Tarmac driveway or block paving?

TELLIT01

Regarding weeds and block paving.  I just spray our drive about once a month during the growing season and little is apparent by way of weeds.

victor2

TELLIT01 said:

Regarding weeds and block paving.  I just spray our drive about once a month during the growing season and little is apparent by way of weeds.

Is there a particular weedkiller you use? I might have to change from targeting individual weeds to a big spray and hitting the drive monthly like you. A flamethrower was suggested to me, but that seemed a bit OTT!

jimpwarsop

victor2 said:

TELLIT01 said:

Regarding weeds and block paving.  I just spray our drive about once a month during the growing season and little is apparent by way of weeds.

Is there a particular weedkiller you use? I might have to change from targeting individual weeds to a big spray and hitting the drive monthly like you. A flamethrower was suggested to me, but that seemed a bit OTT!

I use "Roundup" and get it from a neighbouring farmer.  Proper stuff.

Do you know a farmer ?

bellaboo86

victor2 said:

We had our drive block paved about 10 years ago. Every spring I jet wash it, which removes all the sand and weeds from between the blocks, and brush fresh sand in. It looks great for about a month and new weeds start sticking their heads up. For another couple of months I pull up the new weeds, and for about a month after that will just squirt them with weed killer, until I admit defeat!

Have thought about sealant, but it is very expensive and even then, gets mixed reviews.

However, the drive does look nice and I probably notice the weeds more than anyone else. No regrets, as the old tarmac drive it replaced was really showing its age.

I use Weedol twice a year on mine and it keeps it weed free. 

molerat

Our road is a 1984 build alternating block paving and tarmac drives.  Yes tarmac requires less regular maintenance but the block paving has stood the test of time with many of the tarmac ones being replaced with block, some going through imprinted concrete before going to block.  Most of the remaining tarmac ones look pretty awful now.

silvercar

A couple of houses on my road have gone for resin based driveways. It will be interesting to see if they stand the test of time.

molerat

silvercar said:

A couple of houses on my road have gone for resin based driveways. It will be interesting to see if they stand the test of time.

One in our street has gone from tarmac to imprinted concrete to resin to block.

EssexExile

silvercar said:

A couple of houses on my road have gone for resin based driveways. It will be interesting to see if they stand the test of time.

I like the look of resin drives but they're a lot of money. One around here has been down for about 20 years and it still looks great, another was down less than a year before they gave up and had it ripped up. I'll stick with functional tarmac.

Ducktard

Tarmac is more costly than block nowadays. 

twopenny

We've got tarmac drives all on fairly steep slopes where I've moved to, 20yrs old and like new. No maintenance.

I've also inherited a block paved ramp on a slope and neighbours front garden. Both need regular maintenance. Both have moved and dipped in places over the years.