some people may not know that there are alternatives to firm driveways and pathways other than concrete and pavers.
here’s one writeup of the porous “pavers” http://www.melbournewater.com.au/content/library/wsud/sustainable_urban_design/porous_paving.pdf
that will be my choice instead of concrete, when i finally re-do the cracked concrete driveway.
anyhow, just letting people know about alternatives to concrete, in right situations.

or you could just use gravel which would work out a bit cheaper.

veg gardener said:

or you could just use gravel which would work out a bit cheaper.

Gravel fills up with weeds though, and they can be really hard to pull out.

I think I want to replace my gravel driveway with recycled brick, but in a patchworky sort of pattern with tough plants growing in the gaps.

Oh, and also, you can’t walk barefoot on gravel.. I can’t wait for the day when I can walk to anywhere in my garden with bare feet :)

you can use gravel over it. it will retain the gravel, and provide load bearing for the car. you wouldn’t get away with a plain gravel driveway in the suburbs but, you’d get away with it with these cells installed. most of the time (in the suburbs) it’s a no-brainer about the driveway…horrible concrete.
veg gardener said:

or you could just use gravel which would work out a bit cheaper.

or you could just use gravel which would work out a bit cheaper.

—

Not on a sloping drive you wouldn’t

aquarium said:

you wouldn’t get away with a plain gravel driveway in the suburbs

Shhh.. don’t tell my driveway that! :D Although it’s got so many weeds I’m not sure you could call it plain…

bon008 said:

Oh, and also, you can’t walk barefoot on gravel.. I can’t wait for the day when I can walk to anywhere in my garden with bare feet :)

That depends on the gravel.

bon008 said:

veg gardener said:

or you could just use gravel which would work out a bit cheaper.

Gravel fills up with weeds though, and they can be really hard to pull out.

I think I want to replace my gravel driveway with recycled brick, but in a patchworky sort of pattern with tough plants growing in the gaps.

good old round up kills the weeds.

we only have gravel drive ways.

veg gardener said:

we only have gravel drive ways.

me too
compacted dolomite we call it.
only city/ suburban driveways are concreted.
mind you – a steep slope has to be fixed – usually concreted – anything steeper than 1:15 is steep.

pepe said:

veg gardener said:

we only have gravel drive ways.

me too
compacted dolomite we call it.
only city/ suburban driveways are concreted.
mind you – a steep slope has to be fixed – usually concreted – anything steeper than 1:15 is steep.

yeah, it would cost way to much for concrete out here and we use a tractor and skid steer around the yard.

pepe said:

veg gardener said:

we only have gravel drive ways.

me too
compacted dolomite we call it.
only city/ suburban driveways are concreted.
mind you – a steep slope has to be fixed – usually concreted – anything steeper than 1:15 is steep.

Our whole block is 1:6 from front to back and there’s some fairly level area at the bottom of the driveway. Guess that counts us out ;-)

I’m not fond of concrete, but it is our only real option.

SueBk said:

pepe said:

veg gardener said:

we only have gravel drive ways.

me too
compacted dolomite we call it.
only city/ suburban driveways are concreted.
mind you – a steep slope has to be fixed – usually concreted – anything steeper than 1:15 is steep.

Our whole block is 1:6 from front to back and there’s some fairly level area at the bottom of the driveway. Guess that counts us out ;-)

I’m not fond of concrete, but it is our only real option.

yours is steep – but if it hasn’t eroded then the existing might be well compacted – or stony soil – both of which resist erosion.

We have concrete already. Everywhere. A lot of it needs redoing, but it’s a big job. Down the south side of the house we really need to rip it all out and start again. We’re still umming and ahhing over that. Being the south side it gets no sun in winter and is rather dank and gloomy.

The drive way itself is okay but the ‘landing pad’ at the end is … patchy. Think the previous owner a) didn’t prepare her surface well and b) did it piece by piece. The good thing is that the corner that has sunk the worst tends to ‘drag’ rain water away from the garage and into the back yard.

I was being facetious (F7). I know our block is steep. It wasn’t until you said 1:15 was steep that I realised just how steep!

concrete in dark areas, like the south side of house in winter (in lower latitudes) gets covered by black algae etc, and is difficult to scrub off.
large expanses of concrete create drainage problems, as all that water must run off somewhere.
on the south and east side of house where sun is minimal, concrete paths keep the soil/clay underneath damp all the time, which causes damp against those walls (house on stumps.) if it ever dries out, causes movement.
it costs an arm and a leg, and you can tell that the concrete delivery guy is talking secret codes to the concreter about the quality of it….which you won’t find out until a few years later when concrete inevitably cracks, and the huge job needs doing again.
if there’s any broken plumbing under concrete, it’s a hard to access the pipes.
i just love concrete ;) it’s the best thing since sliced bread…for concreters.
SueBk said:

We have concrete already. Everywhere. A lot of it needs redoing, but it’s a big job. Down the south side of the house we really need to rip it all out and start again. We’re still umming and ahhing over that. Being the south side it gets no sun in winter and is rather dank and gloomy.

The drive way itself is okay but the ‘landing pad’ at the end is … patchy. Think the previous owner a) didn’t prepare her surface well and b) did it piece by piece. The good thing is that the corner that has sunk the worst tends to ‘drag’ rain water away from the garage and into the back yard.

I was being facetious (F7). I know our block is steep. It wasn’t until you said 1:15 was steep that I realised just how steep!

Aquarium just get a pressure cleaner and it comes off.

veg gardener said:

Aquarium just get a pressure cleaner and it comes off.

also boiling water kills the moss/lichen.

the lichen/moss has dug right in, and my concrete is a bit porous.
apparently the pressure cleaning is not recommended unless you want to coat it straight away…as it produces tiny pits in concrete, which will grow more moss etc even quicker.

aquarium said:

the lichen/moss has dug right in, and my concrete is a bit porous.
apparently the pressure cleaning is not recommended unless you want to coat it straight away…as it produces tiny pits in concrete, which will grow more moss etc even quicker.

your concrete does sound a bit substandard like to say.
probably has to be redone.
i’m doing paving here too.
one good idea is to use paving bricks around the edge as your formwork. then pour concrete between.

aquarium said:

the lichen/moss has dug right in, and my concrete is a bit porous.
apparently the pressure cleaning is not recommended unless you want to coat it straight away…as it produces tiny pits in concrete, which will grow more moss etc even quicker.

I read somewhere recently (recent Organic Gardener?) that Borax sprinkled over moss will kill it.

the moss etc is already dead, as the drier weather killed it off. it is however fastened to the concrete quite well. i managed to brush some off with a stiff brush. i was going to use a pressure cleaner but don’t like to borrow from my father. one of these days maybe i’ll buy one….but that would have to come after my next planned purchase, which is a haws watering can. seen this quality can in GA and other gardening shows.
next time for me = no concrete. as much fun as using a jackhammer and sledgehammer is, that will be the last time…but not planned for a while yet.

bluegreen said:

aquarium said:

the lichen/moss has dug right in, and my concrete is a bit porous.
apparently the pressure cleaning is not recommended unless you want to coat it straight away…as it produces tiny pits in concrete, which will grow more moss etc even quicker.

I read somewhere recently (recent Organic Gardener?) that Borax sprinkled over moss will kill it.