Low maintenance driveway options

[Nutty_Death]

Going to be laying a new drive as part of some other building work. What material would you recommend that is low maintenance?
Was considering tarmac with block paving edging.

Now I'm thinking about resin but I've heard that it cracks.

I like the look of block paving but it needs regular maintenance to keep moss build up down.

 

[Duke]

I was going to suggest resin as its more interesting than plain tarmac. Definitely stay away from block paving and gravel.

 

[sad099]

I was going to suggest resin as its more interesting than plain tarmac. Definitely stay away from block paving and gravel.

Hi
Curious as to why you would say stay away from block paving and gravel ?
considering having ours done at some point next year so any info would be useful

 

[Duke]

From seeing other peoples over the years, gravel ends up spreading everywhere, especially into the road and path. Block paving looks great for the first year or two until it then has moss, grass and weeds starting to creep in and car tyres tend to leave marks and the blocks gradually move apart in some parts on the ones I've seen as well. They can be pressure washed to help but depends if you want the upkeep or not and how well its laid in the first place.

Just my 2p.

 

[sovietspybob]

I love the look of block paving and it's my personal favourite but it's definitely not zero maintenance, you'll need to either pressure wash it and or weed kill it at least once a year and probably brush in some sand annually as well. Does have its advantages as if some blocks do get damaged like if a can spills some oil you can just replace those few.

Also i think it needs more care when laying compared to others so they don't sink like they can do if laid badly.

 

[R B Customs]

tarmac may be your best low maintenance option that's budget friendly and will last. Resin is very low maintenance but is very costly. I'd like to know more about problems with it cracking though as I'm looking at it too and the guys who's been round flogging it will tell you anything.

There's patterned concrete as an option too - it's a little bit less expensive, and sort of low maintenance but can require coating / sealing every few years & can also crack.

 

[Nutty_Death]

Going to be laying a new drive as part of some other building work. What material would you recommend that is low maintenance?
Was considering tarmac with block paving edging.

Now I'm thinking about resin but I've heard that it cracks.

I like the look of block paving but it needs regular maintenance to keep moss build up down.

It was something someone who I enquired about getting a quote from. Turns out he doesn't do resin drives despite me initially asking that, so he obviously has a conflict of interest trying to sway me towards block paving which he can do.

I've heard that resin is less maintenance and doesn't get water pooling issues like tarmac.

 

[robj20]

Resin has its problems and it costs as you basically need another driveway under it such as concrete or tarmac. I reckon the ones that crack are those that just put resin on top of hardcore.

 

[TheFew]

So with tarmac......

Is it porous or does it need to be levelled in such a way that water drains where you want it too?

Does tarmac have to be black or can you get different colours?

 

[DXP55]

I have a gravel drive - The reason being it's a long drive and anything else was out of my reach at the time - I did put MOT down first and really waka plated it for ages then graveled it -my mistake was not having smaller gravel - Even with smaller gravel I think I would still have had the tyre tracks in it and gravel creeping up into ridges all along.
It was a cheap fix but I should have had tarmac - But there again you need people who do tarmac properly - solid base -course tarmac followed with top layer of fine tarmac. - I do spray all the weeds on a regular basis.
Pavers need looking after - you can buy big containers of moss killer that will last you a life time - Then you need weedkiller - Those two will keep it looking OK.
Next doors looks like new but she scrapes the joints every year and scrubs and polish's it (almost) fastidious is the word - They won't even let the oil delivery lorry up it.

 

[robj20]

So with tarmac......

Is it porous or does it need to be levelled in such a way that water drains where you want it too?

Does tarmac have to be black or can you get different colours?

You can get permeable tarmac and different colours.

Your looking for ULTIDRIVE POROUS

 

[Mickcas]

We've just had ours done in resin 2 weeks ago. almost all of the front not just the drive.

The drive itself had 1 major crack, plus a cut out of 2m by 1m which was filled with stones and weeds, drive then dropped down to the path with a half meter gap filled with stones and weeds again, plus the same across the front of the house.

We had the hole lot done, concrete in the cracks and filled the gaps replacing the need for stones etc, then resin all over plus some nice blocks where the drive drops down to the path.

I've read almost zero maintenance but time will tell, we live very close to the sea so the concrete would need a power wash at least twice a year to keep it looking half decent, hopefully this will be less.

I'm very pleased with the result though, me and the wife are already planning on more garden work out the front and that will likely include more resin.

Good choice of colours and designed if thats your thing too.

 

[TheFew]

You can get permeable tarmac and different colours.

Your looking for ULTIDRIVE POROUS

Thanks, will have a look!

 

[sovietspybob]

I have a gravel drive - The reason being it's a long drive and anything else was out of my reach at the time - I did put MOT down first and really waka plated it for ages then graveled it -my mistake was not having smaller gravel - Even with smaller gravel I think I would still have had the tyre tracks in it and gravel creeping up into ridges all along.
It was a cheap fix but I should have had tarmac - But there again you need people who do tarmac properly - solid base -course tarmac followed with top layer of fine tarmac. - I do spray all the weeds on a regular basis.
Pavers need looking after - you can buy big containers of moss killer that will last you a life time - Then you need weedkiller - Those two will keep it looking OK.
Next doors looks like new but she scrapes the joints every year and scrubs and polish's it (almost) fastidious is the word - They won't even let the oil delivery lorry up it.

If you need gravel, slate waste works really well, we've got literally tones and tones of it to make up our current drive. It packs down into an almost concrete like solid unlike normal gravel so it doesn't get thrown around everywhere but it does suffer badly from weeds and can rut if you've got it on a steep slope.