Battle of the driveways: Resin Bound vs Block Paving – Which is best?

Resin Bound vs Block Paving

Helping customers choose a driveway material can be tricky. With many surfacing material options on the market, a number of important factors need to be considered such as how your driveway will look and how much maintenance you’re willing to tolerate. It’s a decision not to take lightly.

Here, our experts compare two of the most popular materials – Resin Bound vs Block Paving. Short on time? Skip to our handy infographic below for a summary!

Maintenance of Resin Bound vs Block Paving

A Resin Bound surface is very easy to maintain, and arguably lower maintenance than Block Paving. Block Paving can be susceptible to weed growth between slabs and can fade after UV exposure. They also need regular pressure washing to keep their natural vibrancy.

Resin Bound vs block paving

Left: UV Stable Resin, Right: Non-UV Stable Resin

On the other hand, our BoundWorx Resin Bound materials are fully UV stable so they won’t discolour in the sunlight. Also, subject to a suitable base, weeds are not able to grow through to the surface, meaning less time weeding for you!

Resin Bound rarely needs anything more than a light pressure wash once or twice annually – rainwater does most of the work for you. Any other stubborn dirt can often be removed with soapy water or common household detergents. Read more about cleaning Resin Bound driveways here. It’s important to know that Resin Bound surfacing should not be cleaned using boiling water.

Driveway Weather Resistance

Resin Bound surfacing is permeable – perfect for areas with high rainfall. It is SuDS compliant and often eliminates the need to obtain planning permission, read more here. While you can get Block Paving that allows liquid to pass through, standard Block Paving isn’t porous and so is susceptible to puddling and flash flooding.

Everyone needs to prepare for the winter, but your driveway shouldn’t be an unnecessary worry. Block Paving can be prone to freeze-thaw damage which can trigger cracking. You can avoid this with a waterproof sealant, however this is often an additional cost.

Resin bound, vs Block Paving, has a honeycomb-like structure, so ice is able to expand laterally through the pores in the surface instead of forcing the stones to crack apart. At Resin Bonded Ltd we have not experienced any issues with cracking due to frost retention. More information here about how to care for your Resin Bound driveway in icy conditions.

SuDS permeable resin bound

Aesthetic

resin bound vs block paving

Block Paving has long been the ‘go – to’ when considering driveway finishes. It offers a classic appearance using natural stones, often beige or grey in tone. You know what you’re getting with Block Paving as it can be spotted on the majority of drives across the country.

In contrast, Resin Bound surfacing has increased in popularity over the last ten years. BoundWorx surfacing provides a seamless, modern finish to complement most housing styles. It’s made by mixing resin with natural quarried stones – at Resin Bonded Ltd we have over 30 unique blends, offering rustic browns and golds, through to timeless greys. Alternatively, if we don’t have the perfect colour for you, we can offer a bespoke mix to suit your requirements.

Aside from the natural colours, we also offer luxurious marbles and even vibrant recycled glass finishes if you’re feeling bold! With the addition of simple edging strips or edging stones, you can use different resin bound colours to make patterns, borders, logos, etc. The possibilities are endless!

Installation

Both Resin Bound vs Block Paving require a trained, professional installation team. Incorrect installation of either surface can mean practical problems further down the line that could be costly – both in time and money – to rectify. Contact us for the details of a trained BoundWorx installer near you.

resin bound vs block paving

Durability of Resin Bound vs Block Paving

resin bound vs block paving

Both materials are durable, however Block Paving can be susceptible to displacement over time. Block Paving can also sink and crack if not installed correctly.

With the right sub-base and installation depth, Resin Bound can withstand heavy loads without cracking or sinking. We offer a 10 year guarantee for our materials to the installer. However, when laid correctly, a resin bound surface should well outlast that.

Resin Bound vs Block Paving cost

Costs for driveway materials can vary, even when looking at the same product. Neutral stone colours can increase the price of Block Paving, whereas all of our BoundWorx standard finishes are made from natural aggregates at no extra cost.

If you’re considering re-designing your drive, a complete dig-up and re-lay of Block Paving can be very costly. On the other hand, you can lay Resin Bound materials over existing solid and sound surfaces, eliminating the expense of re-doing a sub base.

block paving vs resin bound

Got more questions about Resin Bound vs Block Paving? Give our team of experts a call on 0800 772 3030 or contact us.

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