Block Paving Manhole Cover | Recessed Manhole Cover 80mm | Driveway Manhole Cover

It's a manhole cover built as a shallow tray rather than a solid plate. You fill the tray with the same blocks or slabs used on the surrounding surface, so the finished cover blends into the paving. The chamber underneath stays accessible because the whole filled unit lifts out.

Yes, the cover and frame are supplied together. The frame is bedded into the chamber opening and gives the cover a square, level seating face. Buying them as a matched pair avoids the fit problems you get when mixing parts from different sources.

The tray is designed for an 80mm infill. That's the depth of a lot of standard block pavers and setts, which is why it's such a common size for driveway work. Check your own blocks with a tape before you order.

No. The idea is that you use the same blocks as the rest of your driveway or patio so the pattern matches. Infill blocks, bedding mortar and jointing sand are all bought separately, usually from whoever supplied your paving.

The clear opening dimension isn't specified in this product record. Before ordering, measure the internal opening of your inspection chamber and confirm the cover suits it. If you're unsure, ask your groundworker or drainage supplier to check the chamber against the size you need.

The item weighs 11.2 kg as shipped. That's manageable for two people to carry and position, though once the tray is filled with blocks and mortar the finished weight goes up considerably. Plan for two people when lifting a filled cover.

Recessed covers of this style are widely used on domestic driveways where cars park and turn. The specific load rating isn't stated in this record, so if you need a documented rating, confirm it before you buy. Heavy plant, skip lorries and site machinery need a rated cover chosen for that duty.

It suits a new drive well, because the frame can be set to the right level while the base is going in rather than being retrofitted later. That's the easiest way to get a flush finish. On an existing drive the job is still doable but involves lifting blocks around the chamber.

Setts of the right depth work fine, as do thinner slabs packed up to the correct level. The main thing is matching the 80mm infill depth so the top surface finishes flush. Cutting is usually needed at the tray edges whatever unit you use.

Lifting keys hook into the key holes and let you raise the filled unit straight up. Keys are sold separately and vary by cover type, so it's worth buying a set at the same time and keeping them somewhere you'll find them again. Two people make the lift far easier once the tray is loaded.

Recessed covers are usually bedded on mortar around the frame, which gives a firm, weather-resistant joint. Whether a sealed cover is required depends on the chamber and its location. Foul drainage inside a building generally needs a sealed and screwed cover, so check the requirement for your situation.

A tape, spirit level, string line, bolster and lump hammer or a block splitter, a bucket trowel and something to mix mortar in will cover most of the job. A cut-off saw with a diamond blade makes the block cuts around the tray edges much tidier. Wear eye protection and gloves.

If you're already laying block paving, this is within reach as a DIY job. It's mostly careful measuring, getting the frame level and cutting infill blocks neatly. If the chamber is deep, carries foul drainage, or you're unsure about levels, get a groundworker or drainage contractor involved.

Bed them properly on mortar rather than dropping them into loose sand, and cut the edge pieces to fit snugly rather than leaving wide gaps. Joint the blocks the same way you jointed the rest of the paving. Well bedded infill can last as long as the drive itself.

Yes, the tray lifts out as one piece to open the chamber. That's normally quick with the right keys. Because the blocks stay in the tray, refitting is just a matter of dropping the unit back onto the frame.

A cover that's seated correctly on a level frame should sit still. Rocking almost always means grit on the seating face or a frame that hasn't been bedded flat. Clean the rebate out and re-check the frame level before assuming there's a fault.

A recessed tray cover is the usual answer, because it takes the same slabs or blocks used on the patio. The alternative is a plain lid, which always draws the eye. For patios, check the slab depth against the 80mm infill so you aren't packing the tray out too much.

The tray is designed for a rigid infill like blocks or slabs, so it works best in paved surfaces. Loose gravel tends to scatter out of a shallow tray over time. In a lawn, a plain lid or a purpose-made grass cover is usually a better match.

Frames are normally bedded on mortar and supported around the chamber opening so the load is carried by the surround rather than the chamber walls. How that's built depends on the chamber and the surface above it. Follow the drainage detail your installer is working to.

You can pack the tray with a mortar or concrete bed under the blocks to bring them up to the right level. Plenty of installers do exactly that. Just keep the bed solid and even so the blocks don't sink or crack later.

Colour isn't specified in this product record. Once filled, most of what you see is your own paving anyway, with only the tray edge showing. That's a large part of why people choose a recessed cover.

The material isn't stated in this record. If the material specification matters for your project, confirm it with the supplier before ordering. The shipped weight of 11.2 kg gives some sense of how substantial the unit is.

For someone already laying the surrounding paving, setting the frame and filling the tray is usually part of a day's work rather than a job on its own. Mortar needs time to cure before heavy traffic goes over it. Allow longer if you're cutting the chamber surround to suit.

For normal car use it's the same situation as a private drive. The thing to watch is heavier vehicles, since delivery lorries and skip trucks put much more load through a cover. If those are likely, choose a cover with a stated rating for that duty.

Sweep the surface like the rest of your paving. Once or twice a year, lift the cover, brush out the frame rebate and clear any silt that has collected. Keeping the seating face clean is what stops a cover rocking.

The infill blocks can be treated with whatever sealer you use on the surrounding paving, following that product's instructions. Avoid getting sealer into the frame rebate or the lifting key holes, since that makes future lifts harder. Test on a spare block first.

The cover and frame arrive as separate components in one package, ready to be bedded into place on site. There's no assembly in the usual sense, just installation. Package dimensions are 68.4 x 53.8 x 8.6 cm.

It isn't exactly a wrapped present, but it's a genuinely useful thing to buy for someone mid-renovation who has been staring at an ugly lid for months. If you're buying for a project, check the chamber size with them first. Nobody wants a cover that doesn't fit their opening.

Delivery timing depends on your storefront and destination, and the details are shown at checkout. Because this is a heavy item, keep it in its packaging until you're ready to install. If a return is needed, contact us before fitting, since a bedded-in cover can't be sent back.

Get in touch with our team and describe the chamber opening and the situation. If the cover hasn't been fitted and is still in resaleable condition, we'll talk you through the return options for your country. If you're unsure before ordering, message us with your measurements and we'll help you work out whether this size suits.