Resin Driveway vs Tarmac; Which Material Is The Winner?

What is the best material for your driveway: resin or tarmac?

When you are at the point of choosing which material you would like for your driveway, two popular options usually appear in conversations: tarmac and resin. With both of these materials, you will get a durable, functional, and appealing driveway, but there are some notable differences. Today, we would like to give you some insight regarding these differences, so that you can make your decision logically.

To start, we have made an easy-to-read table with pros and cons for both materials, so that you can get a quick overview of the subjects.

Resin Driveways

Visual Appeal: Resin drives come in a wide range of colours, border designs, tones, and more. This allows property owners to create a truly unique and personalised landscape. The surface is also very smooth, and it can include add-ons like patterns, shapes, or writing, which improves to the curb appeal and visual aspect.

Permeability: Another significant pro for this material is its permeability. By nature, they are porous, which allows water to easily drain through, drastically reducing the risk of floods, poodles, and slippery surfaces. In the UK, it's fair to say we get a good amount of rain, which is why this type of surface can really help.

Low Maintenance: Compared to other driveway options, resin doesn't require much maintenance at all. For example, sealing is not required at any point, which can save you a lot of money over 10, 20, 30 years. Furthermore, oil stains, weeds, and fading are almost unheard of with these driveways. The only maintenance you might need to do is some sweeping or light power washing, to remove leaves, moss, or other debris on a surface-level.

Despite these clear advantages, resin can sometimes be more expensive upfront, especially if your driveway is currently in a very bad state, as it would need a new base before applying the resin surface. We would always recommend getting a quote to verify this, as you can get some great deals on resin if your driveway is in an acceptable state.

Cost-effective: These driveways are generally one of the cheapest options. If you have a very limited budget, tarmac can be a great idea! Despite being more affordable, they are still functional and durable, but they would need more frequent maintenance than other materials.

Quick Installation: The installation doesn't get much quicker and easier than tarmac. If your time frame is short, tarmac is certainly your best bet!

Strength and Durability: In general, tarmac is very strong and durable, making it very suitable for heavy vehicles and high traffic areas. Tarmac is resistant to all types of weather conditions, including freezing temperatures.

The downside of tarmac is regular maintenance requirements, like sealing and small repairs. This type of upkeep is vital to guarantee longevity, which can put some people off. Their visual and functional traits are more traditional and simple.

To finish, choosing between a resin and tarmac drive can be hard, as they both have tempting pros, and less impressive cons. Depending on your budget, personal taste, and time frame, it should be quite easy to make a decision.

In general, if you want something easy, simple, and cheap, tarmac is a reasonable call. In contrast, resin driveways are more visually appealing, customisable, and costly.

Please note: the cost aspect really depends on the current state of your driveway, if it isn't absolutely destroyed, tarmac and resin are similarly priced.