How to Lay Block Paving for a Patio, Driveway, or Pathway

Block paving is often seen as the best choice for driveways thanks to its strength, durability, and smart appearance. It’s also a popular option for patios and garden pathways, offering a neat and stylish finish that suits a wide range of outdoor spaces.

In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of laying your own block paving, so you can avoid the cost of paying for a professional. Whether you’re creating a patio, pathway, or driveway, you’ll learn the essential steps needed to achieve a long-lasting, attractive result that you can enjoy for years to come!

If you’re not confident that you can do the job to the standard you need, we recommend you contact a professional. Block paving is usually best left to the experts, as if the edges move and aren’t set properly, then the entire base will always move.

 

Popular Block Paving Designs You’ll Love

Before you learn how to lay your own block paving, it’s important to choose a layout for the blocks. One of the best benefits of this type of paving is the ease with which you can shape different patterns to add visual appeal. It’s also important to note that your design choice will determine how many blocks you need, as well as the tools and materials to complete the job.

Take a look at some of the most popular block paving designs below:

 

What Tools and Materials Will You Need?

Tools

• Safety gear (such as gloves and goggles)
• Broom and rake
• Mallet
• Wheelbarrow
• Plate compactor
• String line and pegs
• Screed rails
• Shovel
• Trowel
• Spirit level

Materials

• Block pavers
• MOT type 1 (hardcore)
• Sharp sand
• Cement
• Paving sealant

 

How to Prepare the Base: 5 Easy Steps

Having a stable foundation is crucial for block paving, ensuring that the blocks don’t shift or sink over time. Taking shortcuts will only put your efforts to waste – make sure you pay close attention to the following steps!

1. Measuring Your Space

Before ordering the materials or beginning any work, carefully measure the length and width of your patio, driveway, or pathway. This will help you understand how many block pavers you’ll need per square metre, as well as the amount of sand and edging to complete the design.

2. Excavating the Area

Using a shovel or spade, remove the existing topsoil to the required depth – usually around 150-200mm, depending on the thickness of your chosen blocks. This creates room for the sub-base, bedding layer, and blocks. Please note that driveways may require a slightly deeper excavation of around 250mm.

If your ground is completely level, build in a slight slope as you excavate to ensure proper drainage. Aim for a fall of about 10mm for every 600mm of run so rainwater can flow away effectively.

3. Installing the Sub-Base

Spread and compact a layer of MOT type 1 aggregate to form a sturdy foundation that’s at least 100mm in depth. The sub-base supports the paving, prevents shifting, and helps distribute loads evenly across the surface. We recommend using a plate compactor to flatten the sub-base, repeating this until the base is fully packed down.

Use our Aggregate Calculator to determine how much you’ll need for your patio or driveway!

4. Installing Edging Around the Perimeter

Fix durable edging restraints around the edges of the excavated area. This keeps the blocks tightly in place, maintains the shape of your paved area, and prevents the edges from spreading over time.

5. Adding a Bedding Layer & Compaction

Spread a layer of sharp sand or grit across the compacted sub-base. Use a screed to level the surface, then compact it lightly to create a firm, even bed on which to lay the blocks, approximately 50mm in depth. Re-screed and compact the surface again if necessary.

How to Lay Your Block Paving: 5 Simple Steps

Now that the base has been prepared, you’re ready for the blocks to be laid down. Like the previous steps, it’s important not to take any shortcuts if you want a surface that looks great and functions properly.

1. Laying the Blocks

Starting from a corner or straight edge, place each block onto the bedding layer in your chosen pattern. Keep them snug against each other, maintaining a consistent alignment as you work across the area towards the centre of the space.

2. Cutting the Blocks

Where blocks meet edges, walls, or curves, mark and cut them to size using a block splitter or wet saw. Accurate cuts ensure a neat finish and help maintain the integrity of your chosen pattern.

3. Maintaining Consistent Spacing

Use spacer pegs or temporary thin timber guides to keep joint gaps uniform, typically 2-5mm wide. Consistent spacing ensures that blocks are laid in a straight line and supports proper jointing later on.

4. Jointing the Paving

Once all the blocks have been laid down in the desired pattern, brush kiln-dried sand or polymeric jointing compound into the gaps between the blocks. Compact the surface with a plate compactor to settle the joints, then add more sand or compound as needed until all voids are filled.

5. Sealing the Paving (Optional)

Once the joints are fully settled, clean, and dry for at least 24 hours, apply a suitable block paving sealer if desired. Sealing can enhance colour, protect against stains and weeds, and extend the lifespan of your block paving. However, unlike for natural stone paving, sealing block paving isn’t as much of a necessity due to its natural properties.

 

Can You Lay Block Paving On Sand and Cement?

Using a rigid sand and cement screed as your bedding layer is generally NOT recommended, as this can crack under freeze-thaw cycles, causing uneven blocks and broken joints. Cement-rich bedding is also less permeable than sharp sand, so water won’t drain away as effectively.

Instead, use a compacted sub-base topped with sharp, kiln-dried bedding sand; this “floating” bed promotes stronger drainage and makes future repairs more straightforward, ensuring your block paving remains stable through the years to come.

When Should You Use Permeable Block Paving?

Opt for permeable block paving when surface rainwater can’t be drained into a private soakaway. Its specially designed, toothed‑edge blocks sit on a graded aggregate substrate that allows rainwater to pass through the joints and into the sub‑base. This reservoir then slowly filters water into the surrounding soil, reducing runoff to roads or sewers.

Permeable paving is often required in new-build or redeveloped areas where Sustainable Drainage Systems (SUDS) policies apply. SUDS aim to mimic natural drainage by retaining and treating rainwater on‑site rather than sending it straight into the sewers.

You could rely on traditional impermeable block paving combined with French drains or soakaways, provided all runoff stays within your property boundary. However, if you need a low‑maintenance option, permeable block paving is usually the most efficient and cost‑effective choice.

 

Maintenance Tips for Block Paving, From Our Paving Experts

To keep your block paving looking pristine for longer, here’s what our paving experts recommend you do:

• Regular Cleaning: Sweep the paving, or use a block paving cleaner or pressure washer on a gentle setting to remove dirt, leaves, and other debris.
• Repoint Periodically: Top up or replace jointing sand every 1 to 2 years (or more frequently if required) to keep gaps filled and prevent movement.
• Tackle Stains Quickly: Clean oil, rust, or moss with appropriate cleaners as soon as they appear to avoid stubborn marks.
• Repair Damaged Blocks: Replace any cracked or chipped blocks individually to maintain the surface without needing to redo the entire area.

Explore Our Range of Stylish and Durable Block Paving

Block paving shouldn’t just look good – it should also stand firm throughout the ever-changing British weather. At Minster Paving, our block paving range has been designed to suit a wide range of different applications, from modern to traditional properties. Our products are as attractive as they are durable, ensuring your block-paved investment is a wise one.

From 50mm Chartes Tumbled to Slimsett block paving, shop our range today to find a style that suits your needs!