Everything You Need to Know About Tarmacing a Drive

If you are thinking about tarmacing a drive yourself, you may be unaware of all of the risks, as well as all of the problems that you could face along the way. Tarmacing a drive can be easy enough when you know what you’re doing, but if you are not prepared for problems or have the right equipment then a small-time DIY project could turn into a huge nightmare. This article will let you know what’s involved in tarmacing a drive, as well as why you should hire a professional to do it in the first place.

What’s Involved?

The following steps inform you of what’s involved in tarmacing a drive.

Excavation

In most cases, before the tarmac can be laid, the site must be excavated and cleared to the formation level (the surface level of the ground).

Edging

Edging is a common practice used to keep the tarmac in place once it has been laid. If this is not done correctly the edges of the tarmac can become weak and start to crack and crumble with vehicles repeatedly applying pressure to the surface.

Protection

Once the site has been prepared, a protective layer – usually made out of Geotextile woven membrane – has to be placed down to help prevent weeds and minimize sinking by strengthening the driveway.

Layering

This then must be layered with crushed concrete, which is compacted and rolled until it has reached the right depth for the driveway.

Drainage

Drainage is vital for the lifespan of your tarmac driveway. This needs to be positioned in just the right place that will drain the most water away with ease.

Concreate Edgings

Concreate edgings are then installed to improve the appearance and strength of the driveway.

Block Paving, Sandstone Setts (Optional)

This step is optional and provides a border to your driveway. It is often preferred among those who want to add a bit of character and to improve the aesthetics of their driveway.

Applying Tarmac

The final step in the process is applying the tarmac. It will require both a basecoat and a topcoat which need to be accurately measured. This step must be done with the utmost precision otherwise the rest of the process will have been for nothing as you will not get the end results that you are after. The tarmac must be rolled and allowed to dry without being disturbed.

Hire a Professional for Tarmacing a Drive

As you can see above there aren’t that many steps to tarmacing a drive. But experience and specialist tools are incredibly important when it comes to the execution of a driveway. If it’s not laid properly the tarmac can look unsightly and not be smooth. This can lead to problems that could end costing you more money.

Another common problem that can occur when people try to install their own tarmac driveway is using tarmac of the wrong consistency. This can lead to the tarmac not setting properly and can cause it to chip and crack a lot quicker than tarmac normally would (due to it having a good lifespan).

Hiring a professional to tarmac your driveway is the easiest, quickest and often cheapest way to renovate your drive.