Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Driveway, sloped towards the house

31 replies

seeyouyesterday · 22/09/2026 18:20

We’re finally getting our drive done, after years of talking about it! It’s just grass at the moment & it slopes down towards the house. It’s going to be blocked paved as that turned out to be more cost effective surprisingly. I’m wondering if you have a sloped drive, what did you opt for, block paving, tar mac? How is it in winter with ice? I can just imagine me trying to walk up it & sliding back down!!

OP posts:

Tortephant · 22/09/2026 18:23

Resin, but I do like block paving.

Erinsasaint · 22/09/2026 18:24

How sloped? What degree?

bilbodog · 22/09/2026 18:26

You need some drainage so water doesnt run down towards the house and into it.

LilyForrest · 22/09/2026 18:27

I would avoid lock block, it's a lot of upkeep. Our current is tarmac & looks tidy, although we aren't on a slope so haven't got experience of that. Would gravel not be better as it drains well & doesn't get as icy in the winter. Also depending on what type of area you live in gravel is supposed to put burglars off as it's not as easy to creep about on.

BeMintFatball · 22/09/2026 18:32

The house I grew up in had a very steep slope. To park a car we had to leave it in reverse else the hand brake would not
have been enough.

In icy weather we walked up the grass. In later years Mum commissioned a local blacksmith to install a handrail up the driveway as she was frail and needed to hold on to something.

We never had a problem with flooding. Driveway 1970’s crazy paving but there was a small drain in front of the garage

SleepingisanArt · 22/09/2026 19:06

Ours is not a steep slope but it does slope towards the house. We have block paving (needs weeding frequently) and a large bed of plants to one side as the double drive can only cover 2/3rds the width of the house under council rules. We have a drainage channel which runs across the width of the garage and the water goes directly into the main drain. It's been like it for nearly 30 years and we've never had a flood or water getting into the garage (which is too small to fit a modern car in!) We wouldn't have block paving again due to the weeds and the ants who like to burrow through the sand but would probably go for resin...

MrsKateColumbo · 22/09/2026 19:09

We have a drainage channel too, i also have them at the back as my plot of land undulates a lot lol.

We have large crazy paving (?)

Arran2024 · 22/09/2026 19:18

We had crazy flash flooding here about 20 years ago - it was so bad, people were in canoes (sw London). The houses which had downward drives or even downward paths were all badly flooded. It's unusual but it does happen - we never expected our area to be flooded. So I would be very careful about the drainage and maybe keep some sandbags around just in case.

Springtimeinsunshine · 22/09/2026 19:19

Get a drainage channel put in.

DO NOT HAVE BLOCK PAVING unless you like weeding for hours several times a year. It's worth paying that bit extra for something else.

ThatBoilsMyBagels · 22/09/2026 19:20

This doesn't seem sensible in terms of flood risk.

CitationNeeded · 22/09/2026 19:23

I have block paving and it takes a lot in terms of weeding!

PigletJohn · 22/09/2026 19:35

I have block paving and occasionally use Pathclear weedkiller. It leaves a film on the surface that prevents seeds germinating.

Of course, if you break up the film by scraping the surface or pulling roots out, it doesn't work, so you have to do it again. So do that first.

This year has been so dry I just used regular weedkiller on the few weeds.

Glittertwins · 22/09/2026 19:39

We have resin, the water does not pool like the old block paving and it doesn’t get slippery in winter either.

Morecoffeeneedef · 22/09/2026 19:46

PigletJohn · 22/09/2026 19:35

I have block paving and occasionally use Pathclear weedkiller. It leaves a film on the surface that prevents seeds germinating.

Of course, if you break up the film by scraping the surface or pulling roots out, it doesn't work, so you have to do it again. So do that first.

This year has been so dry I just used regular weedkiller on the few weeds.

This is terrible for the environment to be constantly putting poison into the ground . Insects and other wildlife are stressed already.

cityliving99 · 22/09/2026 19:50

Make sure you have a proper drainage system put in, as the water will be flowing towards your house….
Washing powder can prevent moss growth, but you still end up with random weeds in places.

