Block Paving DrivewaysLaid To Stay Level.Birmingham, Stourbridge & The West Midlands.
A traditional block paved driveway that keeps its lines for decades — full engineered sub-base, kiln-dried jointing, and a 10-year workmanship guarantee from a family-run crew.
About OurBlock Paving Service.
Block paving is a system of pre-cast concrete or clay blocks laid over a compacted engineered sub-base, bedded in sharp sand, and locked in place with kiln-dried jointing sand. Done properly, it distributes vehicle load across the whole surface — no sunken tyre tracks, no rocking blocks, no failed edges.
It's the right pick for homeowners across Birmingham, Stourbridge and the wider West Midlands who want a traditional or contemporary look, easy individual-block repair if a utility ever has to dig, and a proven surface with a 40-year track record on UK driveways.
Choose block paving when you're replacing a crumbling concrete or asphalt drive, extending an existing parking area, or specifying a new-build finish where a warm, patterned look is wanted rather than a flat modern surface.
Block paving fails when the sub-base fails. Skip the depth, skip the compaction or skip the edge restraints and you'll see sunken wheel tracks, weed-filled joints and rocking blocks inside two winters. Full engineered ground works is the only way we install.
The Failures WeGet Called To Fix.
Cutting corners on block paving shows up fast. Here's what to avoid — and what we build into every install instead.
Sunken tyre tracks
Under-specified sub-base compresses under vehicle weight. Within 12 months you can see the outline of every car that's parked on it.
Weed-filled joints
Skipping proper kiln-dried jointing sand — and skipping the top-up 6–12 months later — leaves open joints for weeds and ants.
Edge blowout
No proper edge restraint (haunched concrete kerb) and the perimeter blocks tip outward, unravelling the whole edge of the drive.
Efflorescence & fading
Wrong mortar mix in the haunching leaches lime up through the blocks, leaving white bloom that never quite washes off.
How We InstallYour Block Paving.
Free survey & written quote
We measure, discuss block choice (colour, size, laying pattern) and quote within 24 hours.
Full excavation & sub-base
Excavate to depth (typically 200–250mm for driveways), lay MOT type-1 sub-base in layers, whacker-plate to full compaction.
Concrete-haunched edging
Edge blocks or kerbs set in concrete and haunched behind — the single most important step for a driveway that doesn't unravel.
Sharp-sand bed & laying
50mm screeded sharp-sand bed, blocks laid to your chosen pattern (herringbone at 45° for driveways), cuts made on a wet saw for clean edges.
Compact, joint & handover
Whacker-plate over the laid surface, kiln-dried jointing sand brushed in, walk-around and 10-year workmanship guarantee.
Why It's WorthDoing It Right.
Repairable in individual blocks
If a utility ever has to dig, blocks lift and re-lay without a patchwork scar.
Load-distributing surface
Interlocking pattern spreads vehicle weight — no sunken tracks.
Wide design range
Herringbone, stretcher, basketweave; charcoal, brindle, red, mixed blends — one system, many looks.
Traditional or contemporary
From classic 200×100 rectangular blocks to modern large-format setts.
40-year proven system
The UK's most-installed driveway surface for good reason — it works.
10-year workmanship guarantee
Full engineered install, backed in writing.
Everything We Install& How We Install It.
Materials we use
We install blocks from Marshalls, Brett, Bradstone and Tobermore ranges — Drivesys, Argent, Tegula, Woburn and mixed-format setts depending on the property style. Sub-base is MOT type-1 to Highways Agency spec. Bedding is washed sharp sand. Edging is either matching-block concrete-haunched or dedicated kerb. Jointing is kiln-dried silica sand.
Our methods
Excavation depth 200mm minimum for driveways, 150mm for patios and pathways. Sub-base laid in 100mm compacted layers with a heavy plate compactor. Edge restraints set first — every time. Bedding sand screeded to 50mm loose depth. Blocks laid on the bed dry, cut on a wet saw for clean detail, and compacted with a rubber-mat plate. Kiln-dried sand brushed and re-brushed 6 months later.
Where it applies
Block paving is the right call where a warm, patterned, repairable surface is wanted, where the driveway shape has awkward angles that would waste a lot of large-format material, and where the family may want to lift and extend the drive later. It's the wrong call over ground that hasn't been properly excavated and compacted — no cosmetic top layer fixes a bad base.
Residential vs commercial
Residential driveways dominate our block paving workload. We also install for small commercial forecourts, retirement developments and mixed-use car parks where individual-block repairability keeps ongoing maintenance costs down.
Variations of this service
Standard driveways
Classic 200×100mm block driveways in herringbone or stretcher, in a single colour or brindle blend.
Tumbled / aged blocks
Tegula and Drivesys ranges give a weathered, cottage-style look that suits period properties.
Large-format setts
Modern square and rectangular setts for a contemporary look — often paired with a resin bound centre panel.
Patios & pathways
Same system laid at shallower depth for foot-traffic-only areas — patios, side access strips, garden paths.
Every block paving install is fully insured and backed for 10 years in writing. In-house crew, no sub-contracting, staged payments available.
Every driveway is quoted individually — size, block range, ground conditions and any drainage all move the number. We give you a free itemised written quote within 24 hours.
You Might AlsoNeed These.
Resin Bound Driveways
A resin bound driveway is a hand-trowelled surface made from washed, kiln-dried natural aggregate blended on-site with a two-part clear resin. It's laid over a properly prepared base — usually new tarmac or existing sound tarmac — to create a smooth, UV-stable and fully permeable driveway or patio finish.
Tarmac Driveways, Patios & Pathways
Tarmac (bitmac / asphalt) is a hot-mix bitumen-bound surface laid and machine-rolled onto a compacted engineered sub-base. It's the surface that highways and airport aprons are built from — for good reason. Laid properly, it's dense, smooth, watertight and load-bearing.
Porcelain Driveways, Patios & Pathways
Porcelain paving is a high-density vitrified tile designed for outdoor use — near-zero water absorption, frost-proof, stain-resistant and dimensionally accurate. It's laid on a full mortar bed with a priming slurry to bond the tile to the mortar, giving a flat, stable, long-life patio, driveway or path.
Stourbridge · Halesowen · Kingswinford · Brierley Hill · Dudley · Hagley · Kinver · Kidderminster · Birmingham · Wolverhampton · Walsall · Bromsgrove · Droitwich
Ready For Block PavingDone Right First Time?
Free site visit — usually within 24 hours. Detailed written quote. No pressure, no sales patter.