Driveway surface

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TEEJAY

You hate it because you mixed it yourself - when you don't have to shovel lift it but just push it around a bit and the stuff you get from a ready mix place is easier, normally smoother than home made stuff it is a lot easier.

One really big tip I have found concrete 3 times easier to place if the aggregate is 10mm max rather than the 20mm stuff - it's like icing a cake.

A lot easier than hauling bushrocks :)

---

blah, should using a 14/10 mix for the stone anyway, if that is not their standard mix, ask for it :-)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TEEJAY

Well I had a great long reply and it got lost when a message came up saying server too busy :(( Try once more.

The way I would approach it:

Start with first pour in the middle of the driveway. Add to both ends of this so you can prepare two areas during the week and pour them both on the weekend either a few hours each morning or both on same day.

---

fine *if* the concrete truck can drive around this area for the next weekend of concreting
(don't want 10tonne of concrete truck driving over your still green concrete) (assume mini mix with about 2.2m3 on board)

Quote:

---

Get edge formwork such that it is long enough to fit the mesh without the mesh needing trimming - eg if mesh 6m long then edgeboard 6.1m long minimum. Use 90 x 60mm laminated formwork edgeboards as they are rigid and will need minimal fixing and will hold shape and not bulge

---

I have always just used 90mm x 45mm pine, 450mm star stakes about 1m apart.

worst thing about concrete, working the surface too much, leads to powdery surface, only decent fix is to seal.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by silentC

How thick do ya reckon? The concretor says 100mm.

Just ran it by the missus and she actually thinks it's a good idea. Scarey...

---

100mm is fine unless you are going to be having some heavy trucks use the drive, personal preference is for 25mpa concrete, f72 (7mm) reo.

1m3 of concrete will do 12m2

Quote:

---

fine *if* the concrete truck can drive around this area for the next weekend of concreting
(don't want 10tonne of concrete truck driving over your still green concrete) (assume mini mix with about 2.2m3 on board)

---

They would be using their big truck, because I'd be getting it in 3.6 metre lots. They charge a surcharge for <3 metres. Anyway, there's plenty of access and if I do it this way, I would start at the garage and work out to the street because it is a double entry drive, roughly the shape of a 'D', so they can back in from the street, dump half, then drive back out and back in the other drive to dump the second lot.

25 is what they quoted me on.

you could just pour 2 strips of concrete, get a load of pebbles from the Bairnsdale quary to between the strips, would look pretty good.

Make the strips about 1.2m wide, 600mm gap between them, that would give you a 3m wide drive, a whole lot easier screeding off 1.2m wide compared to 3m wide :)

The pebbels from the above quary are a light brownish colour

Now that is not a bad idea at all. Bairnsdale is a bit far but the mini mix guy here also does river stones for $35 a metre. I have bought some from him already as a temporary surface in a boggy spot, which I planned on using in the gardens afterwards.

If I wanted to be really flash, I could do an exposed aggregate because the stones in the concrete are the same - he sells the big stuff left over from the concrete.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Terrian

I have always just used 90mm x 45mm pine, 450mm star stakes about 1m apart.

worst thing about concrete, working the surface too much, leads to powdery surface, only decent fix is to seal.

---

The reason I recommend 90 x 60 lam is also to use timber stakes that can be hammered in so the top is below the top surface of the edgeboard and you only need 4 stakes for a 6m length of edgeboard. It won't bulge out of shape you only have four stakes.

Definitely use timber hardwood stakes so you can (10lb sledge hammer - note big hammer real easy) them below the top surface and then fix to edgeboard - this gives you a continuous top edge for your screed to work along - there is nothing more painful than trying to work around pegs that sit above the edgeboard. Give yourself a good top surface to work the screed along CONTINUOUSLY - it will both make it a lot easier and give you a better finish.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Terrian

you could just pour 2 strips of concrete, get a load of pebbles from the Bairnsdale quary to between the strips, would look pretty good.

Make the strips about 1.2m wide, 600mm gap between them, that would give you a 3m wide drive, a whole lot easier screeding off 1.2m wide compared to 3m wide :)

The pebbels from the above quary are a light brownish colour

---

Two strips 1.2m wide gives you twice as much edgeboard to set up and remove for the sake of saving a 600mm wide bit in the middle - then you come back later to shovel in (note shovel it) gravel - :?

If I did that, I would make the strips less than 1200. Maybe 900 or so. Yes more effort but less concrete. I'll talk to the concretor, and see what he reckons he'd charge to do it that way. Based on $55 per sq. metre, that would bring it down to around $11,000 for him to do it. But he might want to charge more than $55 for the extra fiddling.

On the gravel (I would use riverstones) it took my Dad and me about 2 hours to pick up and spread 2 metres of it.

I reckon it would look good too.

Just an option, nothing decided yet.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by silentC

Now that is not a bad idea at all. Bairnsdale is a bit far but the mini mix guy here also does river stones for $35 a metre. I have bought some from him already as a temporary surface in a boggy spot, which I planned on using in the gardens afterwards.

If I wanted to be really flash, I could do an exposed aggregate because the stones in the concrete are the same - he sells the big stuff left over from the concrete.

