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Resin bound? Resin bonded? Driveway choice!


Ian C

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So I'm looking up options for finally sorting our house frontage, as it's mainly dirt and weeds with some patches of old gravel. I've read up a bit on Resin bound and Resin Bonded and there is all the usual hearsay, rumour, sales pitches, cowboy installations etc.. which hasn't really made my mind up.

 

From what I can see:

Bound gives a smoother surface and is permeable. Good for drainage, can be bad for frost damage? Not as durable for cars moving and parking on it?

 

Bonded is cheaper and impermeable. Bad for drainage, good for avoiding frost damage/moss/weeds?

 

Any of this correct? :D I'm trying to work out how much things will roughly cost to plan for it all, and not knowing what surface to choose is a bit of a falling-at-the-first-hurdle situation for achieving this :)

 

-Ian

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I don't know anything about resin drives, as I went with a concrete stone effect one.

 

But if I can offer some advice, it's to speak to local people who have had it done, and get feedback on not just the product, but on the installer too. I didn't do this, and as a result we got messed around by the contractor for weeks.

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If you are physically up to it you can save a fortune by doing all the groundwork yourself. And you can then make sure you have a properly compacted, deep layer of hardcore under whatever you choose as the surface finish. At my old house I and a friend did the whole driveway (which had 18 cars on it at one time, all sensibly parked, so it was a fair size), in concrete 5 inches thick, and it is still perfect 28 years later as I was there the other day. It's had 10 tonners on it regularly, and the odd 32 tonner.

 

I did a bit of job here widening the front gates and saved a load of dosh getting it ready for the Tarmac guys to come and just lay the black stuff. By doing the digging out, removing the old gate posts, digging in the new, doing the light wiring and the hardcore and tamping I saved 3/4 of the cost to have them do the lot. A pint tasted great after, too ;)

 

http://www.chriswilson.tv/gates/gates.html

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I'm in a similar position, I need to sort out my crumbling 40+ year old concrete driveway. Have you considered block paving? That's the front-runner for me at the moment, but I've not looked into it deeply. Probably expensive.

 

One piece of advice I've been given from a groundworker in my family: if your water main runs underneath your driveway and it's fairly old, best get it replaced at the same time as doing your driveway.

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I don't have time to rewire my RLTC, never mind do the groundwork on a drive area capable of seating 6 cars :D

 

I don't think I'm any further forwards, apart from the useful advice to get local people and make sure they actually show up and do the job when planned (something that winds me up a lot). I've already removed one company from the shortlist as they failed to show up to even quote.

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On a side note, I believe that you have to get planning permission now if you want to change your driveway surface, as it will affect drainage. Can someone confirm this?

If you are going to remove natural drainage, and replace the area with an impermeable hard standing, then yes, you might need to apply for planning permission.

 

 

 

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I think the above may be the case with resin bonded driveways. I've heard he same as currently I have a gravel drive and have looked into resin bond

 

They do look brilliant, not cheap mind. As Chris said, I'd be having a few days leave and doing the ground works myself if I did mine

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Ah that's good info Gareth, thanks - so as the frontage is already dedicated driveway and has no garden, I can pave over it as impermeably as I like and don't need any planning :D

 

£100 a square meter sounds a bit steep. I think I need to wheel in some local contractors and get some quotes and opinions. I know enough now to (hopefully) detect flannel when I hear it :)

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