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What is the best driveway material?
I'm debating what material to use for my new driveway, as I'm planning the landscaping for my self-build. Sounds strange, but I can't seem to find anything I like! I know a lot of people have blockpaving, but I'm not sure I like it that much, especially in red. What are good colours? I hate tarmac, and gravel is annoying and crunchy to drive over. Any good ideas? What is generally considered the best driveway material?
Thanks, Babs
4 answers
Personally, I'm a big fan of gravel in the aesthetic sense, there's something very 'grand country estate' about it. But you're right, it is annoying in that it never just stays on the driveway and inevitably ends up breaking lawn mower blades!
Tarmac is the next most obvious choice, but not very imaginative, and, depending on your driveway, also not very hardwearing. Our driveway is on a slope and we found that after a few years there were dips in the tarmac where the front wheels of the car sat.
We ended up getting our driveway block paved. But rather than the usual red we had 'natural stone blocks' which is a mixture of different finishes, ranging from red to sandstone to mottled white. I know it sounds a bit weird, but it's a really nice finish and we're really pleased with it. We got the blocks from Barton Fields in Stafford, here's a link http://www.bartonfields.co.uk/. I'm sure they're available from other suppliers around the country too.
Take a look and see what you think, you might hate them, but I think they're a nice alternative to the usual formulaic red and grey blocks that you see on most drives.
Have you ever though about resin bound paving? It looks like gravel but because it is fully bound you dont get the crunchy element that you have talked about.
It is also fully permeable so you wont need to obtain planning permission to get it installed.
here is a link to a resin bound pavin manufacturer that may be of some use.
www.sureset.co.uk.
Resin bound paving uses real gravel fixed in clear resin, creating a smooth stylish surface you can pressure wash. It is permeable too, so complies with SUDS. Get a quote from this company www.clearstonepaving.co.uk
I liked the sound of resin bound paving but didn't really understand what it was. I found the sureset website to be very helpful and their blog especially cleared up a number of questions i had about the product. Am thinking about using it in a number of projects as well as a driveway. I'd advise visiting this site www.sureset.co.uk if you wish to find out more about resin bound.