---

the minimix guy, is it a garden supplies or just a concrete plant ?

If it is a garden supplies, go have a look at the range of stone / pebbles he has available.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TEEJAY

Two strips 1.2m wide gives you twice as much edgeboard to set up and remove for the sake of saving a 600mm wide bit in the middle -

---

that 600mm wide gap = about 6m3 of concrete at $185 m3 = a little over $1,100 (+reo) compared to about $200 for pebbles, guess which way I would be going if I was trying to keep the costs down :-) (100m of drive)

Quote:

---

then you come back later to shovel in (note shovel it) gravel - :?

---

Shovel ?? what are you talking about, the friendly tipper driver will setup a couple of bits to timber at the tailgate, sling a rope across the tailgate (so it only opens a few inches) and will spread the load for you :-) (fwiw, I have done the above quite a few times for customers when I was in the garden supplies game)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by silentC

If I did that, I would make the strips less than 1200. Maybe 900 or so. Yes more effort but less concrete. I'll talk to the concretor, and see what he reckons he'd charge to do it that way. Based on $55 per sq. metre, that would bring it down to around $11,000 for him to do it. But he might want to charge more than $55 for the extra fiddling.

---

a little extra in setting things up, a whole lot less time & effort in laying the concrete.

Quote:

---

On the gravel (I would use riverstones) it took my Dad and me about 2 hours to pick up and spread 2 metres of it.

---

see if you can con the minimix guy into delivering the pebbles in the concrete truck, very easy to spread the pebbles then (wear earmuffs though !!!!) (have delivered 20mm stone this way in the past)

Quote:

---

I reckon it would look good too. Just an option, nothing decided yet.

---

have to consider all the options, btw, if you go for an ash drive, make damn sure the drainage is spot on, don't want any water going under the drive !

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TEEJAY

The reason I recommend 90 x 60 lam is also to use timber stakes that can be hammered in so the top is below the top surface of the edgeboard and you only need 4 stakes for a 6m length of edgeboard. It won't bulge out of shape you only have four stakes.

Definitely use timber hardwood stakes so you can (10lb sledge hammer - note big hammer real easy) them below the top surface and then fix to edgeboard - this gives you a continuous top edge for your screed to work along - there is nothing more painful than trying to work around pegs that sit above the edgeboard. Give yourself a good top surface to work the screed along CONTINUOUSLY - it will both make it a lot easier and give you a better finish.

---

I screw thru the star stakes into pine normally, I have found working around the star stakes has never really been a problem, 45mm is enough space to be able to keep the screed on top of the boxing, I agree that having the stakes below the level of the boxing is easier though, also a little easier running the edger around as well.

Quote:

---

the minimix guy, is it a garden supplies or just a concrete plant ?

---

Just a concrete plant.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by silentC

Just a concrete plant.

---

is there a garden supplies anywhere nearby ?

Yeah we have a couple of places that do sand and stones and so on. Not a huge range, a lot of people get stuff shipped in. Most of the stuff people sell locally tends to be quarried locally and now that we are surrounded by National Park, I suppose the range is a bit limited.

Anyway, I'm happy with the river stones and at $35 a metre, you can't go wrong.

Now that you've made up you're mind, and the way is clear. Can I say the best home-built semi rural driveway I've seen was in concrete.

The owner had borrowed/rented one of those stamp do-dads that imprint a cobblestone pattern. He didn't use any colour, just good old grey, home brewed amateur layed (that ought to get the search engines going) concrete.

The dirt and cack built up in the bottom of the "cobble" pattern, and the top was kept relatively clean, resulting in a terrific patina.

I'd seriously recommend that to anyone! Is there a way of making those stamps?

Cheers,

P
:D

Quote:

---

Now that you've made up you're mind, and the way is clear.

---

pfft!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bitingmidge

Now that you've made up you're mind, and the way is clear. Can I say the best home-built semi rural driveway I've seen was in concrete.

The owner had borrowed/rented one of those stamp do-dads that imprint a cobblestone pattern. He didn't use any colour, just good old grey, home brewed amateur layed (that ought to get the search engines going) concrete.

The dirt and cack built up in the bottom of the "cobble" pattern, and the top was kept relatively clean, resulting in a terrific patina.

I'd seriously recommend that to anyone! Is there a way of making those stamps?

Cheers,

P
:D

---

use to sell those stamps, heavy duty plastic they were, I bet there are thousands of them sitting in a back dark corners of sheds all over the country :-)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by silentC

Yeah we have a couple of places that do sand and stones and so on. Not a huge range, a lot of people get stuff shipped in. Most of the stuff people sell locally tends to be quarried locally and now that we are surrounded by National Park, I suppose the range is a bit limited.

Anyway, I'm happy with the river stones and at $35 a metre, you can't go wrong.

---

yup, anything that is cheap, and not likely to be washed away, will do teh job, if your missus likes that look of them then that is an added bonus :)

Silent, can the concrete truck drive beside the concrete pour? or will it have to stay on the drive?

Depends how I do it. But at a pinch we can either cut the fence and he can come in through the side, or we can get the bobcat to knock up a bit of an access ramp over the "nature strip" in the front so he can come up through the middle. No neighbours either side.