Cobblestone Driveway: A Weekend Project

Cobblestone Driveway: A Weekend Project

Cobblestone pavers are a long-lasting, attractive alternative to stone driveways, walkways and patios. Laying cobblestone is not that hard of a job and even a novice in installing cobblestone can have it finished quickly with using the proper material and installation instructions. It will take some time and effort, but it will be well worth it in the end. Within a couple of days you can give your home that nice European “Old World” look and improve the appearance, functionality and value of your home. Here is what you need to do:

Remove Existing Driveway

Do not try to lay cobblestones on your existing driveway, you will need to remove it, otherwise you’ll have a 2 to 3 inch drop from your driveway to your garage floor. It’s a difficult job and you will need jackhammers, sledgehammers and pry bars, but if the driveway is big – rent an excavator or hire a contractor.

Prepare Base

After removing old material, you should also remove enough of the old driveway base so you could lay in a base for the cobblestone. Remove any roots, rocks and grass and use the excavator or shovels to dig down about 7 inches below grade. According to highly-rated suppliers of cobblestone pavers, you can spread crushed rock or crushed limestone and compact it well with a power tamper to form a level surface 4 ½” thick. After that, spread coarse sand over the base, level it and smooth with a rake. If you start laying cobblestones without compacting the sand and gravel, they will very likely sink in places and make your driveway uneven.

Lay Border and Field Cobble

Install any edging. Tie a piece of string and run a line along the outside edges of the driveway. You can cut cobble mats in half lengthwise and lay the border pieces following the string guideline. A popular choice when installing cobblestone pavers is also brick edging (lay bricks the same way as instructed). The best place to start laying main cobbles is at the garage or the center of the driveway. Line up the mats and try to maintain a consistent joints size.

You will want to try to place the stones as close together as you can. Ensure that the stones stay centered throughout the driveway. This will make a stronger surface with a tighter look. You will need to cut the cobble (stone splitter, hammer and chisel) if you have any curves or decorative elements.

Driveway Side View

Compact Cobble

Run the plate compactor or power tamper over the surface to settle the cobbles into the leveling sand after you mist the cobbles with water. Compact the tile into the base approximately 3/8”. Check to make sure that the cobbles are flush with the edge of the street and that there are no high or low spots on the apron. If a spot needs adjusting, lift up that mat and either excavate or add more leveling sand. In the end, clean out the joints with a leaf blower.

Mix the Grout

We recommend you use the permeable epoxy grout. Combine the ingredients in a cement mixer and mix it for two to three minutes. Stay away from cementious grout because it will crack. Instead, you could use polymeric sand or washed ⅜-inch gravel as alternatives.

Grout It

Before you start grouting, spray the cobblestone with water because it will prevent the grout from sticking to the surface. Work the grout into the space between the cobbles using a squeegee. When you fill the joints, run the squeegee across the surface to remove the surplus grout.

Allow It to Dry

For the next five hours avoid walking or driving your vehicle across your freshly made driveway. The cobbles should be ready to drive on after 24 hours.

Driveway

A cobblestone driveway requires very little maintenance, just wash it up once or twice a year and pull the weeds that grow through. Laying a cobblestone driveway is basically a weekend project, but a well-built driveway can remain stable and functional for as long as 100 years.