When you think of tarmac, your mind usually takes you to an airport. On the other hand, when you think of driveways, you usually think of gravel or concrete, right? Gravel is a mess, and a pain in the butt to keep up with, especially if you live in an area where it rains or floods a lot. Concrete can't withstand the cold weather. Every winter, you chance having to replace your concrete due to the stress of the changing elements cracking and breaking up your drive.
Go Tarmac Or Go Home! ...Wait...You Are Home!
Tarmac drives are some of the best driveways in the world. Why? Good, easy maintenance. It is also fairly easy to rejuvenate life to old tarmac drives too, if you clean it the right way. Old or new, you should pressure wash your driveway regularly to keep it free of dust, dirt, and grime. Clean and fresh tarmac drives are always the nicest to look at, and the best to drive on as well. A tarmac drive hard on the pockets to relay, but with a little elbow grease, and treatment, your tarmac drive can look good as new.
Restoring Colour to Your Tarmac Drive
A coloured tarmac drive can easily be restored by using sealers which are environment-friendly. You can use asphalt-emulsion, which is a great sealer. Normally, it's used to restore condition and colour, and is fairly cheap and very effective. A sealer such as this can also be used to protect your drive from gas leaks and oil spills, which usually happen to most of us at some point. How else would we know to take the car to the shop?
What NOT To Do:
Tarmac drives requires a six month process of curing and hardening--after your drive has been sealed using asphalt-emulsion. It is strongly advised you avoid driving at any high speeds on your restored drive to avoid spot-damage. Starting or stopping quickly can also leave spot-damage. You should always take off slow, and the same when coming to a stop. That way, your tarmac drive will remain in perfect condition.
You should also never leave a bike with a kickstand of any kind on your driveway. Lawn chairs are also bad because they can both lead to pits and gorges in your drive. Car jacks, ramps, and the like, should be put on a slab of wood if you need to make any repairs to your vehicle. Also try not to drive near any edges of your tarmac drive; they may crack without proper support.
Keeping Your Tarmac Driveway Clean
Tarmac drives with asphalt surfaces should be cleaned regularly. Why? Well, if you must know, it is because the dirt from you driving your car, walking around, and kids playing causes the oil to pull away from the tar. There are crack fillers you can use to repair any cracks that may pop up here and there during the winter months, expansion and contraction during the cold season.