30 Mar The Differences Between Resin Bound And Resin Bonded Driveways
Opting for a resin driveway is a commitment to a durable, low maintenance and exceptionally appealing driveway that can be tailored to match a wide variety of different housing styles and aesthetics.
Compared to other popular driveway solutions such as asphalt or concrete, resin’s permeability as long as it is laid on porous ground) helps to improve drainage and avoid water pooling on the surface, and by relying on natural materials, it is also a more sustainable solution.
Choosing a trusted expert in installing resin drives will give your home a surface that will last an extraordinarily long time, as well as be tailored around your needs.
One question that an expert often gets however is the difference between the two main types of resin drives. With only three letters differing the two types, resin-bound and resin-bonded driveways are often confused with each other, when in actuality they are remarkably different.
The core materials for both are the same; they both use resin and gravel to provide a hard-wearing driveway layer, but the installation methods and results are considerably different.
Resin-Bound Driveway
The most popular method for homeowners and for creating beautiful hard-wearing paths, a resin-bound construction method works by mixing in the aggregate materials with the resin before applying them together onto a prepared surface, levelling the material afterwards before it is cured and finished.
The big appeal of resin-bound drives is that they can use multiple layers of aggregate material to provide very aesthetically pleasing patterns, compared with using stone, concrete or asphalt.
Its biggest advantage over all of these alternatives, however, is an exceptionally smooth yet grippy finish without too many loose stones. Once it is installed, it will remain hard-wearing and good-looking for many years to come.
They are also designed to be permeable, avoiding issues with pooling water and surface runoff.
Resin -Bonded Driveway
By contrast, resin-bonded drives tend to be rougher, with an impermeable, single-stone layered surface created through scattering stones and gravel onto a resin layer that has already been applied.
Whilst this can lead to loose stones alongside any other kind of scattered stone finish, their hardwearing nature makes them ideal for high-traffic roads and access ramps where additional grip is exceptionally helpful, and can last an exceptionally long time with practically no maintenance.
Which Is The Best Option For You?
Generally, resin-bound drives are more popular for a reason at home, and in the case of larger drives are in fact the only option due to permeable surfacing regulations and an inability to get around this with alternative drainage channels or soakaways.
They provide an attractive, smooth surface that can take the heavy loads of parked vehicles without any damage, are resistant to weeds and do not need a lot of maintenance in the long run.
The most important consideration to make, however, is to ensure that the work is done by a professional. The mixing and application process is complex and if not applied properly there could be damage or indentations that can be expensive to fix.