Resin bound vs block paving
| Resin bound | Block paving | |
|---|---|---|
| Weeds | No joints, so nothing for weeds to root into | Sand joints are the weak point — weeds and moss establish in them |
| