Tarmac restoration

[grim_d]

I have about 150m2 of tarmac driveway which is looking a little tired. I was planning this year to buy some tarmac restorer or tarmac paint to freshen it up.

However, all the data sheets for these products state they are not to be pressure washed. There is a large tree next to my driveway that frequently drops all manner of leaves and other folial detritus all over my drive so in order to keep it clean it gets pressure washed around 4 times a year...in autumn I need to take the leaf blower out every day unless I want a carpet of leaves.

Any suggestions for a product that will freshen up the tarmac but be able to withstand the abuse myself and the devil tree give it? I certainly don't want to paint it a few times a year!

 

[Melvyn Best]

Chainsaw?

 

[Am333rcr]

Hi

Some tar planning, a slash of diesel and a hot day .That' what you need.

 

[Agrismith]

Depends on your budget but could have resin bonded shingle put down

 

[grim_d]

A bit more googling reveals bitumen emulsions, the kind of things they use when surface dressing the roads.

Must be fairly hard wearing, I wonder if it's sticky if not used with aggregate? Or on hot days.

Hi

Some tar planning, a slash of diesel and a hot day .That' what you need.

Stinky.

Depends on your budget but could have resin bonded shingle put down

Way out of budget, about 30x more than I'm willing to spend. It's in decent condition it's just faded.

 

[Cuthy246]

A bit more googling reveals bitumen emulsions, the kind of things they use when surface dressing the roads.

Must be fairly hard wearing, I wonder if it's sticky if not used with aggregate? Or on hot days.

Don't use emulsion without aggregate, unless you want everything to stick to the drive. Dressing is only suitable in certain circumstances and needs to be done properly or it will all just come off again. Happy to give a more detailed explanation if wanted.

 

[Endeleus]

Dressing is only suitable in certain circumstances

I thought surface dressing was only used to burn up any leftover budget the roads department has in March. I don't think I've ever seen any done well.

 

[Cuthy246]

A common misconception, It has to be done in the summer as it requires the temperature to be above a certain threshold for it to work. Basically the bitumen in the road is softened by the emulsion and ambient heat which allows the new aggregate to bond to the parent material. It isn't really a road repair in terms of holes, cracks etc.. its a surface repair to improve skid resistance and get a few more years of service out of the road before more permanent repairs are needed. @grim_d Have a search for slurry sealing, that would probably suit your requirements

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

@spencer 427 may have some sound advice on this.

 

[brightspark]

Hi

Some tar planning, a slash of diesel and a hot day .That' what you need.

you haven't by any chance got a caravan and a tranny van have you with an irish accent

 

[gaz1]

just get roofers torch and heat it a little that will bring back the black look

naughty way to note

 

[grim_d]

. @grim_d Have a search for slurry sealing, that would probably suit your requirements

I did think it might be sticky, I will look into slurry sealing. you

I've seen videos of people pouring a "slurry" onto tarmac and then moving it around with a squeegee, I thought it was paint ...is that the kind of thing you mean?

just get roofers torch and heat it a little that will bring back the black look

naughty way to note

I'm up for that if it works, with a bonus it'll kill any vegetation, why's it naughty?

 

[gaz1]

in theory if you heat it then it will bleed black through to the top sort of like on hot days

 

[grim_d]

in theory if you heat it then it will bleed black through to the top sort of like on hot days

I might give it a test and see...if it takes £500 of propane though it's a non starter.

 

[Am333rcr]

Brightspark

I left the company car behind. Nah scottish and from a farm.

 

[Cuthy246]

@grim_d yes that is the stuff, depending on condition of your existing driveway cost would be about £2.50/m2 up to £4/m2