Cheaper alternatives to tarmac for the drive

[Maverick007]

My driveway needs sorting out, it is basically crazy paving and lots of loose slabs.

I've had a couple of quotes for tarmac and both around the £6k mark which I can't afford. The only other option I could think of was to dig the drive up, get a good membrane over it and a few tonne of gravel on it. Is that even a decent idea?

All views welcome!

[Hard-Drive]

I'd use stone then gravel, rather than membrane. Membrane is all well and good, however it won't stop airborne seeds landing in the gravel from taking root. Just kill the bejesus out of anything there first before you stone it. We had a new drive laid in Feb/March in this way and it's 100% weed free as of now.

Personally, I think tarmac looks awful, where gravel is cheap, timeless, and has plus points such as better security, it won't sink, any "repairs" or cables you need to dig in underneath are instantly invisible, and if your P&J drips oil like my Land Rover, you can fix it with a rake.

[Welshbeef]

Plenty of cats in my neighbourhood oddly like to see and more annoying Poo on the shingle you normally put on verges/bedding.

What about two rows of paving slabs? Cheap as chips looks decent too/depends what the other houses have done on theirs.

[towser44]

I gravelled my driveway, well, it was actually the whole side garden of our house as it has gardens front, back and side. As above, I am forever shovelling cat sh!t off the gravel. Grrrrrrr!

[MDMA .]

What about a bonded resin on top of what you have ?

[Welshbeef]

How about grass with hard mesh in it - so you cut it like a lawn but you have hard standing on it.

Utterly green allowing rain to get to the water table than into the drains and given low budget it's a very cheap option and anyone can DIY it. It will look good too.
No worries about oil drops either damaging the drive.

[mph1977]

gravel or as suggested the grids that you then fill back up with soil and allow the grass to grow ...

tarmac is the cheapest hard surface

[SAB888]

Clay or concrete block paviors look fantastic, and will last for many years. Easy to clean with a pressure washer. That was my choice and I'm not disappointed.

[mph1977]

SAB888 said:

Clay or concrete block paviors look fantastic, and will last for many years. Easy to clean with a pressure washer. That was my choice and I'm not disappointed.

and far more exspensive if you get a man in to do it / lots of back breaking work to lay your own .

[SAB888]

mph1977 said:

SAB888 said:

Clay or concrete block paviors look fantastic, and will last for many years. Easy to clean with a pressure washer. That was my choice and I'm not disappointed.

and far more exspensive if you get a man in to do it / lots of back breaking work to lay your own .

I got someone who did a lot of driveways and it was a very reasonable price and fits two cars easily.

[Chrisgr31]

I did mine a couple of years ago with granite chippings. However did it so I can remove the chippings and lay Tarmac on it when I can afford it. So the base is up to Tarmac spec, just got a cheaper top coat at present. It works well

[Squiggs]

How about about crazy paving?
It's cheap and easy to lay yourself, and if any of the slabs become loose they're easy to break out and re-bed.

[Pheo]

Anyone know the max slope for the grid units with stones? Our front is on a slight slope...

[Pintofbest]

We used this on out old drive. Previously it was Cotswold stone that ground down to dust on about 6 months, 20mm gravel and this stuff was still going strong 3 years later - doesn't move about too much either.

http://www.coregravel.ca/products/core-gravel/

[colinjy]

Pintofbest said:

We used this on out old drive. Previously it was Cotswold stone that ground down to dust on about 6 months, 20mm gravel and this stuff was still going strong 3 years later - doesn't move about too much either.

http://www.coregravel.ca/products/core-gravel/

This looks interesting what sort of price if you don't mind me asking

Thanks

[Maverick007]

thanks all for the ideas and suggestions.

I wish I could afford tarmac or block paving but a cheaper alternative is definitely needed. Next doors have stone which seems decent but I guess there are some issues with this (although there aren't too many cats in the road!)

[xjay1337]

We have a gravel driveway

I hate it.

[Pheo]

Does anyone have any idea the cost to install these gravel grid things vs say blocks?

I can't find any information to work out whether it's appreciably cheaper. It seems like it should be (can you really just scrape the grass and topsoil off, lay a MOT sub base company and lay the grid? The websites all tell the benefits but with no numbers.

[S11Steve]

A friend had a gravel driveway installed two years ago - enough for 5-6 cars, so a fair size. She has three kids and is forever having to mop floors as dust and grit get tramped into the entire house.

Biggest waste of time and money she has encountered, and thoroughly regrets the choice.

[Nimby]

Check the rules on planning permission and drainage. I'm not sure what the situation is if you're replacing one type of impermeable surface with another.