A resin-bound driveway is laid by professionals straight onto a sub-base. It’s made of resin (of course), aggregate (cut and washed stone) and grit. The resultant mixture gets applied and levelled as soon as it falls from the mixer.
These surfaces have many great benefits for homeowners. These include permeability – water drains straight through at an even, controlled rate. This, combined with the grit mixed in with the resin, means your surface is as grippy as it can be in the winter.
On this page, you’ll find more information about resin-bound driveways and their significant advantage to walking and driving in winter.
Traction and surface grip
A resin-bound driveway provides the most traction possible in all weather conditions, making it ideally suited to the snow.
Resin-bound surfaces are formed by mixing resin, aggregate and grit on-site. The resultant mixture is poured directly onto the sub-base. Since the grit is integrated into the resin, it creates a slightly rough surface. This means your tyres (and your shoes) have the most grip possible.
Another benefit of resin-bound driveways is their permeability. Water drains through at a controlled rate (making them SUDS-compliant). This means snow melts more evenly, significantly reducing puddling and further freezing.
Compare this to other driveway surfaces like concrete or block paving. These are smooth enough to mean your tyres have less traction in the snow. They also aren’t permeable. While tarmac is durable, it doesn’t allow water to drain. Finally, crushed stone is much harder to shovel and might be thrown into the air or the car’s underside when the wheels spin in the snow.
Please note that although resin driveways provide industry-leading levels of grip, your tyres could still spin, and you could still slip. That’s especially true if the snow or ice is thick enough to mean the rubber never actually touches the driveway surface.
Snow and ice removal
Despite having superior grippy qualities compared to alternatives, you should still remove snow and ice from your driveway as soon as possible. This minimises the risk of a slip or your car getting temporarily stuck.
If there’s one thing to remember, use gentle, non-abrasive methods. Here are a few tips:
- Use a plastic snow shovel. Metal snow shovels are likely to scratch and damage the resin. Being able to use a snow shovel is a significant advantage compared to loose-aggregate driveways like gravel, where you’ll also shovel away much of the surface.
- Scatter salt or sand on your resin-bound driveway once you’ve cleared the snow. These are harmless in the short term, but once the weather warms up, you should wash it away with a hose or low-pressure jet wash.
- Avoid using chemical de-icers. There are several reasons for this, but by far, the most important is the fact that everything drains through your resin-bound driveway. Its permeable property means all chemical de-icers find their way straight into the groundwater. Instead, shovel away as much as possible and invest in extra salt.
Proactive winter preparations
You can do a couple of things in these months before the snow (maybe) hits! Here are our suggestions:
- Sweep off all the autumn leaves and put them in your brown bin (or wherever you usually dispose of garden waste). Use a jet wash on a lower pressure setting to thoroughly clean off the rest of the debris, including any dirt, algae or moss. Work on all this before the negative temperatures set in.
- Sealants and protective coatings, installed by professionals, enhance your driveway’s safety during winter.
- Check for damage and repair it before winter sets in. Over significant periods or due to an uneven sub-base, cracks eventually emerge, especially if the driveway is a couple of decades old. This may lead to uneven surfaces, which could impact the grip of your shoes or tyres.
If you notice cracks or other significant damage, call professionals and have them fix it for you. This usually involves a simple patch. In the worst-case scenario, the sub-base underneath may be sinking, meaning it’s a matter of time before a new driveway (and sub-base) is needed.
Get in touch with Buffalo Driveways to learn more
Resin-bound driveways bring unparalleled benefits to your home. It’s as safe as it can be to drive on in the snow. However, continue to take care when walking or moving your car. You’ll have the best chances of staying safe by taking the time to carry out regular maintenance, including snow removal and jet wash cleaning.
Buffalo Driveways installs resin-bound driveways all around the East Midlands and beyond! Many of our happy customers have had their resin through many winters and have found it to hold up brilliantly.
For more information on resin-bound driveways or to ask us more about professional maintenance, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Our approachable team is always happy to have a commitment-free chat about what we can do for you.