Block paving in Beckenham
A driveway that makes the house.
A block-paved driveway laid on a properly dug and compacted sub-base, with borders and banding that frame the house and carry the car for years.
Why block paving
Strong, repairable and full of detail.
Block paving spreads the load across thousands of interlocking units, so it copes with turning wheels and can be lifted and relaid if a section ever needs attention.
Built from the ground up
The strength is in what you don’t see: excavation to firm ground, a compacted sub-base and a screeded bed before a single block goes down.
Herringbone for turning wheels
Laid at 45 or 90 degrees, herringbone locks the blocks together so they resist creeping under cars turning and braking.
Edges that hold it in
Kerbs and border courses set in concrete stop the paving spreading, and give a clean line against lawn, beds and the pavement.
Materials
Choose your block.
Colour, size and laying pattern all change how a driveway sits against the house. Borders and banding can be picked out in a contrasting block.
Concrete block
The everyday choice, in greys, charcoals, reds and brindles. Herringbone suits driveways; stretcher bond and basketweave suit paths and smaller areas.
- Upkeep
- Low
- Best for
- Most driveways
Clay pavers
Fired clay holds its colour for decades rather than fading, and sits naturally beside older brickwork.
- Upkeep
- Low
- Best for
- Period and brick-fronted homes
Permeable block
Wider joints filled with grit let rain soak through to a free-draining sub-base, so a front garden meets the permeable surfacing rule without a soakaway.
- Upkeep
- Low; keep the joints clear
- Best for
- Larger front gardens
Block paving projects
View full portfolio Block paving we’ve built.
Featured project
Red herringbone driveway
Red and brindle herringbone block paving with a cream inset line, a charcoal border and a patterned entrance band.
View project →
Bungalow block-paved driveway
A grey block-paved driveway wrapping around a bungalow, with a dark border, curved planted beds and a lamp post at the entrance.
Red herringbone driveway with diamond inlay
Red block paving laid in herringbone, with a buff border, a buff diamond inlay at the centre and a channel drain across the front.
Grey herringbone driveway
A wide grey block-paved driveway laid in herringbone, with charcoal border courses across the front of the house.
What’s included
Everything, start to finish. One fixed price.
The same way of working on every job, from the first conversation to the handover.
- A design visit at homeWe look at the space with you, talk about how you’ll use it and sketch out the options.
- Samples in your own lightSee the materials against your house before you choose.
- A plan drawn to scaleLayout, levels and materials shown in place, with any lighting and planting your project needs.
- One fixed quoteClear and itemised, with no surprises halfway through.
- One number to callA single point of contact from the first visit to the handover.
- Handover and care guideA walk-through when we’re done, and simple tips to keep it looking new.
- Our written guaranteeUp to 10 years on our workmanship, in writing.
Do I need planning permission for a block-paved driveway?
Not if it is permeable or drains to a lawn, border or soakaway on your property. Laying more than 5 square metres of new hard surface in a front garden that runs off onto the road needs planning permission. Permeable block, or standard block laid to fall towards a planted area or soakaway, avoids that.
What about a dropped kerb?
To drive across the pavement you need your council’s approval as highway authority before the kerb is lowered, and the council usually says who may do the work. On a classified road, planning permission may be needed as well.
Why herringbone?
Each block is locked in by its neighbours in two directions, so the pattern resists the twisting and pushing of tyres better than straight rows. It is the usual choice wherever cars turn.
Will weeds come through?
Weeds in block paving mostly grow from seeds landing in the joints, not from below. Joints kept topped up with kiln-dried sand and brushed regularly stay tight and give weeds little to hold on to.
Can it be repaired?
Yes. Unlike a poured surface, blocks can be lifted and relaid, for example after a utility repair, and the same blocks go back down so the patch doesn’t show.
Often paired with block paving
All services →Start your driveway
A driveway built from the ground up.
Book a visit. We’ll look at the frontage, the levels and where the water goes, and talk through colours and patterns.
- Written guarantee of up to 10 years on our workmanship
- Fully insured
- A family team. We never subcontract
Thank you, there.
Your enquiry is with our design team. We’ll be in touch within one working day to book your free visit.