A combination of different materials, sub-base, base course and wearing course together take up and distribute the weight so that the driveway does not sink or deform.

What you should consider when constructing a driveway is how you would like the final surface to be. Should it be asphalt or do you want shingle? Irrespective of the final surface the support bases are the same. In the product sheet, we will describe the basics and then give examples of materials that can be used for the final surface.

You will need:

  • Compactor/tamper
  • Folding rule
  • A long board
  • Setting out pins
  • Brick line
  • Spade

We recommend these materials:

  • Sub-base e.g. 0/90
  • Base course e.g. 0/32
  • Wearing course e.g. 0/16
  • Macadam/shingle e.g. 8/11
  • Geotextile fabric

Do this

  1. Carefully measure out the area. Ideally use a brick line.
  2. Check whether there are any pipes in the ground before starting to excavate.
  3. Remove the earth masses and any vegetation where the driveway will be constructed. The amount removed will vary depending on the ground conditions on site and the height you need for the structure to avoid e.g. frost lifting. As a guideline, the structure should be at least 25 cm.
  4. Lay a material separating layer of geotextile fabric along or across the levelling direction. Splicing is best done by overlapping, at least 40 cm.
  5. Add the sub-base 0/90, level the surface and compact well with a tamper. The volume of sub-base depends on the ground conditions. The poorer the ground conditions the greater the sub-base used. Now add the base course 0/32 in an even layer. We recommend that you lay a course of at least 8–10 cm. It is important that the surface is completely even, so ideally use a long board or the like to rake out the material. Compact the surface well using a tamper.
  6. At this stage, you should have decided which final surface you would like. If you have chosen courtyard shingle you should first lay a 0/16 wearing course (about 4 cm), and compact the surface to provide a so smooth and closely packed surface as possible. Now lay out the macadam/shingle 8/11, about 4–5 cm. Finished!
  7. If you prefer an asphalted final surface you can contract a company that both adjusts the surface and lays the asphalt. The advantage of this is that the company usually leaves a guarantee for the work. NCC Industry has a surfacing department that works with asphalt surfacing and adjustment offering both quality and a guarantee. Please contact us for more information.