Services
Cobblestone driveways
Full cobblestone drives, laid by hand on a base built for the soil on your lot.
The base, by soil
Ground changes from lot to lot, so we build the base for what we find when we dig.
Sandy Cape lots drain well, but sand shifts and washes out. On those lots we build a well-compacted chipstone base in lifts.
Inland soil, such as clay, loam or wet ground, moves with frost. On those lots we dig deeper, put down more compacted base, and use geotextile fabric where the soil needs separating.
How we build it
Point 01
We dig 10 to 12 inches below the finished surface.
Point 02
We lay the chipstone base in lifts and compact each lift with 3 to 4 passes of a plate compactor.
Point 03
We set the cobbles in mortar, not sand.
Point 04
Mortar locks the cobbles against shifting, rocking, spreading and sinking under vehicle load, weather and freeze-thaw.
Point 05
Mortar fills the joint to about 1 inch below the top. Polymeric sand fills the rest.
Point 06
Polymeric sand may need topping up over time, after weather, washing or normal wear.
Point 07
We pack mortar tight against the outside cobbles to lock the edges.
Why driveways fail
Common problems with cobblestone driveways, and what causes each.
- Sunken stones
- Poor base or not enough compaction.
- Heaving after winter
- Bad drainage, or a base that isn't deep enough.
- Washout
- Water gets under the surface and carries the base away.
We compact each lift until the base is tight and doesn't move underfoot.
The stone
- A mix of reclaimed and quarried stone.
- A substantial share of it comes from Pennsylvania.
- Belgian block is common on Cape work.
Tell us about your project
We'll call you to set up a site visit.