1. Sweep total area clean removing all loose materials and growth and treat total area with weed killer,
It is advisable to power wash the proposed area to be resurfaced as this will remove all relevant silt and grime from the surface however this is not always a requirement, a suitable strength weed killer must be used to ensure against re-growth and one which will kill through to the roots.
2. Adjust all iron works to required levels,
Iron work relates to any manhole chambers, water/gas stop tap boxes etc. The iron works should be adjusted in height to the required finish surface level suiting the relevant falls and cross falls to assist water escape, the work would involve adjusting the height by means of hiring /lowering where required on a sand and cement mix with suitable spacing materials/ packing pieces as required.
3. Create required tie ins, (known in the trade as grips),
A tie in is required to run a new surface flush with any surrounding surface levels, the work involves taking a required amount of the existing surface away or cutting back reducing an existing surface level with the ultimate aim of running the new surface flush with any surrounding surfaces, entrance to garage, surrounding footpaths/ patio areas etc.
4. Apply emulsion tack coat to the total area to be resurfaced,
An emulsion tack coat is a required element in resurfacing with tarmac which adheres the new surface to the existing surface, the application process of applying the tack coat must include applying to the full area a sufficient amount of tack coat as to secure an adherence to the underneath, this can be achieved by either spraying on the tack coat or sweeping the tack coat on in order to cover the full area in question.
5. Regulate total area by filling all hollow areas level with tarmacadam machine rolled,
Regulating the entire area is important as most driveways in need of resurfacing will inevitably have hollow areas where water stands, filling in these hollow areas and building up levels with extra materials paying attention to falls and cross falls available will help with preventing standing water.
6. Repair all potholes/ broken areas,
Repairs to broken/ pot hole areas must be undertaken to one of our repair specifications, these specifications can be found within this section if required.
7. Apply the finishing layer of tarmacadam,
Overlaying the complete area with a surface course tarmacadam to the required depth, there are many different types of surface course available with different depth specifications for intended usage but generally a standard surface course tarmacadam with 6mm sized aggregate at a depth of 25mm would suffice, the right specification would be sought after discussions on required usage with an experienced estimator.
8. Tar all joints to seal where new surface meets surrounding surfaces with hot pored bitumen.
Sealing the joints where the new surface meets with surrounding surfaces helps prevent any deterioration of the joint and also to protect against ingress of water and or any other adverse weather conditions, the sealing process is achieved by over banding the joint with a bitumous material and can be applied both hot or cold.
The above specification can be used to resurface in tarmacadam drives, footpaths roads and play areas; however their required usage would depend on the type and depth of tarmac surface course material used.
