How a resin drive is laid
The aggregate, a blend of small stones in the colour you choose, is mixed with a two-part resin on site and spread by hand with a steel trowel to an even depth over the base. It needs a few hours to cure before you can walk on it and longer before a car goes on it. The finished surface is porous: water passes through the gaps between the stones into the base below.
The base matters as much as the resin. It must be solid, level and free of cracks, or the resin will crack with it. On a new drive we build a compacted stone sub-base and then lay porous tarmac or concrete on top, with edging fixed in concrete.
Laying over an old drive
If your existing tarmac or concrete drive is sound, resin can often go straight over it. That saves digging out and taking away spoil. We check for cracks, sunken areas and loose edges first. A drive that moves will crack the new surface, so if the base is not good enough we will say so and quote for a new one.
Resin bound, not resin bonded
They sound alike but are not. Resin bonded means stones scattered onto a layer of resin; it is not porous and the loose stones can come away. Resin bound means the stones are mixed right through the resin, giving a smooth, porous surface. Only resin bound is treated as permeable for planning purposes.
What to look for in a quote
- The base: whether it is an overlay or a new build, and how the base is made.
- The depth of resin and aggregate, which should suit cars rather than just foot traffic.
- A UV-stable resin, so light colours do not yellow in the sun.
- Proper edging, so the resin has something solid to finish against.
Aftercare
Sweep it regularly and give it a wash now and then to stop dirt clogging the pores. Avoid leaving oil drips, and do not use a narrow, high-pressure jet close to the surface. Weeds have nowhere to root, although moss can grow in shaded corners and brushes off easily.
Questions people ask
Can resin go over my old concrete drive?
If it is sound, level and not cracked, often yes. A cracked or moving base needs replacing first.
Does a resin drive need planning permission?
Resin bound is porous, so a front drive laid on a porous base does not usually need it. The dropped kerb still needs council approval.
Will a light-coloured resin go yellow?
Not if a UV-stable resin is used. Ask for it in writing on your quote.
