Driveway Sub-Base: The Part You Never See That Matters Most
A great driveway starts underneath the surface. Whether you choose resin, blocks or tarmac, what you're really buying is the foundation under it - and it's where bad installers cut the corners you can't see.
By Quantock Paving Ltd — driveway and patio installers serving Somerset, Bristol and selected Devon locations.
Updated
What a sub-base actually is
The sub-base is the supporting layer below the driveway construction. Compacted, graded stone such as MOT Type 1 is used in many conventional build-ups to spread vehicle loads into the ground. The material must suit the whole design: a permeable system needs a compatible drainage specification rather than an automatic choice of Type 1.
Why driveways sink
Insufficient support, unsuitable material and poor compaction can contribute to sinking or rutting. Surface movement needs an on-site assessment of the ground, base, drainage and edges; its appearance alone does not establish the cause. Relaying blocks without dealing with an underlying base problem can leave the same weakness in place.
Questions that expose a corner-cutter
Ask any installer these, and listen for confident, specific answers:
- • What depth will you excavate to, and what does that depend on?
- • What sub-base material do you use, and how do you compact it?
- • How will you handle the edges so they don't spread?
- • Where will the water go?
- • Is muck-away included in the price?
Our standard
We assess the ground, expected loads, levels and drainage before specifying the construction. Ask for the proposed excavation, sub-base material, compaction and edge restraints in writing. A depth on its own cannot tell you whether the complete driveway design is suitable.
From a real project: Weston-super-Mare
On our Weston-super-Mare Canberra resin project, the existing surface was a mixture of worn tarmac and concrete. We removed failed material, prepared the levels and installed a permeable concrete base, with channel drainage beside the buildings. The photograph shows the base before resin was laid; it is one project's construction, not a universal specification for every driveway.
See the preparation and finished result: Canberra resin driveway in Weston-super-Mare
