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Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2005 9:40 pm
by jones2004
Is it alright to put a tarmac path through the middle of a lawn with pcc edgings. The reason I ask is that somewhere on this site i read that moss can effect the tarmac and cause it to fail. If i do put it through the lawn how long will it last.
what would be the best substitute??? as children will be using it all the time.
Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 2:48 pm
by TarmacLady
Hi Jones -- Moss will indeed affect tarmac -- but it will also affect concrete, block, etc -- as it embeds its roots in the material, the water has easier routes into the material, leading to freeze/thaw cycles, etc., etc. -- and the growing moss begins to degrade what it's growing in...It will do this to roof tiles, shingles, garden walls, and everything else as well, so I don't believe that tarmac is any more or less susceptible to moss damage than any other material.
It's fairly easy to prevent, however -- knock the moss off, and pour some vinegar (or diluted bleach, which is far more aggressive but far nastier stuff) over the mossy areas to help kill the roots that you were unable to extract. (Sunshine is the best anti-moss, but that's not always possible...)
Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2005 12:07 am
by Tony McC
You can put a tarmac path through the lawn if you like. If it's a nice sunny spot, then, as Amy says, moss will have a job getting a foothold, and even if it does, regular maintenance will keep everything in tip-top shape for at least 10 years.
The trouble with tarmac is that there no fixed point at which you can say it's reached the end of its life. I've seen tarmac driveways laid over 50 years ago that are still in use: although they're tatty, they are still serviceable. On t'other hand, I know some folk reckon that, structurally speaking, bitmac loses its true strength after 7-10 years of exposure to UV light. That doesn't mean it will fall apart, just that it's not as strong or 'competent' as it should be.
As a very rough guide, you should easily get 10 years minimum, and probably 20+ before it needs re-surfacing.
Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2005 3:08 pm
by TarmacLady
And (shameless plug here) a well-maintained tarmac drive -- cracks and holes filled, properly sealed -- will last considerably longer.