How to Lay Solid Concrete Blocks for a Driveway

Call 811 or the local utility company to find out where underground wires are located in your yard. Do not dig in any of these areas.

Lay ropes on the ground to mark the two sides of the driveway. Measure the width with measuring tape and adjust the ropes so they’re at least 14 feet apart where the driveway curves and 10 feet apart in straight parts. To accommodate two cars side-by-side, the width should be 16 to 22 feet.

Unearth growth and topsoil from the site with an excavator machine. Place the soil on a tarp so you can reuse it in new gardens and lower-lying parts of the yard. Remove at least 9 inches for the gravel and sand base, plus the thickness of the concrete blocks minus 1 inch so the driveway will sit above ground level.

Attach a grader blade to the back of a tractor and park the tractor at the end near the house. Set the blade at an angle of 1/8 inch for every foot and driveway slowly over the subsoil to create a consistent slope for drainage. This slope can also be dug with a shovel, but you must check the angle of the decline frequently to ensure accuracy.

Push a compactor machine over the subsoil to stabilize the ground.

Cover the site with an 8-inch layer of 3/4-inch gravel. Drive down the site again with the grader blade set at 1/8-inch per foot. Compact the rocks until they feel firm beneath the machine.

Line the inner walls with strong edging restraints like landscape timbers. Fit the restraints end-to-end and hammer 12-inch lawn spikes through each end of each timber on an angle so they don’t pull upward over time.

Spread a 1-inch bed of course sand over the gravel with a rake. The sharp edges will create friction against the bottom of the blocks, reducing movement.

Set the first block at the center of the curb end of the driveway. Place it on top of the sand without dragging it so you don’t disturb the sand bed. Lay blocks on both sides of the first one in your planned pattern. Work your way out to the ends, setting the sides flush so the joints are as minimal as possible.

Cut the end blocks with a masonry saw as needed to fit the site. Wear goggles, ear plugs and a face mask to protect yourself from harmful dust.

Brush fine, polymeric sand over the blocks with a firm broom once they’re all in place. Push it into the joints to fill any gaps and sweep off the excess. Polymeric sand contains binders that interlock with fine sand particles, increasing the durability and longevity of the joint fill. It also firms up when dry and softens when moist to effectively cushion the blocks when the ground shifts with changing temperatures.