How to Lay a Resin bound stone Driveway
One of our completed projects in Cobham, Surrey. Colour: Natural Tan
Resin bound stone surfaces are becoming more and more popular and we are often asked how the surface is made and laid. Well because of this I thought I’d write up a simple, step by step guide to installing a resin bound drive.
- You must have a solid base before laying a resin bound stone surface – either an existing concrete, tarmac or grid base that has been laid onto a suitable substrate and has no signs of subsidence or cracking. Make sure the base is strong enough for the type of traffic that will be using the new surface. Make sure it is bone dry before laying any resin, a moisture meter is a good way to check this. Some people use a hot compressed air lance to dry out the base.
- Make sure you prime the surface unless you are using a self-priming resin. For the mix it will typically be 100kg of 1-5mm aggregates mixed with a 7kg two part unit of appropriate resin. This single mix should cover approximately 3.8sqm. The two part resin should be thoroughly mixed with a paddle mixer before being added to the stones, usually in a special ‘Forced Action Mixer’. We like to add sand to each mix to ensure an anti-slip finish. All materials should be supplied with manufacturer’s guidelines that will need to be followed closely.
- Once mixed the resin and stone is poured onto the solid base and leveled using a rake or steel. Then hand troweled to give a compacted and smooth finish. You might find it useful to clean the trowel using solvent if it starts to get mucky half way through.
- Once completed you will need to avoid walking on it for anything between 4 to 12 hours and don’t drive on it for at least 24 hours – the outside temperature can affect the curing times quite a bit, so take this into consideration.
There you have it! How to lay a resin bound stone driveway in just a few easy steps.
We provide resin and stone materials to the trade so please give us a call for more information.
