The Brew Cabin

Hi,

I had tarmac put down on my drive some 4 weeks ago and it is still soft.

It is ok to walk on, but when turning the wheels, it will leave a mark.

The past few weeks have been relatively hot. But 4 weeks is excessive.

The contractor is avoiding us. So what shall we do? Sealing grit, black sand, or wait a bit longer?

Also what is the best way to get rid of the scuffs that turning wheels on the driveway has made?

Thanks for the help.

Ross

Please read the Sticky Mac FAQ

Thanks for the reply.

I have read that, hence my knowledge of the sealing grit etc. However, what is suggested i really cannot do as the contracter is not coming back.

Should we bother with the sealing grit or black sand for the moment? Or are we best off waiting a few more weeks?

Talked to my dad.

he said that when it was really hot last week he tried to cool it down by spraying some water on the tarmac. He said the water started to sort of froth up.

Could this be due to solvents not yet evaporated.

It's unlikely that frothing would be caused by pen oil, as oil and water are not great mixers, and froth usually indicates the presence of a detergent.

Maybe it's residue from a car wash, or maybe the now-departed contractor tried to use soapy water to flush through the pen oil, which is alleged by some dodgy contractors to be a remedy.

Given that your contractor is back in Laramie with the rest of his posse, all you can really do is wait - the high summer temps should help drive off the volatiles and, gradually, the surface should get less sticky and somewhat stiffer.

If there's still a problem in, say September, then it may be that re-surfacing is the only real option, but sealing grit, assuming you can get hold of some, would be a worthwhile 'fix' in the short term.

Thanks for the advice.

The thing is it is only susceptible to tyre scuffs caused by power steering. Nothing else seems to effect it. It is firm to walk on etc and looks very well compacted.

I guess its a game of waiting.

If there's one, specific spot where you engage the power steering, put a decking sheet down to protect the surface for the next couple of months, and see how it goes.