The Brew Cabin

Posted: **Tue Jul 18, 2017 10:56 am**

Hi everyone,

First time poster but I'm sure it won't be the last!

On the paving expert website (http://www.pavingexpert.com/tarmac01.htm) there is pictures of 'cornish granite surface' and 'limestone wearing course' hard stone type macadam surfaces - it looks like a great finish and there is a project I am keen to achieve that type of finish on.

The job is a historic drive to a victorian house - the existing drive is in ok structural condition (with a few bad areas that require repair). I am hopeful that for the most part the drive will just need resurfaced.

Can anyone advise on the specification of macadam required to achieve? I have given the picture and description to a couple of friendly contractors but they weren't able to provide any assistance.

Any help much appreciated!

Cheers,

Murray

Posted: **Sun Jul 23, 2017 2:22 pm**

It's easier to get the Cornish granite aggregate macadam if you're in the SW of England, and the limestone agg version is more common in northern England, particularly in the NW around Manchester.

Outside these areas, the appropriate agg would have to be specially brought in, and the mac prepared as a unique order, and at a pretty hefty cost. It would probably be cheaper to use a resin bound option than pay for the batch plant to be cleaned of the usual mac, have the new granite/limestone mac blended and batched, and then have the plant cleaned out again so they can return to churning out their usual fare.

Also, bear in mind that the surfaces I show on those pages are worn. They have been in use for a number of years which has allowed the black binding bitumen to abrade and expose the aggregate. When newly laid, it does NOT look anything like those photies. In fact, it will, initially, look like regular black macadam.

So, if you are in the SW or NW of England, asking a local bitmac supplier about what aggs they use should elicit the info you need, but anywhere else, I'd suggest you look at either resin bound or good-quality resin-bonded surfacing as an alternative.

Posted: **Thu Jul 27, 2017 7:11 pm**

Top advice ^ to this effect my favourite tar plant down here in the SW uses a Welsh gritstone for their hardstone material!

The Brew Cabin

Hardstone macadam - Specification for hardstone macadam