Driveways are an essential feature of your home. A well-maintained driveway is more marketable and adds value, especially in urban areas. Whether you’re selling your house or renovating, and are wondering how to create a new driveway or modify it; it is important to look at the available options before deciding on one material.

You will come across a wide variety of materials that are being used to create new driveways. Clay tiles add a rustic appeal, and gravel is easy to lay and cheap to use. However, one of the most popular options is a tarmac driveway. It is a durable, easy to spread, and relatively cheap driveway material.

What is Tarmac?

Tarmac is a dark, bituminous material that is laid as a hot liquid and leveled simultaneously. It is then compacted to form the right shape that complements your driveway. After the tarmac is put down, it needs around three to four hours to cool. These few hours allow the shape to form by the particles binding into a solid surface.

Tarmac is a strong and durable surfacing material and is exceptionally resilient to vehicles that are heavy, which is why it is so commonly used for driveways and roads.

Tarmac driveways in Dublin are commonly seen in both residential areas and commercial driveways. They are famous for being durable as they are made from tar, a natural binding material.

 

Benefits of a Tarmac Driveway

Sometimes tarmac driveways in Dublin aren’t the first choice of a homeowner, but it is often an excellent decision to check all options before investing in something. Tarmac is a solid and durable surfacing material. It is also exceptionally resilient to heavy vehicles, which is why it is so commonly used for driveways and roads.

Tarmac driveways are extremely easy to install. They’re perfect for those who want a simple and plain driveway, and can be installed in nearly no time at all. Tarmac is laid as a hot liquid; once it is applied, it must be allowed to cool, allowing the particles to bind together. One of the key advantages of tarmac driveways is they can be laid directly onto existing surfaces, making them easier to use than other road surfacing materials. Other surfaces, for example, require a full depth bedding layer to be laid down first – only once this is done can the new surface be laid. [1]

Following are several benefits of having a tarmac driveway that can help you decide whether this material is for you:

  • Quick to Lay

Before installation, tarmac is mixed at a high temperature in a paving machine, operated by professionals. It is then laid on the driveway while it is hot, and after a few hours, it sets according to the shape of the driveway. Thus, there is little to no disruption for you or any path users who might be seriously inconvenienced by the installation process, and no aftercare.

  • Easy on the Wallet and Maintenance

Tarmac driveways in Dublin are known for being easy to fix if they incur any dents or scratches. You can quickly fix them with polish by yourself or hire a professional to do so. If your driveway has suffered serious damages, you can simply add another layer of tarmac directly on top of the damaged one. This is a simple way to maintain your driveway and avoid high maintenance costs.

With tarmac, not only do you get great value for money, but it is also preferable to other materials as it is built to last long. If you’re on a tight budget while renovating or moving into a new unfinished house, choosing tarmac is perfect for you as it doesn’t sacrifice the quality or durability of the driveway, and is cost-effective.

  • Long-lasting and Durable

While you can fix a tarmac driveway in Dublin quite easily, you might not have to. Tarmac is resilient to the weight of heavy vehicles or traffic flow, which can very likely create cracks on other kinds of materials used for driveways. Moreover, the tarmac is resistant to any potential damage caused by water, ensuring that the clean-up job isn’t time-consuming.

Tarmac driveway should last you a good 20 years, given that it is professionally laid and maintained correctly throughout the years. If you’re going to use heavy vehicles or use your driveway regularly, tarmac is a great choice for you.

  • Easy to Accessorize

If you want to make your driveway less spartan and add stone, brickwork, or clay tiles as embellishments, tarmac complements these materials beautifully and offers a neat finish to your driveway. If you have an eye for design or want to hire a professional, they can help you find a combination with tarmac that follows the theme of your house. A border and apron with granite setts or granite cobbles can make your driveway stand out.

tarmac driveway through trees in Dublin

How to Ensure You are Hiring Professionals

If you’ve decided to get a tarmac driveway in Dublin, the next step is looking for professionals who know what they are doing. Here are some pointers to keep in mind when selecting a company:

  • Look for a company that supplies and installs high-quality tarmac driveways with no hiccups from beginning to end.
  • Ensure that the materials they use are sourced from legitimate places and are of excellent quality. The company should be thorough about its quality checks and take care of its finishing touches without unnecessarily involving you.
  • Check their website for reviews and verify through word-of-mouth from your friends of friends or acquaintances.
  • An efficient company will make sure that they provide tarmac installation services that are correctly done without wasting time, and that they stay on the task until it is completed.

 

Conclusion

In the end, only you decide what material is best for your driveway. However, before you consider other materials, it would be wise to get to know why tarmac driveways in Dublin have been getting increasingly popular. Not only is it the most common material used for driveways but it is also a great value for money. Lastly, remember to hire professionals to do the job for you, so there aren’t any issues and you get a perfectly maintained driveway in just a matter of a few hours!

 

References

Between Tarmac Driveways and Asphalt Driveways? https://www.hazellj.co.uk/what-is-the-difference-between-tarmac-driveways-and-asphalt-driveways