Laying a new drive: What is the best type of base coat?

by **greengrass** » Tue Sep 18, 2012 3:27 pm

6mm bitmac drive road end sinking and breaking up filled in patches found subbase compact ballast.
It's a Clay/flint stone area, the repair area 3 x 3.5 mt approx.
What is the proper material for sub base and bonding base for final finish in 6mm bit mac and rough guess cost.
An alternative to reduce costs plugging the sunken sections.
Can new 6mm bitmac or asphalt be laid over the existing providing all loose material is removed and sprayed with bonding. The drive serves two bungalows (I'm in one) and a large house and obviously 3 way cost. Being the project manager, not by choice thought I'd search for some tips to watch for.

by **welsh brickie** » Wed Sep 19, 2012 6:43 am

contact your local council works dept,they may do it for you or give some recomendations of local trusted contractors.

by **greengrass** » Sun Sep 23, 2012 12:29 am

Re the previous post Drive.

They want too much money so with my son-in-law and his mate will be doing it ourselves.
What's the best method.... as the existing is sinking, finding out why and correcting on dig up and obviously before laying new.
What is the best type of base coat and would a vibrating plate be suitable to compact both base coat and 6mm top layer.

by **welsh brickie** » Sun Sep 23, 2012 1:15 pm

If your cutting out a section and redoing it yourselfs,you can buy cold bags of it from local builders merchants.But it will look patchy.You can cut out a section,Using a diamond bladed stihl saw cut a straight line across the drive,remove it and fill in with hardcore,then compact it and lay your tarmac and compact it with the plate compactor.the 6mm top coat is usually 30-50mm thick, base tarmac is 70-100mm thick