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How to Lay Resin Driveways?

February 27, 2023

Laying resin driveways requires accuracy and proper attention to detail. We have garnered so much experience having installed hundreds of driveways for different clients. Therefore, you can be sure that only the best professionals will handle your project.

Driveway installation doesn’t have to be so cumbersome and difficult. Here, we bring you a simplified step by step guide to laying your driveway.

Things To Consider Before Laying A Resin Driveway

One thing to note before installing a driveway is that you need to know the state of the existing material in the area where the driveway is to be installed. If the material is not suitable for a driveway to be installed upon it, it has to be excavated. Be aware that the durability and long-term health of your driveways depends on the condition of the driveway sub base. Also, the paving sub base plays a huge role in the overall permeability of your resin surface drive. A permeable tarmac as well as concrete is suitable for use as a base for your driveway installation.

Furthermore, ensure that you choose to install your drive on a day when rainfall is not forecasted. You wouldn’t want rain to ruin your new driveway. Also confirm that the materials you have are all available and in the right quality.

How To Lay a Resin Driveways?

These are the materials you need to install a resin drive;

  • Resin aggregates
  • UVR Resin- this is recommended over non-UVR resin because the UVR resin does not discolour over time.
  • Forced action mixer to mix your resin and aggregates
  • Generator or power supply
  • Drill with slow start facility
  • Whisk paddle
  • Gaffer tape
  • Trowel
  • 5L /10L buckets, scrapers and small paint brush for keeping mixer clean
  • Cleaning rags
  • Wooden lute
  • Knit wrist and latex gloves
  • Clean wheelbarrow – polythene liners recommended
  • Clean shovel

In addition, you will need a stopwatch to measure mixing time, tarpaulins, stiff brush, gazebo, knee pads, reflective blankets to cover stone and resin in hot weather as well as cones and warning tapes or other barriers.

Steps To Take While Laying Resin Driveways

1. Install/Prepare A Suitable Sub-base

To ensure that your resin drive lasts for a long time, your subbase has to have sufficient strength to bear the load. If this base is not properly installed, the drive will sink or cave in. If the current surface is not good enough, you will have to dig and excavate until you get a good solid ground.

The ratio of cement to sand for your concrete foundation should be 1:3. A suitable sub-base should have a depth of 150mm MOT type 1. You may decide to install a concrete or tarmac on top of the compacted MOT type1 stone. The advantage of concrete is that it has very good strength but it is not permeable. Tarmac on the other hand is permeable which ensures that your drive is SUDS compliant. We recommend a 75mm thickness for tarmac and a 125mm thickness for concrete. For areas of very high rainfall with greater chances of flooding, tarmac is preferable because of its high permeability.

On the other hand, if you already have a suitable base, ensure that the surface is dry and free from weed or any other impurities that may affect the new drive. Also increase all cracks into a “V” shape using a Stihl saw.

2. Mix Your Resin

Accuracy is key while mixing your resin. Ensure that you use one batch of resin driveway materials on a project and if you need extra, use the same batch so as to avoid variations in the finished product. Mix the part A component of the resin DIY kit slowly for about 10-20 seconds and then add the part B component mixing both carefully for about a minute until it is uniform.

3. Mix The Resin, Aggregates And Sand

Mixing the resin, aggregates and sand should be mixed for the same duration for every mix to avoid colour variation.

First pour one bag of 2-5 mm aggregates and then another bag of 1-3 mm aggregates into your Forced Action Mixer. Then pour the already mixed resin into the mix. Start your stopwatch and take note of the mixing time. Then add the other bags of resin aggregates and slowly add the bag of sand. Ensure that all the mixing time for each batch you pour into the mix is exactly the same to ensure colour uniformity. Mixing time should not be more than 4 minutes. Ensure that your aggregates are not damp before commencing mixing. Also make sure that every material is well coated.

4. Take The Mix To The Intended Resin Drive Area

Transfer the mix into a plastic lined wheelbarrow and turn off the mixer. Scrape off all of the mix and clean the mixer thoroughly. When you go to your work area, pour the mix in quantities that will be easy for you to handle. Do not pour too much at the same time. Ensure to spread the mix as evenly as you can. This is the best time to manipulate the mix anyhow you want before the mix has cured.

5. Trowelling

Clean your trowel properly with white spirit before trowelling. Also clean the trowel after about six strokes during the process so that the trowel will not become too sticky and drag the mix out of place. Use batons to show where you want the mix to be tipped and also use relevant markings to grid out the area in squares. Do not allow for gaps when working with the aggregates. Ensure that the stones are closely compacted and form a level resin surface. Stop troweling when the mix has become solid and no long fluid. Then smoothen out the surface or polish it to give off an attractive lustre. When pouring in batches, ensure that the edge of your last trowelled section is rough so that it can bond with the next batch.

Tip:

Allow the surface to cure for about 8 hours at minimum. For best results, allow 24 hours before using the surface. When curing at temperatures below 150c or when curing overnight, you can add an accelerator.

Best Driveway Installation Specialists

At YourResinDriveway.com we give you nothing but the absolute best for all your driveway installations including- resin bound path, resin bound steps, patios and resin bonded paths/driveways.

Reach out to us 0808 273 7505 for any inquiries or problems you may encounter while installing your drive. You can also fill out our free online form for a free quote to know the likely cost of resin drives for your next project.

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