Why is block paving used on industrial yards?
Because it spreads heavy, concentrated loads across many interlocking units and can be repaired one area at a time. When a forklift wheel or a lorry's outrigger presses down, the load is shared by the surrounding blocks through their shape and the joint sand. If a service trench is needed, or a small area is damaged, the blocks are lifted and relaid without cutting a scar into the surface.
Yards also tend to be extended or reorganised as a business grows. A block-paved surface can be modified, with new drainage, bollards or bays, without breaking out large slabs. The choice of base and block for heavy loads is explained in our guide to the base for different traffic loads, and the difference between a light build and one prepared for heavy traffic is set out in our article on budget versus heavy-traffic builds.
What is different about the base under a yard?
Its depth, the care taken over compaction and, often, the addition of a bound layer. Heavy vehicles pass their loads deep into the ground, so the granular sub-base must be thicker than under a domestic drive and compacted in more layers. On weak ground, or where loads are very high, a cement-bound layer or a concrete base under the blocks may be specified.
We do not give load values or layer depths on the website, because they depend on the ground and the vehicles, and where a job needs a design calculation or a geotechnical study it is prepared by a qualified professional engaged by the owner. We execute the base and the paving to the agreed specification. More on bound bases is on our sister site's page on a concrete base for paving.
Which blocks are used for heavy traffic?
Thicker blocks with an interlocking shape, laid in a pattern that locks in every direction. The double-T, sometimes called a wavy or bone-shaped block, is a common choice on yards because its outline keys into the neighbouring blocks on all sides. Rectangular blocks in herringbone are also suitable when the block thickness matches the traffic.
Concrete paving blocks are specified to UNE-EN 1338, with the Spanish complement UNE 127338, which sets the requirements and test methods. The block class and thickness are chosen from the vehicles you describe, not from a catalogue default. Kerbs and edge beams around the yard follow UNE-EN 1340 and UNE 127340, and are sized to resist the sideways push of turning wheels.
How is a large yard laid?
In a methodical sequence, with machinery used wherever it saves effort and keeps the levels consistent across a big area. String lines, screed rails and a plate compactor keep the surface true, and blocks are brought to the laying face on pallets.
- Set out the levels, falls and drainage points across the whole yard.
- Excavate and remove the old surface, loading waste for authorised disposal.
- Spread and compact the sub-base in layers; add a bound layer where specified.
- Build edge beams, kerbs and the surrounds of drains and covers.
- Screed the grit laying course to rails at an even depth.
- Lay the blocks to a string line, keeping the bond straight over long distances.
- Cut at edges, compact the surface, fill the joints with sand and compact again.
Cutting and compaction near edges and covers deserve the most attention, because small cut pieces are where yards fail first. The specific risks at edges are explained in our guide to edge restraint. We avoid slivers by planning the bond from the edges inwards, so cut pieces stay as large as possible.
Can the business keep working during the paving?
In most cases, yes, with phasing. We divide the yard into sections, agree which loading doors and routes stay open in each phase, and schedule deliveries of materials so they do not block your own vehicles. The plan is agreed with the site manager before work starts.
Large jobs also need a clear arrangement for health and safety, since forklifts, lorries and our own machinery share the space. Royal Decree 1627/1997 sets the minimum health and safety provisions for construction works with or without a project, and we organise the work area, barriers and routes accordingly. For businesses that also have customer parking, see car parks and communities.
How is water drained from a large paved yard?
With falls planned across the whole area and channels or gullies placed where vehicles cross least. A big surface collects a large volume of rain, so the falls are set during the base stage and checked again during screeding. Channels in front of loading doors protect goods and floors inside the building.
Loading doors deserve particular care. Lorries reverse and stop at the same spot many times a day, so the strip in front of each door takes repeated braking and standing loads. We usually propose a channel drain, a strong edge beam against the building and blocks cut cleanly to the beam, so that no small cut pieces sit where wheels stop.
Where oils, fuels or washing water may reach the surface, the drainage design and any separators are matters for the owner's technical adviser. We build the falls, channels and connections to the specification provided. The general principles are explained in our guide to falls and drains.
What drives the cost of an industrial yard?
Mainly the area, the depth and type of base, the block thickness, the drainage, the edges and the phasing. Large areas benefit from mechanised work, while heavy specifications add material and compaction time. Breaking out old concrete or asphalt adds removal and waste costs.
All figures are on our price site: block paving cost per square metre, labour only or turnkey for clients who supply their own blocks, and what a quote includes. Send us a photo and the approximate m² – free, no-obligation quote, together with a description of the vehicles using the yard.
Frequently asked questions
Is block paving strong enough for forklifts and lorries?
It can be, when the base, block thickness and pattern are chosen for that traffic. Interlocking blocks on a deep, well-compacted sub-base, sometimes with a bound layer, carry heavy vehicles well. The specification is set for each yard from the vehicles and the ground.
What is a double-T paving block?
A concrete block whose outline looks like two letter Ts joined base to base. The shape keys each block into its neighbours on every side, which helps the surface resist the turning and braking forces of heavy vehicles. It is widely used on yards and car parks.
Do you provide the structural design for the yard?
No. We execute paving works. When a yard needs a structural calculation, a geotechnical study or a drainage design, that is prepared by a qualified professional engaged by the owner, and we build to that specification.
Can you lay blocks that we have already bought?
Yes. We can work on a labour-only basis with blocks supplied by the client, provided they suit the traffic and arrive in good condition. The price site explains the difference between labour-only and turnkey quotes.
Can the yard stay in use while it is paved?
Usually yes, by working in phases. We agree with the site manager which loading doors and routes stay open in each phase and schedule our deliveries around your operations. Each phase is reopened before the next one starts.
Why do yards fail at the edges first?
Because small cut blocks at the edges have less interlock and the edge restraint takes the push of turning wheels. If the kerbs or edge beams are weak, or the cut pieces are too small, the outer rows loosen. Strong edges and careful cutting prevent that.
How is drainage handled on a big yard?
Falls are set across the whole area during the base stage, with channels and gullies placed where vehicles cross least and in front of loading doors. Any separators or special drainage required for oils or washing water are specified by the owner's technical adviser.
Can an old concrete yard be paved over?
Sometimes, if the slab is sound and level enough to serve as a base and the finished levels still work at doors and drains. Cracked or settled slabs pass their faults to the blocks. We inspect the slab and recommend whether it stays or comes out.
Do you pave open storage and lay-down areas?
Yes. Open hardstanding for storage, pallets or parked machinery is paved in the same way as a yard. Mention any heavy static loads, such as containers or racking, so the base can be specified for them by the owner's adviser where necessary.
What should a business include in its enquiry?
Photos of the whole area, the loading doors and existing drains, the approximate dimensions, the vehicles that use the yard and any times when operations cannot be interrupted. That allows us to propose phasing and a quote suited to the site.