Tarmac drive breaking up

omega · Post: # 50594Post **omega** Tue Jul 06, 2010 8:45 pm

We employed a civil engineer (he was doing another job for us ) to employ a company to lay a tarmac drive for us.This was last October and the tarmac was laid on a cold wet day. By May 2010 tyre marks showed on the driveway and the tarmac had started to break up in places. The Civil engineer says the defects are typical of the actions of oils on bituminous based surfacing and that our cars are leaking oil. In his opinion the defects are not attributable to specification or workmanship. There are no sign of oil leaks where we park our cars on the drive.
We are waiting for the contractor to come back to inspect the drive. Can you tell why the drive could have broken up so soon. Our previous drive lasted 23 years.

Mikey_C · Post: # 50635Post **Mikey_C** Wed Jul 07, 2010 7:21 am

sounds like bs to me, i know diesel will kill tarmac but I've not heard of engine oil.

the fact the contractor has come back for a look, is a good sign.

however, sit tight one the tarmac experts will be along shortly.

Wed Jul 07, 2010 8:17 am

bovine fecal matter

have a look where you park your car at work or tesco etc and see if there is anything dripping after its been there an hour or so say

without seeing it we can only speculate but 9 out of 10 times on here when we get this its just a bad job.

get them back and get them to fix it, if it id diesel damage you'll should be able to smell one hell of a stink of diesel.

bodgeitandscarper · Wed Jul 07, 2010 1:51 pm

If its what i can smell it aint coming from the car!!

Post: # 50858Post **Dave_L** Sun Jul 11, 2010 7:14 am

Breaking up - can you define that term please?

Is it just a few loose stones or are areas cracking up?

A photo would be oh so handy!

omega · Post: # 51743Post **omega** Thu Jul 29, 2010 2:59 pm

There are loose stones coming away in various areas of the driveway. Hope the photos help.

Thu Jul 29, 2010 5:48 pm

not really

LLL

Post: # 51758Post **msh paving** Thu Jul 29, 2010 5:53 pm

I'll second that LLL.....

MSH

bobbi o · Post: # 51774Post **bobbi o** Thu Jul 29, 2010 10:33 pm

Thu Jul 29, 2010 11:57 pm

i can see the tire marks. faint but can see them but no real break up of the surface

Big Phil · Post: # 52031Post **Big Phil** Tue Aug 03, 2010 12:28 am

in focus would be helpful...

loudog · Post: # 54884Post **loudog** Tue Oct 05, 2010 10:06 am

Seems to me the good old tyre marks in warm weather, Mikey C says that the contractor coming back is a bad sign cant see that myself, Laying tarmac in the wet or cold conditions is never to special as you have to be quick getting it down or you don't get the compaction. Oil does kill the tarmac as does diesel and petrol, You could get the contractor to get the tarmac suppliers out to test the tarmac but in my experience they always chuck the buck. Good luck

Mikey_C · Post: # 54909Post **Mikey_C** Tue Oct 05, 2010 9:03 pm

looking back I think that was a typo, now corrected.

Post: # 54930Post **Dave_L** Tue Oct 05, 2010 10:40 pm

loudog wrote:You could get the contractor to get the tarmac suppliers out to test the tarmac but in my experience they always chuck the buck.

Yep, know that feeling, we had a right ding-dong with H@nson a few years back over some obviously sub-standard gear. Got a free load of tar but no money for planing the top off or relaying it and this was after moaning for months on end.