourself a proper finish, tarmac or concrete or concrete blocks.


Which, in a lot of places are forbidden except when replacing existing
tarmac or similar, and are even then discouraged due to the rapid runoff
f water into already overloaded road drains. This can cause localised
flooding, which has been increasing in recent years.

Porous finishes are required by the rules, so for a new driveway tarmac
is out, concrete is out, and the only concrete blocks permitted are the
ones where you can grow grass through the holes. You can use a porous
finish with impermeable strips to take the weight of the car wheels.

Nothing to stop you using a non-porous surface, provided that any
rainwater run-off from it is taken to a soakaway or a rain garden.
Having said that, I don't like the look of concrete or tarmac drives.
So, for a hard surface, I would probably lay permeable block paving:

http://www.marshalls.co.uk/commercia...e-block-paving

--
Colin Bignell

On Wed, 06 Aug 2014 18:14:33 +0100, The Medway Handyman wrote:

You need 20mm gravel. That doesn't shift much.

Much, will still shift out from were the tyres run and need rakeing
back. Might get away with it being a top layer on 300 mm of compacted
MOT1.

I think slate chippings would crack up.

So do I slate is soft and not that strong.

If tarmac, blocks etc are not an option due to covenants on the
property I'd be looking at probably the plastic (rather than
concrete) grid stuff that grass will grow through, possibly with slab
running tracks for the tyres.

--
Cheers
Dave.

harryagain wrote:
wrote in message
...
Dear all,

Have been somewhat losing interest in a resin-bound gravel solution to
replacing a drive.

The original drive was pea-shingle on bitumen but the loose shingle tended
to migrate all over the place, including sticking to shoes and being
dragged indoors.

But what about slate chippings? Presumably they would stay put and lie
flattish, if the grade was right. Does anyone have experience of using
slate chippings? And what grade, thickness, and substrate are
recommended.

Thanks.

Chris

All loose surfaces for driveways are cheap and nasty.

IKWYM but in fact they're expensive and classy. They look great in front
of stately homes where the owners can afford to pay staff to look after
them.

--
Mike Barnes
Cheshire, England

On 06/08/2014 20:22, Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Wed, 06 Aug 2014 18:14:33 +0100, The Medway Handyman wrote:

You need 20mm gravel. That doesn't shift much.

Much, will still shift out from were the tyres run and need rakeing
back. Might get away with it being a top layer on 300 mm of compacted
MOT1.

I think slate chippings would crack up.

So do I slate is soft and not that strong.

If tarmac, blocks etc are not an option due to covenants on the
property I'd be looking at probably the plastic (rather than
concrete) grid stuff that grass will grow through, possibly with slab
running tracks for the tyres.


I did my drive years ago, type one compacted & 2" of 20mm gravel.
Maintenance free. Even had a skip lorry on it without problems.

--
Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On 06/08/2014 18:40, harryagain wrote:
wrote in message
...
Dear all,

Have been somewhat losing interest in a resin-bound gravel solution to
replacing a drive.

The original drive was pea-shingle on bitumen but the loose shingle tended
to migrate all over the place, including sticking to shoes and being
dragged indoors.

But what about slate chippings? Presumably they would stay put and lie
flattish, if the grade was right. Does anyone have experience of using
slate chippings? And what grade, thickness, and substrate are
recommended.

Thanks.

Chris

All loose surfaces for driveways are cheap and nasty. They look like ****
after a few years
They move about, grow weeds and accumulate muck and oil and are hard to
clear snow off of.

Absolute cobblers.

Their only redeeming feature is porosity, ie let water drain away.

Get yourself a proper finish, tarmac or concrete or concrete blocks.


That grow weeds and accumulate muck, algae and oil.

--
Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

wrote:
Dear all,

Have been somewhat losing interest in a resin-bound gravel solution to replacing a drive.

The original drive was pea-shingle on bitumen but the loose shingle tended to migrate all over the place,

including sticking to shoes and being dragged indoors.

But what about slate chippings? Presumably they would stay put and lie flattish, if the grade was right.

Does anyone have experience of using slate chippings? And what grade,
thickness, and substrate are recommended.

Thanks.

Chris

Slate looks nice and is fine for areas that don't get any traffic, like
little areas below windows and that sort of thing. But for drives they
are terrible. Over time the bits of slate break up in the areas where
the wheels run and get smaller and smaller and it ends up as a terrible
mess with lines of tiny bits surrounded by areas of big bits.

I had to take mine up after a few years. I replaced it with 20mm crushed
stone (can't remember what stone) and that's been fine. The only thing
is it hurts my feet when I go out in the nude.

Bill

In article ,
Bill Wright wrote:

....

The only thing is it hurts my feet when I go out in the nude.

Too much detail. Far, far too much detail...
--
Dennis Davis

On Wed, 06 Aug 2014 22:06:18 +0100, The Medway Handyman wrote:

I did my drive years ago, type one compacted & 2" of 20mm gravel.

Gravel or chippings/crushed stone?

Maintenance free.

And nothing is growing in it anywhere and you have never sprayed,
raked, releveled or weeded it?

--
Cheers
Dave.

On Wednesday, August 6, 2014 5:27:56 PM UTC+1, wrote:
Dear all,



Have been somewhat losing interest in a resin-bound gravel solution to replacing a drive.



The original drive was pea-shingle on bitumen but the loose shingle tended to migrate all over the place, including sticking to shoes and being dragged indoors.



