Best Driveway Material: Block Paving vs Tarmac vs Resin
What each surface is actually made from, how it holds up under a car and a Dorset winter, what upkeep it asks of you, and where we stand on resin, which we do not fit.
The Short Answer
Block paving and tarmac are the two driveway surfaces we lay, and both hold up well over years if the ground underneath is dug out, drained and compacted properly first. Tarmac goes down fast and costs less to start with. Block paving costs more but individual sections can be lifted and relaid rather than digging up the whole drive when something needs attention. Resin bound driveways are a third option that has grown fast locally, and we deal with that honestly further down this page: we do not currently install it.
What actually decides whether any surface still looks right in five years has less to do with what sits on top and more to do with what is underneath it. A driveway dug to the wrong depth, or laid without falls to carry rainwater away, will crack, dip or pool regardless of the surface chosen. That groundwork is the part we do ourselves rather than subbing out to someone else, and it is why everything we lay is covered by a two-year workmanship warranty.
If the priority is upfront cost and a plain, hard-wearing surface, tarmac is usually the better fit. If the priority is a surface that can be repaired section by section, or a finish with more choice of colour and pattern, block paving is usually the better fit. Neither one is the wrong answer on its own. The wrong answer is a driveway laid on a sub-base that was never properly compacted, whatever material sits on top of it. Whichever you are weighing up, ask whoever quotes it what is happening to the ground before you ask what it will look like.
Block Paving and Tarmac Driveways We Have Built
A look at the finish on real jobs, so you can see what tight joints and a clean edge actually look like before you decide.
Resin Bound Driveways: Where We Stand
Resin bound is a genuine driveway option, a mix of stone and resin laid over a bound base, and it is one of the fastest growing driveway searches in Dorset and Hampshire right now. We do not currently install it, and we would rather say so plainly than quote a job we could not stand behind to the same standard as our block paving and tarmac work. If resin is what you decide on, the same rule applies whoever fits it for you. The finish is only as good as the sub-base and falls underneath, so ask what is going into the ground before you ask what is going on top of it.
Block Paving vs Tarmac vs Resin at a Glance
Three things decide most driveways: what it costs to lay, how well it is looked after by whoever builds it, and how easy it is to put right later. Here is how block paving, tarmac and resin compare on what we can actually stand behind, including the one we do not fit.
| Block Paving | Tarmac | Resin Bound | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Do we install it | Yes | Yes | No, we do not currently fit resin |
| Workmanship warranty | 2 years | 2 years | Not applicable, ask your installer what they offer |
| Sub-base and falls | Dug out and compacted in layers by our own team, with falls set to drain | Dug out and compacted in layers by our own team, with falls set to drain | Depends entirely on who fits it. Ask what is going in before what is going on top |
| Typical timescale | Most standard driveways inside a week | Most standard driveways inside a week | Varies by installer, confirm at quote stage |
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Common Questions About Choosing a Driveway
The follow-on questions people usually ask once they have read this far.
Do you fit resin driveways?
No, not currently. We install block paving and tarmac driveways, both backed by our two-year workmanship warranty. If resin is the right choice for your project, we would rather tell you that upfront than take on a job outside what we actually do.
How long does a new driveway take?
Most standard driveways are finished inside a week. The exact timing depends on the size of the drive, access to the site and what turns up once the old surface comes up, and gets confirmed at the quote stage.
Will a new driveway sink or go uneven like the last one did?
That usually comes down to the sub-base. Ours is dug out, compacted in layers and built to the right depth by our own team rather than subbed out, which is the main reason a driveway stays level for years.
Where does the rainwater go?
Falls are set deliberately during the build so water runs off the surface instead of sitting or pooling, and drainage is designed into the job rather than added on afterwards if the site needs it.
Is block paving or tarmac cheaper to have laid?
It depends on the size of the drive, access for materials and the condition of the ground once the old surface is out. We quote every driveway individually after a site visit, and the price we agree is fixed, with no hidden extras once work starts.
Driveway Services We Actually Offer
Ready to get your driveway priced? Here is where to start.
01Block Paving Driveways
Dug out, built on a properly compacted sub-base and laid with tight, even joints. Covered by our two-year workmanship warranty.
Learn more
02Tarmac Driveways
A hard-wearing, cost-effective surface built on the same properly compacted sub-base as everything else we lay.
Learn more
03Driveway & Patio Drainage
Falls and drainage designed into the build rather than added afterwards, so surface water has somewhere to go.
Learn more
Get a free quote
Tell us what you need and we'll come back with a price. No pressure, no hard sell.
Prefer to talk? Call Four Groundworks & Landscaping on 07886 075828