My driveway is slippy

So you don't think the rain water permeating the resin and running down the concrete to the Aco drain and soak away is an issue? Won't weaken the resin over time? (like some have suggested - and made sense)

We get a lot of water when it rains hard and so far the soakaway has dealt with it really well. No issues of standing water and I think it would just carry on running down the hill at the side of the house if the soakaway blocked.

I agree... the cracks are a potential issue and concern me. They aren't huge and aren't recent. Have added photos which may be a bit clearer. I think they came pretty early on after install but we did have a 25 tonne tipper pull onto the drive and dump some soil so it could have been after that. I'd say that have been there 5-7 years.

Thanks

 

Hmmm. In that case, the crack may not be an issue. Belt and braces people may use mesh (but to be honest I really do not know if they work).if the crack hasn’t widened over the last 5-7 years, chances are it won’t cause any issues.

disclaimer - although your concrete may hold up, our company will only guarantee instals where we do the Groundworks.

 

So you don't think the rain water permeating the resin and running down the concrete to the Aco drain and soak away is an issue? Won't weaken the resin over time? (like some have suggested - and made sense)

No idea where this has come from. A decent system will last 10-20 years no problem on tarmac or concrete if installed correctly.

The resin is so strong (a good polyurethane resin that is) water permeating through and across the concrete/resin surface will cause no issues. most good companies will have tested freeze thaw with the system completely submerged in water. Ours has proven no loss in strength after subjecting resin bound through numerous cycles of freezing

 

@Tim Smith thank you very much for your comments. I had the local sales guy from nationwide company Oltco round on Monday who seemed very knowledgeable and he was very reluctant to dig up the existing concrete due to the time/cost and thought it was sensible to go over the top.

As you mention above the caveat is that there will be no guarantee for any cracks, movement etc which concerns me a little as I'd like the surface to last as long as possible.

£5-8k for a drive with no guarantee

versus

£8.5k-£12k to have dug out and the proper tarmac base, fully porous surface and a little more of a guarantee although never really sure whether they are worth anything as the typical faults usually aren't covered (like the cracks in concrete drives)

 

I would push you to go full dig out but make sure you run through the company's T&Cs. If a company isn't covering faults/issues with a driveway they have fully reconstructed and the issues hasn't been caused by misuse that's a poor company IMO!
I would recommend a company that has groundwork/tarmac experience too, as they will understand the full construction. You'll find there will be loads that sub out the groundworks and tarmac and just install the resin. Not saying there is a problem with that, just they are reliant on the other company doing a good job

 

I'd love to pay £5k rather than £8.5k but for the last 7 years I've had problems with the current imprinted concrete drive being slippy. I don't want to waste money but I just want it done properly.

The local guy who will do full dig out, tarmac base as described on here etc will cost £8.5k and has been doing drives for 35 years (not resin for that long obviously), he's been on Checkatrade over 10 years and out of 141 reviews only 2 with any issues. I've seen some of his other work and it looks good.

Thanks again for the comments and advice.

 

local guy seems a good choice

 

Sorry for not coming back!! Not much to add I’m on the same page as Tim and Jim.
I’d go for the local company

 

No problem glad to help

 

Hi - all thanks for the great advice so far. I think I've settled on Type 3 limestone base, 100mm no fines concrete base and 18-20mm resin top. So many people still suggest the type 1 base - which makes no sense to me??

Our drive slopes up from the house to the road and we reverse park so have two front wheel drives cars pulling off and have a few tyres marks on the current drive. Also it's a south facing drive in full sunlight so the very light colours would possibly be too light.

Any recommendations on colours that show up dirt/tyre marks the least?

Also does anyone have any photos of areas done in Polaris / Harlequin / Slate Grey?

One resin company suggested to the installer going for a sandy coloured stone then missing extra sand to make the surface even more none slip - along with the crushed glass on top as that's what they used for hospital surfaces.

Any tips for making the surface as none slip as possible would be greatly appreciated.

THANK YOU!!

 

Hi @DriveOwner

Why concrete and not tarmac? I'd go tarmac if you can
Darker colours for sure if you are conscious of tyre marks, something like a Britney bronze.

IMO I wouldn't muck around with the mix by adding more sand. It wont change the slip resistance massively/if anything at all. You just need to make sure they apply anti-slip agent across the entire surface evenly. The sand is bound by the resin and by adding more you'll reduce the thickness of the resin coating around the stones and it will dull the aesthetics

 

Hi Tom, I was advised by a very experienced resin installer to go for the no fines concrete over tarmac or a more expensive option of a resin base.

If you have any pictures of drives you've done on darker colours would it be possible to see?

Instagram or Facebook or whatever?

Thank you

 

Hmm not sure I’d agree. I’m with Alan tarmac if you can. What is he saying is better about the concrete? I worry about the expansion and contraction

 

Would be really interested to find out why concrete over tarmac. It is cheaper maybe??

@Wayne Hambly is the best for pics lol

 

I think the main reason was that the concrete doesn't have the oil that comes out of tarmac which means it should have longer to full dry out after install rather than concrete that can be laid over faster.

From all I've picked up from this forum and speaking to reputable contractors I think concrete or tarmac would both be fine.

I'm still confused by some people use Type 1 sub base (non porous) rather than the Type 3 limestone which is almost the same price but gives you an extra 150mm of porous surface under the 100mm of porous concrete and the 20mm resin top.

I fully appreciate there are several right answers and not just one - or that seems to be the case...

 

Also technically the concrete takes a month to cure