Driveway paving
Want to pave your driveway, but don't know where to start? There are many options available, from tiles to stones with open spaces. In this guide, we discuss the most important aspects of driveway paving so you can make the right choices.
Advice for paving your driveway
Types of driveway paving
Paving for driveways comes in many shapes, sizes and colours. You can choose tiles, small stones or even stones with open spaces. In our catalogue, you will find which stones and tiles are suitable for driveways, marked with an icon. Here we explain what to look for when choosing tiles for your driveway.
Preparation
When planning your driveway, it is important to consider its function, location and the type of vehicles that will use it. For heavier vehicles, you should choose stones that are at least 7-8 cm thick, combined with a solid foundation.
High load-bearing capacity
The load-bearing capacity of the paving is crucial. Concrete pavers are often the best choice for driveways because of their small size and high strength. The laying pattern also plays a role; car parks are often laid in a herringbone pattern to distribute the load evenly.
Alternative with gravel
For a completely different look, use grit or gravel to construct a driveway. If you opt for grit, lay gravel mats underneath. This makes the driveway more solid and prevents the gravel from shifting. These mats also reduce the likelihood of ruts forming. We will not discuss this type of paving further.
Which tiles for the driveway?
Large tiles
Although large tiles can be attractive, the larger they are, the less weight they can bear. Thickness is important here: the thicker the tile, the higher the load-bearing capacity. Our range includes 60x60 cm tiles with a thickness of 6 cm, such as GeoSteen® or GeoCeramica®.
Concrete or ceramic tiles?
A recent development is 3 cm thick ceramic, which has a high load-bearing capacity. However, for standard driveway paving, we recommend GeoCeramica®, which combines the advantages of ceramic with the strength of concrete tiles.
GeoSteen®
GeoSteen® tiles, which are 6 cm thick, are suitable for medium loads. They have a top layer of colourfast, natural materials that remain attractive for a long time and are easy to clean. They are available in different textures: structured, profiled or flat.
GeoCeramica®
The GeoCeramica® collection also includes tiles that are perfect for laying a driveway. Choose 6 cm thick GeoCeramica® tiles for paving a driveway. This will give you a very stylish driveway that will remain beautiful for a long time. GeoCeramica® offers the best of both worlds: a ceramic tile inextricably linked to a water-permeable underlay. This means it looks like a ceramic tile floor, but combines the advantages of a strong concrete base. These tiles offer a wide range of designs to choose from. What's more, they are low-maintenance and have a very long lifespan. There is even an extra-thick version of GeoCeramica® that is suitable for particularly harsh conditions: GeoCeramica® Heavy Duty.
Subsurface of a driveway
When paving a driveway, you should not only consider the choice of tiles or clinkers. The substructure is also important. As is often the case, a driveway is only as strong as its weakest link. A solid foundation prevents subsidence. The stronger the foundation, the less chance there is of the tiles breaking. Always consult a specialist for sound advice. Tip: a layer of rubble granulate under your sand bed provides even more strength.
How many tiles?
Once you have designed your driveway, you can calculate how many tiles you need. However, we recommend ordering around 5% extra tiles. This is to account for “cutting waste” and any tiles that may break or become damaged during processing. This will prevent you from having to reorder or order additional tiles, which may incur extra costs and risk colour or texture differences.
We also recommend mixing tiles and stones from all ordered packages. This will give you the right nuance and prevent colour differences or colour blocks.
Preparatory work
Based on the design, it is useful to mark out all the dimensions of your driveway with stakes. These stakes should be placed on the outside of the paving. Use a spirit level to mark the height at which the stones will be placed on the stakes. The starting point is a fixed point from the house towards the driveway. The starting height is 1 to 2 cm below the door sill. A slight slope is necessary for good drainage. A slope of 1 to 2 cm per metre is usually sufficient. Once you have marked the height on the stakes, stretch a string between them. This will give you a good idea of what the paving will look like later. To know how much you need to excavate, you need to take the thickness of the stones into account. The foundation, including paving, should be about 25 to 30 cm. So if your tiles are 6 cm thick, you will need to excavate (30 cm – 6 cm =) 24 cm.
Edging
Edging strips provide cohesion, which is particularly important for a driveway. For a driveway, the edging should be at least 8 x 20 x 100 cm in size. Place the edging strips with the outside flush with the taut string. The strips should be placed 2 cm lower than the top of the paving. This will ensure a neat appearance and improve drainage. Driveway joints Would you like to know more about driveway joints? Take a look at our knowledge base.
Grouting the driveway
Would you like to know more about driveway joints? Take a look at our knowledge base.
Contact us
MBI offers a very wide choice for the design of indoor and outdoor spaces. Leave your details and we will contact you a.s.a.p..
.jpg?1725959466)