Which Driveway Stone for a Driveway is Best?

Driveway stone is the common term used for constructing the sub base of a driveway. Other terms you’ll frequently hear include Type 1, Scalpings, hardcore and MOT Roadstone.

The Importance of Driveway Stone

For driveway installations (that are not overlays) the importance of constructing a suitable sub base is as important as the finished paving surface.

Why?

Driveway stone provides support for the driveway surface. When a driveway is installed with a decent sub base problems such as sinking and cracking are greatly reduced. A well constructed sub base will support and provide stability.

Driveway Stone – Hardcore, Scalpings or MOT Type 1 

Hardcore

In an environmentally friendly sense using recycled materials makes sense. Hard core consisting of crushed concrete and other building materials is one option. But if you look at the energy needed to do this…it’s hardly environmentally friendly! As well as that hardcore just leaves huge gaps and this may lead to movement.

Old Concrete Drive laid on mish mash of slabs and brick hard core with tree roots helping stability!

Recycled Hardcore of bits of concrete does not make a good sub base.

So just forget hardcore!

Scalpings

Significant cost savings are achieved by using scalpings. As load bearing for a typical driveway is nowhere near that of a road, scalpings can do the job. However, a significant factor of whether scalpings are suitable (or not) will depend on the substrate (the area which the sub base is laid on) and the likelihood of movement.

For a general idea….a tightly packed suburban terraced house will probably have less movement than a steep gradient driveway in a rural area.

MOT Type 1 Stone

This is rock crushed and graded down from 40mm to dust. Increasingly MOT Type 3 Stone is being used in permeable paving surfaces such as permeable block paving and resin driveways as the smaller aggregate allows better drainage.

Without a doubt…in terms of driveway sub base construction MOT Stone is the best. It’s the stuff you see piled up for road construction (hence MOT). So, if it’s good enough for a motorway…it’s going to be outstanding for a driveway.

Newly installed Tarmacadam, Block Paving and Pattern Imprinted driveways need to be installed on MOT Type 1 Stone sub bases. Suitable drainage must also be installed as Type 1 offers very poor drainage.

Permeable block paving, gravel and resin driveways need MOT Type 3 stone. This provides effective permeability and ensures compliance with sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDs) regulations.

How much does Driveway Stone cost?

Many driveway contractors will have arrangements in place with waste carriers (that need to be licenced) and the usual process if for driveway stone to be delivered as waste material is taken away. This is efficient as nobody likes piles of mud and debris outside their house!

MOT Type 1 Stone is approximately £25-30 per ton but scalpings cost much less at around £10 or less.

Driveway waste material is replaced with a pile of driveway stone

A pile of mud and stone to be removed.

Can you get away with not using Driveway Stone at all?

Yes. But not in the sense of just laying blocks or pattern imprinted concrete on a soil sub base (believe it or not, this has been known.)

One of the great benefits of having a resin driveway installation is that overlays are possible on top of existing (suitable and stable) tarmacadam or concrete.

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