A professionally well‑laid driveway will last for many years, but each season brings different maintenance requirements depending on the surface type. As the old saying goes, “prevention is better than cure,” so, in this article, we’ll share simple maintenance jobs for each season that can help ensure your new driveway surface stays in good condition for as long as possible.
Seasonal Maintenance
Autumn maintenance may be carried out year‑round and applies to all driveway surfaces, including block paving, resin-bound, gravel, and tar and chip. These jobs can be done at any time of year and are essentially general preventative maintenance.
The most important task is removing leaves and other debris that land on the surface in autumn. You can blow or brush them off. If left in place, they can erode the surface, especially if a persistent frost or freeze occurs over several days or weeks. This is a quick job: simply brush off the debris. Keeping your driveway clean not only improves longevity, but also maintains the aesthetic finish of the surface.
Summer Maintenance and the Effect of Extreme Heat
We recommend avoiding the laying of resin in very hot temperatures, because it can cure too quickly.
Warm temperatures can also cause tar‑and‑chip stones to embed more deeply if vehicles turn on the spot, so it’s best to avoid turning your wheels while stationary on hot days.
Turning the steering wheel too aggressively or repeatedly while your vehicle is stationary can, over time, cause light damage to a tar‑and‑chip surface.
Tarmac can become soft under extremely hot weather conditions, which is why we recommend not installing pedestrian‑grade tarmac if the surface will see a lot of vehicle traffic.
Correct installation of tarmac makes a huge difference to the material’s longevity. It is therefore important to choose a contractor who understands the sometimes complex task of preparing the site properly for tarmac installation.
General Weather Considerations
We aim to avoid installing any driveway surfaces in heavy rain, as it can undo much of the careful preparation work. Tarmac is an exception: it can be laid even in quite heavy rain because it’s pre‑made, viscous and non‑runny, and is hard‑wearing in many weather conditions.
Tar and chip surfacing in particular requires good weather conditions on installation day. If laid in heavy rain, the tar can be thinned out, causing long‑term issues and unnecessary mess. However, on the whole, tar and chip, like most surfaces, can be laid at any time of year – provided the weather is suitable.
Driveway Surfacing, Upkeep and Maintenance: The Differences Between Material Choices
Resin‑bound Surfaces
Although resin‑bound driveways are generally very easy to maintain, it’s important to keep them clean to maintain their shine. The resin compounds we use are UV‑friendly, so strong sunshine shouldn’t cause the surface to fade.
The biggest mistake in resin driveway maintenance is leaving leaf debris on the surface for too long. If debris is allowed to sit, weeds may grow. While most weeds can be brushed away with a stiff broom if caught early, it’s best to keep the driveway clean.
Tarmac/Asphalt Driveways
Tarmac driveways are very durable and hard‑wearing, and are particularly suitable for muddy vehicles or heavy traffic. It’s worth noting that tarmac is not as UV‑friendly as resin-bound surfaces; the sun will cause it to fade from black to grey over the first four or five years. While this doesn’t necessarily affect its longevity, it is a visible indicator of wear. Extremely hot weather can cause the tarmac to start breaking up around the edges.
Block‑Paved Driveways
Contrary to popular belief, block paving requires more maintenance than most other driveway surfaces. The look can be very pleasing, but block paving needs constant cleaning.
Maintenance may include re‑brushing kiln‑dried sand through the joints. The joints between blocks are the weak point of the driveway, and if neglected, they can start to grow weeds. The kiln‑dried sand used to fill the voids is effectively like soil – however, poor for most plants – yet weeds always find a way. Regular maintenance and occasional weeding will keep your block‑paved driveway looking good for longer.
Tar and Chip Driveways and Roads
Tar and chip surfacing should last many years, but regular sweeping to remove loose stones is essential if you want to maximise its lifespan. If you perform this simple task periodically, tar and chip is very durable, especially given its lower cost compared to some other surfaces.
During very hot summers or heatwaves, remember (as mentioned above) that turning wheels on the spot can push stones deeper into the tar and leave unsightly swirl marks.
Cleaning Methods for Driveways
Some misinformation online suggests that pressure‑washing is not suitable for resin. That is incorrect. Of course, very high‑pressure washers can damage any surface, but most household pressure washers are absolutely fine for keeping your resin surface clean and sparkling for many years.
We don’t have the space here to go into great depth on the chemicals to avoid or use for driveway cleaning. While we cannot explicitly recommend household cleaners to avoid, a professional surfacing company will use diesel to clean tools contaminated with tar or bitumen. The problem with doing this yourself is that diesel can leak into the tar, especially while the material is still warm or on a hot sunny day.
