Has anyone done Resin Bound Gravel DIY?
Has anyone done Resin Bound Gravel DIY?
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anonymous-user

Original Poster:

70 months

Tuesday 18th March
quotequote all
This sort of thing: https://www.theresinbondedslabcompany.co.uk/3-step...

Our patio is very solid, but tired and we get weeds/moss growing through it every year. I don't have the funds to get a new one laid (circa £6k on the last quote) so I'm trying to come up with ideas to tidy it up for a few years.

Just wondered if anyone has had a go at this and what the results were like?

Zio Di Roma

1,427 posts

48 months

Tuesday 18th March
quotequote all
MrBig said:
This sort of thing: https://www.theresinbondedslabcompany.co.uk/3-step...

Our patio is very solid, but tired and we get weeds/moss growing through it every year. I don't have the funds to get a new one laid (circa £6k on the last quote) so I'm trying to come up with ideas to tidy it up for a few years.

Just wondered if anyone has had a go at this and what the results were like?
If you see the words “resin” and “gravel” in the same product description you don’t want it.

We’ve got a lot of both bound and bonded gravel surfaces, by the way.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

70 months

Tuesday 18th March
quotequote all
Zio Di Roma said:
If you see the words “resin” and “gravel” in the same product description you don’t want it.
Why?

Bill

55,845 posts

271 months

Tuesday 18th March
quotequote all
MrBig said:
Our patio is very solid, but tired and we get weeds/moss growing through it every year. I don't have the funds to get a new one laid (circa £6k on the last quote) so I'm trying to come up with ideas to tidy it up for a few years.
If you're putting some effort in then it seems a better use of your time to weed it properly and repoint it.

Zio Di Roma

1,427 posts

48 months

Tuesday 18th March
quotequote all
MrBig said:
Zio Di Roma said:
If you see the words “resin” and “gravel” in the same product description you don’t want it.
Why?
Because both the systems used to lay it; bound and bonded, are problematic. Not just my opinion, also that of a consultant engineer who we engaged when our first bonded drive was junk.

We've since had areas of bound gravel laid and it is also junk, for different reasons.

Even the contractor (a large one) admitted that they were moving away from it, due to problems. A University site that they had given us as a reference also had massive issues,

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

70 months

Tuesday 18th March
quotequote all
I know someone who had it on a sloping drive. It looks nice down but when the sun catches it, it looks like a ploughed field. He had it dug up and redone under the guarantee and it's not as bad but you can still see it

Zio Di Roma

1,427 posts

48 months

Tuesday 18th March
quotequote all
Cliodci12235 said:
I know someone who had it on a sloping drive. It looks nice down but when the sun catches it, it looks like a ploughed field. He had it dug up and redone under the guarantee and it's not as bad but you can still see it
The Caravan Club of Ireland are quite prolific with the resin, with varying results.

It's not hard to get it flat. It's everything else.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

70 months

Tuesday 18th March
quotequote all
Zio Di Roma said:
The Caravan Club of Ireland are quite prolific with the resin, with varying results.

It's not hard to get it flat. It's everything else.
Ha ha. To be fair it's a steep drive and wondered if it had slumped? I've not seen it being laid so not sure on the consistency? I was surprised when they returned for round two.

B'stard Child

30,373 posts

262 months

Tuesday 18th March
quotequote all
House up the road had it done when they moved in 5 years ago - the new owners were quite vocal in saying to anyone who would listen that they didn't want tarmac, brick weave, patterned concrete or concrete (the majority of drives are one of the four) and they didn't mind spending the extra to get resin bonded gravel (they are a little up themselves - moved up from London area so had a bunch of cash to splash around on the place and no mortgage anymore)

It looked really nice when it was done compared to other brick weave and tarmac drives.

It looks utterly st now with weeds growing thro cracks and generally it's a bit up and down where the cars have been parked and I'd place a side bet that they no longer have the cash to do it again.


anonymous-user

Original Poster:

70 months

Tuesday 18th March
quotequote all
One point I will add is the rainwater run off seems far greater than other surfaces.

guywilko

149 posts

226 months

Wednesday 19th March
quotequote all
Just built a drive with subbase, 30mm deep gravel grids, geotex bonded onto the grid base, 20mm angular gravel whacked in.
Hard work but technically easy DIY. Main thing is having well haunched in edgings.

Zio Di Roma

1,427 posts

48 months

Wednesday 19th March
quotequote all
Cliodci12235 said:
One point I will add is the rainwater run off seems far greater than other surfaces.
Depends obvs whether it is bound or bonded. The bonded will be 100% run-off, whereas bound will allow a great deal of it to run through. Or at least assuming the sub-base is water permeable. Which is another point, if water can penetrate the gravel because it is bound it can form green patches in the gravel.


The Gauge

4,982 posts

29 months

Wednesday 19th March
quotequote all
Personally I'm not a fan of the resin type surfaces, I think they look too artificial, like plastic lawns. But I can see why they might appeal in certain situations. I don't know how they cope when needing cleaning, or whether you can use a jet washer on them? Something to think about maybeif there's a chance of mould/algae growing in shady areas?

Zio Di Roma

1,427 posts

48 months

Wednesday 19th March
quotequote all
The Gauge said:
Personally I'm not a fan of the resin type surfaces, I think they look too artificial, like plastic lawns. But I can see why they might appeal in certain situations. I don't know how they cope when needing cleaning, or whether you can use a jet washer on them? Something to think about maybeif there's a chance of mould/algae growing in shady areas?
They do age okay, particularly if you don’t keep them meticulously clean. Ask me how I know.

guywilko

149 posts

226 months

Wednesday 19th March
quotequote all
Just built a drive with subbase, 30mm deep gravel grids, geotex bonded onto the grid base, 20mm angular gravel whacked in.
Hard work but technically easy DIY. Main thing is having well haunched in edgings.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

70 months

Wednesday 19th March
quotequote all
Zio Di Roma said:
Depends obvs whether it is bound or bonded. The bonded will be 100% run-off, whereas bound will allow a great deal of it to run through. Or at least assuming the sub-base is water permeable. Which is another point, if water can penetrate the gravel because it is bound it can form green patches in the gravel.
His was bonded and should have had a ACO drain fitted before doing. It now runs down under his carport and into his back garden.

Zio Di Roma

1,427 posts

48 months

Wednesday 19th March
quotequote all
Cliodci12235 said:
His was bonded and should have had a ACO drain fitted before doing. It now runs down under his carport and into his back garden.
Sounds right. It’s a big water impermeable sheet essentially, water is just going to run off it.

jmn

976 posts

296 months

Thursday 20th March
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Has anyone considered imprinted concrete for a patio surface?

scot_aln

598 posts

215 months

Thursday 20th March
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3 years ago we looked at various options but what concluded the choice of blocks was watching 2 neighbours having to have their drives dug up for an underground cable issue. The ones with blocks look just as they did after. The one that was tarmac (and I guess same would apply to resign or printed concrete) has a clear messy stripe where it was patch repaired.

Zio Di Roma

1,427 posts

48 months

Thursday 20th March
quotequote all
^^^^ if you need to dig to lay services you definitely don’t want resin. We’ve got a number of local repairs and they look poor.