However, if you are going to install a driveway in your front garden, there are many choices of materials that you can use. One of the most widely used is tarmac – and no, before you ask, it doesn’t have to be black. You can get tarmac now in a range of colours, although they are a bit more expensive than black tarmac.

One of the things that is great about tarmac driveways in Kent is that the material is lower cost than a lot of other options such as block paving. However, just because it costs less doesn’t mean that it won’t last. A tarmac driveway should last for as long as 20 years provided it is laid correctly and maintained.

Quick To Install

Tarmac is also very quick to install. In most cases, at Base Driveways, we can mix and lay a tarmac driveway in a matter of hours and then it is simply left to dry. You should be able to start using it in a very few days. The only limitation here is the size and shape of the driveway. If you have a very small space, it can be difficult to manoeuvre the machine that is used to lay tarmac.

From the point of view of aesthetics, you can also incorporate tiles, brickwork, or stone to add interest and make your tarmac driveway unique.

Tarmac is also impermeable. That means that it is resistant to heavy rain. However, this means that you will need a drainage channel dug, if there is not one already in place, and connected to a soakaway so that the surface water drains away. In addition, tarmac is environmentally friendly, as it can be recycled and re-used. Tarmac driveways also require very little in the way of maintenance.

It is possible for weeds or moss to grow on tarmac, but we can prevent this by installing a membrane that will act as a barrier. Tarmac is also incredibly strong, but it is not totally immune to damage. If you have a caravan or trailer, you can protect the surface by slipping a wooden board beneath the wheels.

Now unless you live in a very quiet residential street, you probably don’t want to park a car on the road for a number of reasons. First, you may have yellow lines and can’t park outside your home anyway, so you have to park it some distance away and walk home. No fun when it’s pouring with rain. You might also have to park in an area where you have to pay for parking, as well.

Not only that, but when your car is not on your own property, there is always the risk of it being stolen or perhaps damaged by a group of drunken yobs.

All of which means that ideally you want to park on your own driveway. If you don’t yet have one, but you do have a front garden, then at Base Driveways we can help you. We are fully approved by Kent Highways and Medway Council to install drop kerbs anywhere in the county.

Tarmac Driveways Are A Popular Choice

Many people choose to have tarmac driveways in Kent and this is understandable because a tarmac driveway is often significantly less expensive than many alternatives such as block paving. And before you go “I don’t like black tarmac” the good news is that it is available in a range of different colours.

Tarmac for a driveway is incredibly strong, which is good to know if you drive an SUV or a heavy vehicle used for work purposes, or perhaps if you have two or three people using the driveway. It is capable of withstanding wear and tear, and also bad weather. It is impermeable, so it doesn’t matter how much it rains, and we do get our fair share of that here in Kent. Tarmac is also pretty much maintenance free.

There are one or two issues with a tarmac driveway, one of which is that it will need a drainage channel to a soakaway installed because it is impermeable. You might also have seen weeds growing on a tarmac driveway, but we can solve that issue by installing a membrane barrier in order to prevent this.

Tarmac is also very quick to lay and dry. We can mix and lay tarmac in a few hours, and then it can be left to dry and will be ready to use in a couple of days.

Here at Base Driveways, we cover all sorts of materials used in driveway construction including laying Kent Tarmac Driveways.

Kent Tarmac Driveways

A tarmac driveway can look quite stunning when done properly and will last for many many years to come. One of the most important things to consider when choosing your contractor to lay your tarmac driveway is their experience in using this material and the specification of construction. If you have a Tarmac driveway laid incorrectly then it will give you nothing but years of problems instead of years of pleasure.

WHY CHOOSE TARMAC FOR YOUR KENT DRIVEWAY?

If you have opted for a Tarmac driveway then it needs to be dug out to a depth to allow a minimum depth of 250mm of type 1 base stone – this is very much dependent on ground conditions, this should then be leveled and compacted using the appropriate machinery and all drainage considerations taken care of. The actual tarmac covering should be laid with a 12.5mm base layer followed by a 25mm wearing course giving you a Tarmac driveway that will be good for at least 20 years.

The most common problems that we encounter from poorly constructed and laid Kent tarmac driveways are that they sink and cause dips in places – especially where vehicles may be parked for long periods of time, because the sub base wasn’t put in deep enough and compacted well enough and often when this happens it leads to cracking in the surface which will then lead to damage from water getting in and freezing, causing the cracks to deepen and widen. This is what happens on roadways and ultimately this causes the pot holes that we have come to expect every winter. Tarmac cracking can also happen when the tarmac is laid too thinly. This is a problem that you will encounter when a firm tries to cut down on cost and increase their profits on a job. The trouble here is that when your new tarmac driveway is laid and finised it will look lovely – but unfortunately, it will not stand the test of time and will give you many problems in the years to come – Be Warned, not all Kent Tarmac Driveways are laid the same.

Affordable Tarmac Driveways in Kent

Kent Tarmac driveways are very weather resistant and can handle pretty much anything that our weather offers, Tarmac’s only downside compared to other surfaces is that it doesn’t handle the blistering heat as well as some surfaces, but 99% of the time it isn’t a problem – everyone has seen freshly laid tarmac go a little soft when it is extremely hot. Once the tarmac is properly cured then it will be fine – after all, that is what roads are made of.  Tarmac does deal with cold weather very well and it is only if there are problems with your tarmac driveways surface that the water can penetrate and get in and if that freezes repeatedly it can “blow” the tarmac open.  It is therefore vital that you have your tarmac driveway laid correctly in the first place to avoid any of these possible problems.

Kent’s Tarmac Driveway Experts

We have been laying Kent Tarmac driveways for over 20 Years and give a 5 Year Guarantee on all our Kent Tarmac Driveways which gives you the piece of mind to know you have chosen the right firm to do your Tarmac Driveway.

Don’t forget we offer a FREE no-obligation site survey and quote so please call us with any questions you may have on Kent tarmac driveways or any of our other services that we offer.