The Brew Cabin

Posted: **Thu Apr 08, 2010 4:41 pm**

We have just had our driveway redone using asphalt with a block border.

I used this site when I was getting quotes.
The company I choose has now finished the driveway today.

They seem to have done a proper job.
They dug down quite a bit and added a good layer of crushed stone and whackered it down.
Layed the bloack border.
Yesterday they put down one layer of tarmac and used a petrol roller to compact it.
Today they layed a second layer and again used the petrol roller to compact it.

But after the second layer was compacted we noticed there was a lot of scratches and pits in the surface. We were expecting it to be very smooth.

The guys doing the work said it had gone well and they still had to put the sealing layer on. This laye is supossed to act like a blanket and allow the tarmac to settle and fill in the blemishes.

So they spread a layer of sealing grit (sand and asphalt mix?) like dust over the top and thats it job complete.
After a few days it is to be brushed off.

I have been happy with there work so far but I haven't seen/heard of this final layer before.

Is this correct will it remove the blemishes???

Thanks

Mark

Posted: **Thu Apr 08, 2010 5:54 pm**

daveL will be along soon our resident tarmac expert, does not sound good to me MSH

Posted: **Fri Apr 09, 2010 12:14 pm**

Thanks, look forward to the reply

Posted: **Fri Apr 09, 2010 6:46 pm**

A picture would be really handy.

Sealing grit/bit grit is 'usually' a sign of a cover-up..........how many roads and footpaths do you see with grit on a freshly laid surface?

I shall say no more!

If you can bung up a pic, I'll advise further.

Posted: **Fri Apr 09, 2010 7:11 pm**

What do you mean there were scratches and pits... Was there water been used when they had the rollers working on it.
We use to throw sealing grit on the base coat at the start of the project and would be months before we called them back to finish

Posted: **Fri Apr 09, 2010 7:24 pm**

Indeed, bit grit is only really used on a binder course 'mac that is to be trafficked, like on a building development prior to final surfacing.

I think a picture will tell all..........

Posted: **Sat Apr 10, 2010 10:10 am**

OK here are some photos. I had to compress the images to get them to be uploaded so hope they are good enough.

This is a overview of part of our driveway. The darker patches are the grit that was added on top.

This is a closeup of the grit:

Here is an example of a pit in the surface:

And this is an example of some scrapes that the grit has appeared to have healed:

Posted: **Sat Apr 10, 2010 10:49 am**

looks to me like there is possibly insufficient compaction. ie: the roller used wasnt heavy enough and/or the material has gone cold before it was rolled.

Posted: **Sat Apr 10, 2010 1:11 pm**

in the first picture the block edgings on the left side look skew whiff
I am no bitmac expert but i wouldn't expect a new drive to look like that
LLL

Posted: **Sat Apr 10, 2010 6:19 pm**

Shocking work.

Posted: **Sat Apr 10, 2010 9:50 pm**

Your reactions don't sound good.
I guess the gritting is not something that is done.

The roller they used was a BOMAG 55
Which to me looks ok so maybe they didn't work fast enough.

With regards to the block work, I hadn't noticed the wonkiness. To be fair that is the only bit that isn't straight and it does look worse on the photo.

When I decided to give this company the work I knew that they hadn't done many tarmacing jobs before but they did give me two addresses that they had done before and I don't remember thinking they were bad when I looked at them.

Is there anything that can be done to tidy/repair/fix this 'bad' job or is it a rip it all up and start again. If I go to complain they aren't going to like it!

Posted: **Sat Apr 10, 2010 10:18 pm**

Sealing grit is their last resort to cover up a badly laid drive. I would ask them a few questions about the material they have used. I presume this was hand laid.

Nothing wrong with a bomag and plenty of water coming out from it while rolling?

If you complain they are not going to like it. So why ask if it was done correctly. Are you happy with the job?

Was there a whacker plate used on the tarmac also?

Posted: **Sat Apr 10, 2010 10:23 pm**

Looks like an over-compacted limestone bitmac hence the over-whiteness of it all.

Posted: **Sat Apr 10, 2010 10:23 pm**

to be blunt mate, you paid for a correctly laid drive. it`s not what you got, why should you care if thier upset. ???

Posted: **Sat Apr 10, 2010 10:24 pm**

Without a doubt hand-laid. What was the weather like on the day?

Only option is to plane off 35mm or so and relay with a decent material and use proper compaction equipment.

The Brew Cabin

Asphalt driveway question - Just had a driveway done is it right?