Why Now Is The Time To Lay A Tarmac Driveway

Why Now Is The Time To Lay A Tarmac Driveway

If your driveway has seen better days, as is often the case at the end of winter, you may be thinking a lot about getting a new one laid. But when is the best time to do it?

The answer to that question may vary a little according to the kind of surface you choose, but if you are looking for a tarmac driveway, this is the time of year to arrange an appointment.

Spring and summer are ideal for laying tarmac driveways for a simple reason: the weather. When tarmac or asphalt is laid, what it needs is dry and warm conditions to set properly, leaving you with a firm, reliable and resilient surface.

By contrast, if it is cold and wet, the surface is unlikely to bind properly, and the moisture locked into it will cause problems. This means that what you need is a dry day when it is at least 15 degrees C outside.

Of course, there is no day in Cardiff when you can be sure it won’t rain, but it is still drier in spring and summer and certainly warmer. That means there will be plenty of good days on which to lay a tarmac driveway in optimal conditions, giving you a surface that will look good and serve you well for many years.

Spring and summer are also good times for laying other surfaces, for similar reasons. This applies to resin driveways, which also cure best in warmer and drier conditions.

Apart from that, the best conditions for laying any sort of driveway are more likely in warmer weather, as the ground below the driveway is unlikely to be too wet to allow a stable surface to be laid down (a big concern for block paving).

Whatever substance you want your new driveway surface to be, the next three or four months will be a great time to get it laid.