Tarmac or something else?

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23 May 2008
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Wales
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We have a drive that was originally laid to tarmac but is so old that it is now 'breaking' up - I think because it was never top coated as the surface is very rough.

My questions are
- Could it just be 'top coated', and would doing so create any problems with lifting as the current surface is crumbling.
- Would 'top coating' be very expensive i there is not as much work to do with laying edging, base and sub coat etc.
- would it be more cost-effective, and attractive if it was simply covered with a decorative aggregate - and if so, to what thickness.

Thanks
 
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It might be breaking up because the existing sub base is rubbish. Unless you can check that you’ve got a reusable rock solid base I’d assume you need to start again
 
If the base is knackered, trying to do anything with it would just be throwing good money after bad. Only solution would be to dig the lot out to a reasonable depth, and relay. You need something in the region of 70-100mm depth of Base course, (20mm material), then 20-40mm depth of Wearing course on top of that. We used to use 6mm material for pavements, 10mm for Highways.

To 'Overlay' an existing surface, then the 'Wearing Course' needs to be stuck to something solid, a bitumen emulsion or 'Tack Coast' is sprayed onto the existing surface before overlaying with fresh material. If the base is crumbling, then the new material will have nothing to stick to and will simply lift and break up in no time.
 
Thanks for your input guys.
Whilst awaiting responses I asked a local contractor to come and give me a quote and he suggested laying a base coat to a small area which had no tarmac, and a top coat to the whole drive. The area is approx 15m long by 6m wide and he quoted £2700 + vat. There was no mention of a complete relay.
He did say that he thought the current surface was a base coat that had never been top coated.
 
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