PigletJohn · 22/09/2026 20:04

Morecoffeeneedef · 22/09/2026 19:46

This is terrible for the environment to be constantly putting poison into the ground . Insects and other wildlife are stressed already.

Show quote history

I put it onto the leaves of the weeds.

Were you thinking I poured long-lasting chemicals into the ground?

Salt, washing powder and other home made remedies are more likely to be persistent.

"Constantly" is a strange accusation for you to invent.

Morecoffeeneedef · 22/09/2026 20:17

PigletJohn · 22/09/2026 20:04

I put it onto the leaves of the weeds.

Were you thinking I poured long-lasting chemicals into the ground?

Salt, washing powder and other home made remedies are more likely to be persistent.

"Constantly" is a strange accusation for you to invent.

Edited

Show quote history

Thing is, the poison gets washed into the ground by the rain, insects and small animals ingest it, it pollutes the soil. It doesn't just where you put it.
I'm sorry if 'constantly' is incorrect, but it sounded as if you were regularly and frequently putting poison on plants as they grow up.

Fiddlesticks1 · 22/09/2026 20:57

Hate block paving. You need to treat it to keep it looking good. Frequently weed and make sure you don’t always park in the identical spot as it sinks.

PigletJohn · 22/09/2026 21:57

PigletJohn · 22/09/2026 19:35

I have block paving and occasionally use Pathclear weedkiller. It leaves a film on the surface that prevents seeds germinating.

Of course, if you break up the film by scraping the surface or pulling roots out, it doesn't work, so you have to do it again. So do that first.

This year has been so dry I just used regular weedkiller on the few weeds.

I can't see "regularly" or "frequently."

How many times a year do you think Pathclear is used?

MsAdoraBelleDearheartVonLipwig · 22/09/2026 22:08

We had a resin drive laid about five years ago. We had flower beds dug out in front of the house to allow for drainage as it slopes slightly It’s lovely and tidy and easy to walk on but it can be a bit slippery in the winter.

justasking111 · 22/09/2026 22:27

Springtimeinsunshine · 22/09/2026 19:19

Get a drainage channel put in.

DO NOT HAVE BLOCK PAVING unless you like weeding for hours several times a year. It's worth paying that bit extra for something else.

Here we spray anything growing, let it die then pressure wash.

My neighbours drive slopes down they have a drainage channel right across the garage tied into the sewer. We had a burst pipe in the road that leaked for months their drive took the brunt being at the bottom of the hill. Never flooded.

DogAnxiety · 22/09/2026 22:28

We have crazy paving, inherited with the house. Looks terrible aesthetically but structurally it is good - minimal weed growth and the mortar is slightly porous so water can escape. There are also drainage channels for flash flooding and it’s easy to pressure wash.

The resin looks good but a relative is obsessed with stains. Maybe there are better products that don’t absorb stains, I don’t know.

Many driveway contractors are completely shonky. I’d only ever go with a local council-approved trader. It’s the Wild West, along with roofing and scaffolding.

If you’re in a low-lying or otherwise flood prone area then you could always consider gravel set in those grid tile things. That seems fairly stable but also allows drainage.

pinkishtongue · 22/09/2026 22:31

Springtimeinsunshine · 22/09/2026 19:19

Get a drainage channel put in.

DO NOT HAVE BLOCK PAVING unless you like weeding for hours several times a year. It's worth paying that bit extra for something else.

Paying extra? Block paving was way more expensive when I had quotes to get my drive done

LVPLVT · 22/09/2026 22:31

Just check the planning requirements, it doesn’t all fall within PD.

DogAnxiety · 22/09/2026 22:34

To answer your specific questions (sorry!) we had block paving at the last place and ice was not an issue. It didn’t seem to form, maybe bevause it is a bit undulating. Have had tarmac in the past and that was a devil for ice as it was so smooth. But, if your drive is sloping, then ice should surely be less of a concern as you’re not going to get standing water thst has the chance to freeze.

Make sure whoever does it actually knows about building regs - not for the paperwork, but as a guardrail that they aren’t leaving you with a flood risk…

Flip

1 2