Extending block paving.

[sm_jamieson]

I have a front garden that is mostly block paved, neighbour says it was done for vehicles exactly like nearby drives, but they changed their mind at the last moment and left the front wall up and a flower bed around 3 feet wide. I am going to remove the wall in fill in the gap. Hopefully the foundation for the wall will act as a good base for the edging blocks, with maybe a bit of concrete if required. I've looked at the paving expert website etc. But any tips to get the new bit to fit in seemlessly with the old ? Obviously the new blocks will look, um, newer. Also I was hoping to get away without a wacker plate, but I suspect I will have to leave the blocks fairly high and wack them level with existing. TIA, Simon.

[Phil L]

Block paving won't go over concrete like this, whether hard or freshly mixed - it needs to go on at least 2 inches of sharp sand, below which should be free draining, compacted hardcore....the sand should be tramelled to ensure a uniform depth, then the blocks p-l-a-c-e-d on one at a time, working across in rows, and so that you aren't 'slotting in' - don't lean on any of them, or the sand

TARDIS on standby? - seriously, it won't, at least in colour - the pattern should just continue on, although you will make life easier for yourself if you take up the last two rows of existing BP *without* disturbing the next rows....discard any cut pieces where it stops and continue using full blocks until you reach the new finish point, then cut new cuts along the edge

A whacker plate can be had for less than £20, so long as you can get it all ready for whacking p[rior to hiring, IE don't do small patches each day, whack it all at once - and don't walk on any of the newly laid stuff until it's been whacked, unless you use wide planks/boards.

Also, don't whack anything until all edges are braced - that is to say, if you are stopping short of a solid perimeter like a wall or concrete kerb, tarmac pavement etc, the edge will need packing out so that the whacker doesn't vibrate the blocks apart from each other - you can use long timbers like 3X2 or bricks on edge, cut some wooden wedges too and spend a short while making sure there are no gaps for the blocks to vibrate into, then just keep going over the joint between new and old and over the new stuff until it all goes down, brush fine white silica sand over it and whack again, then sand and whack again

[John Rumm]

One thing you can do to help a little is to take up a few rows of the existing paving, and then mix the old blocks in with some new ones and relay them. That gives you a slightly softer transition than having a solid row of old blocks next to a row of bright new ones.