Engineering the Road
A common mistake in landscaping is using patio-grade stone for a driveway. If you drive a 2-ton SUV onto a thin slab, it will snap. Thickness is your insurance policy.
20mm-25mm (Patio Grade)
Use: Foot traffic only. Garden paths, patios.
Risk: If laid on a driveway, even with a full mortar bed, the shear force of a turning tire can crack it.
30mm-40mm (Residential Driveway)
Use: Standard cars and SUVs.
Condition: Must be laid on a rigid wet mortar base (not sand).
Top Pick: Steel Grey Granite in 30mm is the standard spec for high-end domestic driveways.
50mm-100mm (Commercial/Cobbles)
Use: Delivery trucks, public roads, plazas.
Format: Often used as smaller "Cobbles" (100x100x100mm). The cube shape distributes weight perfectly.
Durability: Indestructible. This is what Roman roads were made of.
Base Preparation
The stone is only as good as the base. For a driveway, you need:
1. 150mm compacted Type 1 MOT (Sub-base).
2. 50mm wet mortar bed (4:1 sand/cement).
3. SBR Primer on the back of the stone (crucial for adhesion).
