Refurbish front drive

[hb1982]

It is an existing front drive, 6m by 6m and around 5 degree slopped outward to the street side.

Existing build-up is around 250mm thick concrete + patchy lose tarmac. A flower bed is planned around the side and front edge, where water can be drain to.

 

I do not want to dig up the thick concrete in this scenario. I am thinking of

1. remove tarmac

2. repair existing concrete to achieve a smooth and sloped surface

3. Finish the surface with resin bound on top

 

May I ask if this is the best and cost effective option? Any other brighter ideas that you can share here?

 

Thank you 

 

 

[saveasteading]

25 minutes ago, hb1982 said:

best and cost effective option

Tarmac the lot.

First clean the muck off.

Then get a specialist to do it, as they will fetch the material and lay it. It is a skill.

They should really fill up to existing tarmac level and roll, and then spread the whole area and roll again, to avoid bumps.

 

It needs a tack coat of bitumen first so that it stays stuck.

 

Tarmac remains flexible and will survive over the cracks, but resin won't.

 

 

[ProDave]

That looks like it was concrete, and the passing  travellers put a very thin coat of tar on with no preparation and it has predictable failed.  As above get it done properly next time.

[markc]

+1 to both of the above.

had the concrete been a single crack free slab then grinding would have been an option, but the cracks will come straight through a resin surface so it’s tarmac or dig up and replace.

[Bitpipe]

Resin bound is strong but will heave / sink and crack if the substrate moves - it is not that thick itself, maybe 30mm.

 

Ours sits on 70mm porous tarmac which itself sits on a generous layer of compacted shingles and type 1. 

 

After 5 years we have a few small cracks, all from the corners of a drain which must have settled over time.

[saveasteading]

33 minutes ago, ProDave said:

a very thin coat of tar on

How long does a curse last?

 

I once had a knock on the door, and a man said he would put an inch of 'leftover' tar on our drive for £100 (many years ago).

So, this really was a bargain and I agreed, and watched as they laid a half inch. 

When questioned they put more down and fluffed it up, but it ended up being 3/4 thick when rolled and they ran out of tar halfway.

Could I give them more money and they would come back with more????? No chance.

So they got more (remarkably quickly) and finished it, and they got the money.

And he gave me a receipt as promised, Mr Lee I recall,  and a curse, although on what grounds he didn't explain.

 

It lasted well and I put that down to supervision.

 

Moral, what finished thickness is more important than 'half a ton'.

 

More recently I found that we, as a company, could buy tarmac from the plant much cheaper than  our smaller  subbies, from whom they also wanted advance payment.

I asked why and it was to do with admin hassle and small loads...and something else they wouldn't explain.

 

Thus a proper tarmac contractor is the best way to go.

 

 

[Onoff]

48 minutes ago, saveasteading said:

How long does a curse last?

 

Next July it'll be 30 years here.

[Radian]

50 minutes ago, saveasteading said:

Thus a proper tarmac contractor is the best way to go.

 

 

Any tips on how to find one of those?

[saveasteading]

If no recommendations?

The local paper or free ad paper. Or electronic yellow pages.

 

A small contractor is probably fine. 

This is one job on site I have never 'helped' with.

The small groundworker we used for years always brought in a particular mate just for this, as it needed an 'eye' for the thicknesses, and handling the rake, and the others barrowed and shovelled as instructed. Then rolled it.

[hb1982]

Thank you all! Will check out some local contractor regarding Tarmac surface. Thx