Now that we are in meteorological autumn, some people might think the best time of year to lay a new driveway has come and gone. However, this is not the case at all and autumn can be a very good time to lay a resin driveway.
After a scorching summer, some people might be a little glad of some milder weather, although September might still bring some last reminders of the sizzling conditions that have fried the country over the last few months.
Hot, dry weather can be very good for laying driveways, of course, but you may wonder whether, having not been able to get round to having the work done during the last few months, you might have missed out.
If you are laying a resin driveway, the answer is no. It can actually be laid at various times of the year.
What Are the Ideal Conditions For Laying A Resin Driveway?
The conditions needed for resin to cure and set properly include:
- The ideal temperature for consistent setting is between 21 and 24 degrees C, although it can set at lower temperatures
- You don’t want it to be too humid, and certainly not raining.
- The surface needs to be clean and even
In some cases, when resin is used and set, it is indoors in an environment where the temperature and humidity can be controlled. When it is being laid outside, you don’t have the same control. It is a case of booking a time that looks promising.
The obvious problem in the summer is that the temperature is often too hot and over the last few months, that will regularly have been the case, even here in Manchester.
Humidity will have been less of an issue with a lot of dry weather, but even in a changing climate, many summers have plenty of wet spells.
Spring and autumn tend to be better times for resin to set, as it won’t be too hot and also won’t be cold, making them ‘Goldilocks’ seasons. Autumn is usually drier than summer as there is generally less humidity due to reduced evaporation levels.
At the same time, resin will not cure properly when it gets very cold, so winter is not a good time to schedule it as the temperature will usually be too low.
What Happens If Resin Is Laid In the Wrong Conditions?
A resin that does not cure well will end up with an uneven texture, may look cloudy and be less durable.
On another practical note, it makes sense to have the work done in the earlier part of autumn rather than later, not just for optimal temperature reasons but to avoid the inconvenience of having to clear off loads of falling leaves.
In this particular autumn, it may make extra sense to have autumnal resin driveway work carried out in the first half of the season.
The Met Office has predicted that large storms with heavy rain may be more common than average in the latter part of the season, due to the very strong El Niño, which is causing major disruption to global weather systems.
For all these reasons, if you want a resin driveway, booking a time very soon could be the very best way of ensuring it is in place before the winter and ready to handle everything the weather throws at it.
