Tarmac Driveways
Tarmac is the most cost-effective durable driveway surface per square metre, and the most sensitive to what is underneath it. Laid hot on a compacted base with restrained edges it lasts decades. Laid thin on a weak base it ravels at the edges within two winters.
Key facts
- Service
- Tarmac Driveways
- Area covered
- Somerset, North Somerset & Bristol
- Typical cost
- £40–£70 per m² — Indicative only. A written price follows a site survey.
- Typical duration
- 3–5 days
- Expected lifespan
- 20 years plus
How much does a tarmac driveway cost?
Tarmac driveways typically run £40–£70 per square metre installed, including excavation, 150mm Type 1 sub-base, binder and surface courses. Smaller areas cost more per square metre because plant and delivery are fixed costs. Indicative only. A written price follows a site survey.
What thickness should a tarmac driveway be?
For domestic use we lay 50mm of AC20 binder course over the sub-base, topped with 20mm of AC6 surface course — 70mm of bound material in total. Commercial and vehicular-access areas take a thicker binder. Anything under 50mm total is a resurface, not a driveway.
- Binder course
- 50mm AC20 dense bitumen macadam
- Surface course
- 20mm AC6 close-graded
- Sub-base
- 150mm Type 1 MOT
- Compaction
- Vibrating roller, hot
How long before I can drive on new tarmac?
You can walk on it once it has cooled, usually within a few hours, and drive on it after 24 hours. Avoid turning the steering wheel on a stationary car, parking trailers on stands, or leaving heavy loads on one spot for the first month while it fully cures.
Why does tarmac crumble at the edges?
Almost always missing edge restraint. Tarmac has no lateral strength — without a haunched kerb, block edge or concrete upstand holding it, wheels push the outer 100mm sideways and it ravels. Every driveway we lay is restrained on all open edges.
What is actually under your driveway
Most of the cost and almost all of the lifespan sits below the surface. Select a layer to see its depth, material and why it matters.
AC6 surface course
20mm
The wearing layer. Fine graded, rolled hot, and the only part anyone ever sees.
Where do you carry out tarmac driveways?
Across Somerset, North Somerset and Bristol, within roughly 40 miles of our base. There is no travel charge and no postcode pricing.
- Weston-super-Mare
- Clevedon
- Portishead
- Nailsea
- Backwell
- Congresbury
- Yatton
- Banwell
- Winscombe
- Cheddar
- Wells
- Burnham-on-Sea
- Bridgwater
- Bristol
- Long Ashton
Other services
Driveways
Domestic driveway construction across Somerset and Bristol — excavation, sub-base, edge restraint and surfacing, built to the depths the ground actually needs.
£40–£120 per m²
Block Paving
Concrete and clay block paving on a compacted sub-base and sharp sand laying course, with restrained edges and kiln-dried jointing sand.
£60–£100 per m²
Resin Bound Driveways
UV-stable resin bound aggregate over a sound bound base — seamless, permeable and smooth underfoot.
£70–£120 per m²
Commercial Surfacing
Car parks, access roads, yards and playgrounds surfaced with machine-laid tarmac, phased to keep sites operational.
£45–£90 per m²
Groundworks
Excavation, foundations, footings, drainage and hard landscaping — the work that happens before anything visible does.
priced by scope per m²
Frequently asked
Can tarmac be laid in the rain?
Light drizzle is workable; steady rain is not. Water cools the material below compaction temperature and traps moisture in the mat, which causes early failure. We reschedule rather than lay in poor conditions.
Is red or coloured tarmac available?
Yes. Coloured surface courses and resin-bound edging details are available at additional cost. Colour sits in the surface course only, so the build-up beneath is identical.
Should tarmac be sealed?
No. We do not seal or paint tarmac and would advise against anyone offering it. Sealants trap moisture, wear unevenly and are the classic mark of a resurfacing scam rather than a repair.
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