The results of a resin driveway installation speak for themselves, and the material provides a breathable, long-lasting, easy-to-maintain driveway, but the route to that result requires a strong, carefully laid foundation.
Contacting the experts for a quote is the best first start, but if you are wondering about what you need to do to get your existing driveway ready for an application of resin and aggregate, that will depend a lot on what you already have and what you want from the results.
Check The Base Material
Resin is a very versatile material, and it can be laid atop a lot of surfaces, but it is difficult to escape the fact that the foundations of your driveway are going to affect the results.
Experts in laying resin-bound driveways are often asked whether their existing driveway might be suitable to lay a resin layer on top, or they might ask what they need to do to prepare the material.
Generally, the answer will start in the form of a question; what do you have, and what do you want?
If you currently have a block paved driveway, it is going to have to go; as lovely as they often are to look at, they are inherently unstable. A little movement for large block pavers is barely noticeable, but with a resin layer on top, those small movements will cause devastating damage above the surface.
If you have a loose gravel driveway, that obviously is not going to be suitable, but if you like the look, many resin drives have a similar aesthetic to loose gravel, except with more practicality and a more versatile surface.
Similarly, if this is a relatively new build that does not have any existing driveway materials to build upon, soil and grass will typically need preparation, but this generally simply means skipping straight to setting up a new base later, rather than having to dismantle what is already there.
If you have a concrete or tarmac surface, whether you can use it or not will depend on the condition. The biggest warning signs will be cracks or crumbling surface material, as well as obviously patched surfaces.
Check If You Need A Porous Base
There are permeable and non-permeable resin-based driveways, and the main implication for both will be whether drainage is a priority for either you or the local planning authority.
If you do, then you will likely need whatever existing driveway you have to be taken up and replaced with a specialist base. This is often the best option for a long-lasting result in any case.
Remove Intrusive Plants And Weeds
Finally, check around your driveway for trees, plants and weeds that could potentially damage your drive.
Most plants are fine and unlikely to cause any issues, but weeds and particularly large trees could potentially upset the surface below the driveway and cause problems, but if this is likely to be the case, an inspection by a specialist driveway installer will help to diagnose and prevent potential issues.