Resin bound driveways in Mansfield and Nottinghamshire.

The two names sound alike but they are different surfaces, and it is worth knowing which one you are being quoted for.

Resin bound

Dried natural aggregate is mixed with resin and trowelled level by hand. Every stone is coated and held, so the finish is smooth, has no loose stones and lets water through. It is comfortable underfoot and easy for buggies, wheelchairs and bikes. This is what we lay for driveways.

Resin bonded

A layer of resin is spread on the base and loose stone is scattered over it. The texture is rougher, the surface is not permeable, and loose stones can shed over time.

Yes, provided the base underneath is permeable too. Rain passes through the small gaps between the coated stones and soaks into the ground, rather than running into the road. That makes resin bound a true permeable driveway and a Sustainable Drainage (SuDS) friendly surface.

It also matters for planning. Covering more than 5 m² of a front garden with a hard surface that drains onto the road needs planning permission, but a permeable surface normally does not. We check how your plot drains at the site visit, and it is always worth confirming with your council. A drive that crosses a pavement also needs a dropped kerb approved by the highway authority.

Resin bound is a thin wearing layer, so it can only be as good as what is under it. Any crack or movement in the base will show through the finish.

For a fully permeable drive, the resin goes over a new porous asphalt (tarmac) base laid on a compacted open-graded stone sub-base. An existing tarmac or concrete drive can sometimes be overlaid, but only if it is sound, level and free of cracks, and a solid base still needs somewhere for the water to go. If an old drive is not good enough, we will tell you at the site visit rather than lay over a problem. Edges are finished with a firm restraint, such as block paving or metal edging, so the resin has something to butt against.

Resin must be laid on a dry base and cannot be laid in rain or when temperatures are close to freezing, so we plan the work around the forecast and may move the start date to protect your drive. In warm weather the mix cures faster, in cool weather more slowly.

As a rule of thumb, a new resin bound surface can usually be walked on later the same day or the next morning, and driven on after a day or two, depending on the temperature. We give you the exact times on the day. We use UV-stable resin, so the colour does not yellow in sunlight the way cheaper resins can.

Resin bound surfaces are made from blends of natural stone aggregate, so the colour is the colour of the stone, from warm golds, buffs and browns to silvers, greys and charcoals. Blends can be matched to the brickwork, the paving round the house or a contrasting border.

Natural stone varies from batch to batch and looks different outdoors than in a brochure, so we bring samples to the site visit and you choose in your own light.

A resin bound driveway laid on a sound base with UV-stable resin, in the right weather, should give many years of service. Most resin driveway problems trace back to the install rather than the material: cracks that follow a weak or cracked base, yellowing from cheaper non-UV-stable resin, patchy or crumbly areas from poorly mixed or cold-laid resin, and puddles where the base underneath does not drain.

Looking after it is simple. Sweep regularly to stop leaves and dirt clogging the pores, wash it occasionally with a hose or a pressure washer on a gentle setting, and clean up oil promptly. For the first few weeks, avoid turning the steering wheel while the car is stationary, especially in hot weather, as it can scuff the surface.