External hardstanding

Concrete is the ideal material for the construction of parking and working areas around buildings. It provides a hard-wearing surface which drains well at low gradients. Concrete resists spillages of diesel and other petroleum-based products. Concrete is relatively light in colour and hence concrete parking areas are easy to illuminate.

High quality, durable, attractive hardstandings can be produced using block paving or in-situ concrete.

Guidance on the design of in-situ concrete hardstandings is available from both the Concrete Society and Britpave. Careful consideration needs to be given to the thickness of the slab and joint layouts to ensure the full benefit of concrete’s excellent long-term durability performance is achieved. The rigidity of an in-situ concrete slab enables it to spread imposed loads over a sufficiently large area of the underlying soil so that any deflections are small. Concrete slabs also resist indentation by the dolly wheels or pads on the front legs of lorry trailers and the surface can be textured to provide skid resistance.

For more information on paving, visit the Interpave website.