We do not recommend using diesel as a DIY cleaning method for any driveway surface.
Repairs and Weed Prevention for Driveways
The way repairs are carried out varies significantly depending on the material used. For general prevention, remember that weeds will grow anywhere given the opportunity, so brushing off leaves and debris helps prevent soil build‑up that facilitates weed growth.
Tarmac Repairs
Tarmac driveways are exceptionally hard‑wearing, but it’s worth being aware of early warning signs that repair or renewal may be needed. These include:
- Extreme fading, where the tarmac turns a light grey colour
- The emergence of hairline cracks
Hairline cracks are particularly important to watch: during harsh winters, water can sit in the cracks, freeze and expand, causing the cracks to widen. The simplest way to keep tarmac looking good and maintain its integrity is to keep it clean. If your driveway has faded and cracked, a professional surfacing company can apply a binding “tack” coat and overlay it.
However, if the tarmac has been neglected for too long it may become too brittle to repair effectively, and a full dig‑out and replacement may be required. Patching is possible for areas of damage, but because new tarmac is black and older tarmac is grey, results can look patchy and are often considered unsightly.
Repairing Resin Surfaces
An early warning sign for a resin surface needing repair is a very dull finish due to lack of cleaning, or surface weeds allowed to grow on debris that wasn’t swept away. However, resin driveways can be refreshed or updated by overlaying a new layer of resin and aggregate. As with other surfaces, brushing leaves off your resin driveway prevents debris from eroding into the surface and causing weed growth.
Block Paving Repairs
With block paving, the warning signs that repair may be needed include:
- Gaps in the sand visible between bricks
- Some blocks starting to sink
- Visible weed growth between the bricks
A quick fix when you notice gaps is to re‑brush kiln‑dried sand into the joints. How often this needs to be done depends on traffic, but it’s relatively easy. However, if the block‑paved driveway has deteriorated beyond this point, note that block paving cannot simply be overlaid because the material is too thick. A severely damaged block paving driveway will require a full dig‑out and replacement, or perhaps a switch to a different surface material.
Tar and Chip Repairs
Although tar and chip driveways don’t generally last as long as some other surfaces, they are relatively straightforward to repair by a professional when holes or gaps appear. Because of the nature of tar and chip, patching is quite simple. Damage usually arises from age, lack of maintenance or heavy traffic. You can respray the surface with a new coat of tar and stone several times, which is much cheaper than replacing the entire surface. In this way, tar‑and‑chip repair is more cost‑effective than many other surfaces.
Lifespan Estimates (Residential)
- Resin: Easily 10 years plus
- Tarmac: Around 8 years before major issues begin
- Block Paving: Approximately 6 years before major issues start, although good maintenance can extend this to 10 years
- Tar and Chip: 6 to 8 years before weathering or maintenance is required; potentially lasting 15 years before a pothole forms
The Biggest Factor Affecting the Longevity of Any Driveway Surface
While regular maintenance – especially for block paving – can significantly boost the lifespan of a surface, nothing beats a high‑quality installation in the first place. A poor installation, such as using cheap brick rubble or large uncompacted materials in the sub‑base, makes the driveway much more likely to move. With tarmac, using the wrong specification (for example, pedestrian‑grade instead of Stone Mastic Asphalt) will cause more rapid wear and degradation. Choose your surfacing contractor carefully, and you will get far more life out of your driveway.
DIY or Professional – Knowing When to Call in the Professionals
DIY tasks such as routine cleaning (sweeping or blowing leaves) are something any homeowner or business owner can easily do. With block paving, a simple DIY upkeep task is to re‑brush kiln‑dried sand into the joints.
Other maintenance tasks are best left to professionals, particularly initial installations or major repairs. While tarmac or resin surfaces may be overlaid, block paving – if in poor condition – should only be handled by those who do this week in and week out, with plenty of experience.
Professionals will always use correct sub‑base materials and methods, such as Type 1 aggregate and proper compaction.
Conclusion
Here at Lakeside Surfacing, we take great pride in using the correct material specifications and installing them properly to ensure maximum reliability. We also pride ourselves on doing every job right so that our customers won’t need to call us back down the line. We regularly invite potential customers to view installations we completed years ago so they can see for themselves that a well‑installed, professionally laid driveway can look great for many years.
If you’re considering updating your driveway or installing a new one, we’d love to hear from you. Please call us on 01787 869 974 or contact us via our website.