But what about slate chippings? Presumably they would stay put and lie flattish, if the grade was right. Does anyone have experience of using slate chippings? And what grade, thickness, and substrate are recommended.



Thanks.



Chris

Thanks for the interesting replies. In the meantime I had concluded that I hadn't seen many references to slate driveways, and some of the reasons against have been pointed out.

Next door's driveway is in large grade crushed rock of some sort. I'd say the average size is well over 20mm. I don't mind this too much but SWMBO says it's too uneven to walk on, in shoes, let alone bare feet, or indeed in the nude. Are there other grades between 10mm. and 20mm. commonly available?

Cheers,

Chris

Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Wed, 06 Aug 2014 22:06:18 +0100, The Medway Handyman wrote:

I did my drive years ago, type one compacted & 2" of 20mm gravel.

Gravel or chippings/crushed stone?

Maintenance free.

And nothing is growing in it anywhere and you have never sprayed,
raked, releveled or weeded it?


I have 187 square metres of gravel parking area. About four times a year
I spray any visible weeds with Roundup. The only time I rake it is when
my idiot son in law has done a handbrake turn on it. Then I hit him with
the rake. "Don't mark his face dad!"

Bill

Dennis Davis wrote:
In article ,
Bill Wright wrote:

...

The only thing is it hurts my feet when I go out in the nude.

Too much detail. Far, far too much detail...

Well you see, I have a skin problem and in hot weather I'm much better
with as many areas of my body as possible bare. Since we don't have
anyone overlooking us (except the police helicopter now and then) I do
tend to wear nothing on every possible occasion. Apart from the skin
problem I do feel more comfortable psychologically without any clothes
on. Because clothes have irritated me all my life it's wonderful to take
them off; it feels liberating, like putting something heavy down after
carrying it a long way. Obviously there are health and safety issues: I
find it best to wear pants when frying sausages or welding.

Bill

On 07/08/2014 09:18, Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Wed, 06 Aug 2014 22:06:18 +0100, The Medway Handyman wrote:

I did my drive years ago, type one compacted & 2" of 20mm gravel.

Gravel or chippings/crushed stone?

Gravel

Maintenance free.

And nothing is growing in it anywhere and you have never sprayed,
raked, releveled or weeded it?


Never weeded it, rarely raked it.

--
Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On 07/08/2014 11:06, wrote:


Thanks for the interesting replies. In the meantime I had concluded that I hadn't seen many references to slate driveways, and some of the reasons against have been pointed out.

Next door's driveway is in large grade crushed rock of some sort. I'd say the average size is well over 20mm. I don't mind this too much but SWMBO says it's too uneven to walk on, in shoes, let alone bare feet, or indeed in the nude. Are there other grades between 10mm. and 20mm. commonly available?

Cheers,

Chris


AFAIK you cen get either pea shingle wich is 10mm or less, or gravel @
approx 20mm.

--
Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

In article , Bill Wright
scribeth thus
Dennis Davis wrote:
In article ,
Bill Wright wrote:

...

The only thing is it hurts my feet when I go out in the nude.

Too much detail. Far, far too much detail...

Well you see, I have a skin problem and in hot weather I'm much better
with as many areas of my body as possible bare. Since we don't have
anyone overlooking us (except the police helicopter now and then) I do
tend to wear nothing on every possible occasion. Apart from the skin
problem I do feel more comfortable psychologically without any clothes
on. Because clothes have irritated me all my life it's wonderful to take
them off; it feels liberating, like putting something heavy down after
carrying it a long way. Obviously there are health and safety issues: I
find it best to wear pants when frying sausages or welding.

Bill


In best uk.diy tradition the question has to be asked of the member for
Yorkshire.. what do you wear when grinding at an angle;?..


--
Tony Sayer

On 07/08/2014 11:06, wrote:
....
Next door's driveway is in large grade crushed rock of some sort. I'd say the average size is well over 20mm. I don't mind this too much but SWMBO says it's too uneven to walk on, in shoes, let alone bare feet, or indeed in the nude. Are there other grades between 10mm. and 20mm. commonly available?

The authority on this seems to suggest that 14mm is readily available:

http://www.pavingexpert.com/gravel04.htm

I have 20mm limestone chippings on large areas of my garden and have no
problem walking on it in shoes or slippers. OTOH, much larger cobbles,
set in concrete, are often used in public areas to discourage people
from walking in certain places.


--
Colin Bignell

tony sayer wrote:

In best uk.diy tradition the question has to be asked of the member for
Yorkshire.. what do you wear when grinding at an angle;?..



A flat cap and pit boots.

Bill

On 07/08/2014 23:20, Nightjar "cpb"@ insert my surname here wrote:
On 07/08/2014 11:06, wrote:
....
Next door's driveway is in large grade crushed rock of some sort. I'd
say the average size is well over 20mm. I don't mind this too much but
SWMBO says it's too uneven to walk on, in shoes, let alone bare feet,
or indeed in the nude. Are there other grades between 10mm. and 20mm.
commonly available?

The authority on this seems to suggest that 14mm is readily available:

http://www.pavingexpert.com/gravel04.htm

I have 20mm limestone chippings on large areas of my garden and have no
problem walking on it in shoes or slippers. OTOH, much larger cobbles,
set in concrete, are often used in public areas to discourage people
from walking in certain places.


You really don't want to use limestone chippings to park cars on. It is
too soft, and eventually gets crushed into a messy sludge.

Andrew