What Hard Surface To Put Down On Parking Area ?

[CW1]

Hi,

My parking space is one side of one of 3 parking spaces, the other side of my garden fence. All the spaces are paving slabs where you park the car, with "strips" of basically mud in between, that get very boggy.

I've asked the council if I can put a hard surface down across the whole area, around 10' x 20', & all they've done is sent me a link,

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/permission/

My interpretation is I don't need any permissions, but need to use a porous material. I'd been thinking possibly concrete (depending on cost) but doesn't look I can use that.

What would be the best material to use, & any idea on cost ?

Thanks

[bhg481]

Why not use pebbles just on the boggy parts? It's best to put scalpings down first to act as a base and then an inch or so of pebbles on top.

[CW1]

I did have gravel down but it's disappeared (sunk ?) so would rather get a hard surface, then it's done once & for all.

[bhg481]

If you put scalpings down it stops the gravel disappearing. Despite my advice my daughter didn't bother and her pebbles are pushing down into the soil, even though she used bigger pebbles than we did. We put scalpings down followed by pea-gravel about 15 years ago and we've had no bother with sinking.

[CW1]

Oh, ok thanks, I'll look into that. Not that I have any idea what scalpings are ! There are kids there tho', thinking they could jar their feet or ankles if stepping out of the car onto pebbles ?

[RATTER15]

Blue slate chips are excellent, the beauty is they lay flat and they look really nice. http://www.stoneandgarden.co/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/blue-slate-around-stepping-stones-resized-300x300.jpg

[bhg481]

Scalpings are flattish pieces of stone with sharp sand, I think. The sand binds them and stops them sinking. I'd never heard of them until I told my neighbour what I planned to do and he recommended it. I used pea-gravel - the pebbles are about 1cm in size, so no chance of jarring or ankle turning.
If you do decide to try again it's worth thinking about some anti-weed membrane; it's easy to put down and not too expensive. It doesn't stop weeds completely but does make a significant difference.

[paul1763]

you could also put down that (black material) weed prevention barrier first then chippings/pebble on top.

[CW1]

Think that's the anti-weed membrane bhg481 mentioned, paul1763, but all good ideas, thanks all.

[jomifl]

Hoggin is the cheapest if you have a large area and are just using it for hard standing.
http://www.ced.ltd.uk/technical/hoggin

[bhg481]

It sounds like scalplings and hoggin are very similar. I'm certainly not an expert and it sounds to me like a trip to a builders' merchants might be a good idea and ask for some advice on your particular situation.

[Old_Geezer]

Wish I could suggest something but, as someone with the good taste to be most unkeen on the feel underfoot and noise one gets from gravel I'd urge you to continue seeking for a decent solid yet porous material so you get a proper solid surface. Are your present slabs simply laid too far apart ? May just need relaying.

[The Builder]

I can see why anything you put down would sink in time. An essential part of laying a hard surface is to start by completely stripping the existing ground of all soggy material. If not, it will eventually become lost in the bog.

With a small digger, it's easy to excavate the top 150-300mm. The harder part is simply getting rid of it.

Once the area is stripped, then a good base of hardcore is laid and compacted to form a firm base. Then you just cover with something like "40mm down" scalpings. This means quarry material that is graded (sieved) so that it contains stone that is 40mm max... right "down" to dust... and all the sizes in between.

That's a perfectly good surface for a car. Easily made more attractive by adding a top layer of chippings.

Having said all that, you can use conventional concrete, but gullies and drainage would have to be included.......... and somewhere for the water to run.