Block Paving Services in Leicester
Everything we install across Leicester and the surrounding towns, from a full block paved driveway to a side path, a set of kerbs or a patio you can actually put a table on.
Block Paved Driveways
Our speciality in Leicester. Interlocking concrete or clay blocks laid on a properly built sub-base, finished with a soldier course that frames the drive and holds it tight for decades.
A block paved driveway is one of the hardest-wearing surfaces you can put in front of a Leicester home. Individual blocks flex slightly under load rather than cracking, so a well-built drive copes with daily car use, delivery vans and freeze-thaw winters without failing. We lay every drive on a compacted MOT Type 1 sub-base with the correct falls, edge restraints haunched in concrete, and kiln-dried sand brushed into the joints to lock the surface together.
Block Paved & Slabbed Patios
Seating areas, entertaining space and garden terraces built from block paving or large-format paving slabs, laid level, well drained and finished to a crisp edge.
A patio takes different punishment to a driveway: less weight, but far more scrutiny, because you sit and look at it. We set out patios so the coursing runs true to the house, cut cleanly around drains and manholes, and build in a slight fall away from the building so water never sits against your walls. Block paving, riven sandstone and large-format porcelain all work well; we will talk you through what suits your garden and your budget.
Pathways & Garden Paving
Front paths, side returns and garden walkways in matching block paving. Practical routes that tie the whole property together instead of looking like an afterthought.
Paths are where poor groundwork shows up first, because they are usually the narrowest run and the most walked on. We dig out to full depth rather than skimming, restrain both edges properly, and match the block, colour and laying pattern to your driveway so the front of the house reads as one scheme. Side returns and bin stores get the same treatment, because they are the bits you use every day.
Edgings, Kerbs & Borders
Soldier courses, contrasting borders, dropped kerbs and circular features. The detailing that separates a proper block paved drive from a flat rectangle of blocks.
Edge restraint is the single most important structural detail in block paving: without it, the blocks creep outwards and the whole surface loosens. We haunch every edging in concrete and use it as a design opportunity too: a contrasting soldier course, a charcoal border against a silver field, or a curved kerb line that softens a square drive. It is also what lets us blend block paving neatly into an existing tarmac or resin surface.
Resin Bound Driveways
A smooth, seamless, SuDS-compliant alternative to block paving, in a wide range of aggregate colours and finishes.
If you like the idea of a driveway with no joints and nothing for weeds to grow through, resin bound is worth considering alongside block paving. It is permeable, so surface water drains through rather than pooling, and the continuous finish is easy going for prams, bikes and wheelchairs. We install both, so we can give you a straight comparison rather than pushing you towards one.
Tarmac Driveways
A practical, hard-wearing surface for larger driveways and shared accesses, often finished with a block paved border for a sharper look.
Tarmac covers a large area quickly and economically, which makes it a sensible choice for long drives and shared accesses. On its own it can look plain, so we frequently pair it with a block paved apron at the entrance and a block soldier course along the edges. You get the cost and durability of tarmac with the detailing of block paving where it is actually seen.
Not Sure Which Surface You Need?
Tell us about the space and how you use it and we will tell you what we would put down if it were our own house, including when that is not block paving.
How a Block Paving Job Runs
Four stages, in the same order, on every job, from a two-metre front path to a full double driveway.
Free Site Visit
We come out, measure up, check the levels and look at where water currently goes. If there is an existing surface we work out whether it can stay as a sub-base or has to come up.
Design & Written Quote
You get the block, colour, laying pattern and edging detail agreed up front, and a written quotation that states the excavation depth and sub-base build-up rather than just a total.
Excavation & Sub-Base
We dig out to full depth, cart the spoil away, then lay and whacker-compact MOT Type 1 in layers. Falls are set at this stage, because you cannot correct drainage later.
Laying & Finishing
Blocks are laid off a screeded sand bed to the agreed pattern, edges haunched in concrete, cuts made with a disc cutter, then the whole surface is jointed with kiln-dried sand and plate compacted.
Blocks, Colours & Patterns
Concrete blocks are the workhorse: consistent in size, available in a wide range of colours and formats, and the most economical way to cover a driveway. Clay pavers cost more but keep their colour almost indefinitely, which suits period properties where a faded finish would look wrong.
Permeable blocks are worth raising early if you are paving a front garden, because they let surface water drain through the joints instead of running onto the highway. They lay much like standard blocks but use a different jointing aggregate.
- Herringbone bond for driveways carrying vehicle loads
- Stretcher and basketweave for paths, patios and light use
- Contrasting soldier courses to frame the finished area
- Permeable options where surface water needs somewhere to go
Questions About the Work Itself
The practical questions people ask once they have decided they want a new driveway.
Can you lay block paving over an existing concrete or tarmac driveway?
Sometimes, but only after we have looked at it. A sound, well-drained concrete base can occasionally be used, but laying over a cracked or badly draining surface just transfers the problem to the new paving. In most cases we take it up and rebuild the sub-base properly. That is what makes the difference between a drive that lasts five years and one that lasts twenty-five.
What laying pattern should I choose for a driveway?
For anything carrying vehicles we usually recommend a 45 or 90 degree herringbone. The interlocking bond spreads load across neighbouring blocks, so the surface resists rutting where car wheels track. Stretcher bond and basketweave look good on patios and narrow paths but are weaker under vehicle loading.
Do you remove the old driveway and take the waste away?
Yes. Excavation, spoil removal and disposal are included in the quotation, so there is no skip left on your drive at the end and no separate bill for waste.
Can you match new block paving to paving that is already down?
Often, yes. If we can identify the block, we can usually source it or find a close match. Bear in mind that existing paving will have weathered, so a brand-new batch will look slightly fresher for the first year or two until it tones in.
How much mess will there be while the work is going on?
Excavation is the dusty, noisy part and it is usually done inside the first day. We keep materials tidy, sheet up where we need to, and sweep down at the end of each day. On a terraced street with no off-road access we will talk through where materials can go before we start.
Request a Free Block Paving Quote
Call 01455 817 299, message us on WhatsApp or send us the details of your project and we will arrange a visit. Read more about how we work or get in touch today.