Driveways
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so we are thinking of sorting our drive way out this year. we cant decide between tarmac, block paving or shingle.
we have shingle but the person who laid it (years back) never done it properly and its a nightmare with the mud!
which would you say was best and why?
For me I would opt for tarmac possibly with a coloured fleck in, as it's a lot less maintenance than block paving,which although looks more decorative, colour fades quite quickly, and it's prone to weeds, moss growth and staining.
But each to their own and only you can decide what's right for you and your property
Good points there. Paving looks nicer, but must be hard work with all the weeds.
yea i didnt think of all those cons, i think im leaning more towards tarmac as the only other option is shingle and that is a nightmare!!
We have tarmac and never knew until neighbours done you can keep it looking fresh with tarmac paint
oh i didnt realise you could get that! at least you can up keep the look of it with that then!
Ann1984 thank you so much 
ive showed my husband and i think we are definitely going for tarmac as he likes it looking fresh so this will come in handy!!
I think it all depends on what base you are starting with and what kind of slope, or other issues. Get someone in to do it properly, if you do tarmac, make sure you get the right depth etc.
its all flat however the issue we do have (which is why we are considering it) is that its super messy and muddy
We had the decision to make about 18 months ago and plumped for tarmac. The block paving has become so popular an it looks lovely when it's first laid but a few of our neighbours have complained about the continuous weeding and fading. On the plus side - it makes leaks and maintenance easier with only a few of the blocks lifted compared to tarmac that will always look like a patchwork when there are repairs. If you choose tarmac ask for quotes on the different grades of tarmac for wear and tear. (I didn't know there were levels of durability until we replaced ours)
oh i didnt realise that ! thank you for the knowledge il definitely be asking about the grades as id like it to last but we have to park 2 cars on there and my husband likes to do work on the cars on it also
The tarmac gets very hot though,in very hot weather,like we had last year,and it melts.
We had block paving on the drive in our last house and I found it high maintenance. It needed power washing once a year - I know you are advised not to power wash it, as it removes the sand, but it went really dirty and green looking. You then have to re-sweep sand in to the joints. The weeds were a constant battle also 
We now have a tarmac drive and it is so much more durable. It’s east to keep clean and no weeds!
I didn’t know you could get Tarmac paint though Ann1984. Great tip and a job for the summer!
gerrykelly25 I didn't either
Buts hers looks like new all year round
If you have a big budget then go for block paving. If money is tight get some scalping hire a wacker machine and cover with shingle.
Could you put a resin over the existing gravel, unsure of the cost compared to redoing it again from scratch but could be another option
the gravel is all turned to mush with the mud as the previous people who had it laid didnt get the job dont right the first time, and i waited thinking it would be ok. totally wrong choice on my behalf. but i didnt realise you could do that
When the tarmac melts it doesnt melt completely but goes very soft,it does harden back up when it cools down though. I dont think you can do anything about it except to shade it over with a porch or 'lean to' or similar?
oh as long as it hardens back up thats fine with me, obviously if i was to cause damage to the cars it might not be any good but i cant see how it could
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