New Driveway -Best Surface?

[dk1uk]

Hi - I have a driveway, big enough to get about 7 cars onto it. It's currently laid with concrete and I want to smarten it up. Originally I was going to dig up the concrete and lay gravel, but the sheer amount of work has put me off doing this.

So I'm thinking about an alternative to digging up the concrete. Surface dressing (tar and chip) looks like a potential option, but is is hard-wearing enough - will it last for years with cars driving over it?

Also, I get a LOT of leaf-fall in the autumn. Obviously, when leaves get wet they break-down fall apart. When surface dressing, do I risk having my annual leaf sweeping nightmare made worse when my new drive is stained with leaves that have fallen apart? Or will surface dressing withstand regular jet washing?

Would really appreciate any ideas or experience out there.

Thanks.

 

[pred]

This is my favorite, the stones come in 3 sizes,

http://simplypaving.com/block-pavin...ng-rustic-100-x-134-x-50-8-98m2-per-pack.html

I charge about £100per sqr m as a general guide, if you are getting a builder in ask to see jobs he's done and go and knock on their door to verify his credentials.

 

[noseall]

ALL drives no matter what the surface have their downsides.

Gravel for instance is cheap as chips but is a complete pain once the weed growing weather arrives. Also the gravel migrates to parts of the drive that are least driven over and to plenty of other places too.

Block paving is a garden of eden for weeds with all those joints, unless you are a diligent bod with plenty of time on yer hands. Can be dug up and repaired scar free though.

Well laid tarmac is a good surface and weeds will only proliferate at the edges if you let them. It does get less black as it gets older.

Printed or stencilled concrete is expensive but hard wearing but can be prone to thermal cracking. Nasty if you have to repair any bits though.

My personal fav is tarmac because i am lazy in that respect. I don't like to have to fuss over a driveway.

Avoid flags/slabs as these need to be laid very well and are not the best at dealing with sharp curves or complex falls.

 

[peterperfection]

Leave it as it is.
For the sake of 'VANITY''- keep your money and donate a bit of what you could have spent to a worthy charity.
NOBODY looks at your drive .

 

[pred]

I was thinking of buying this property

http://www.cjhole.co.uk/property-details/avon/bristol/westbury-on-trym-1

the drive is concrete and broken up, perspective buyers would probably look at the drive and drive off, i thought if i could get it at the right price, do the drive up the stick it back on the market, at a profit.

People do look at drives, FFS some look at the wallpaper and turn their nose up at a property.

If you want to do your drive up, as long as it's done properly, i have parked my Fiat Scudo on my drive many a time with a dumpy bag of sand in the back, roughly 900kilos and it's fine no trenching, same as tar, as long as it's done properly it'll not subside.

 

[Nige F]

I was thinking of buying this property

£285k I`d want the poxy drive renewed - and it to be a detached house for that money

 

[pred]

Hi -So I'm thinking about an alternative to digging up the concrete. Surface dressing (tar and chip) looks like a potential option, but is is hard-wearing enough - will it last for years with cars driving over it? Thanks.

No! the tar would probably have to be at least 2-3ins thick, this assuming the concrete is sound, as anything else will crack up and blow away in the wind.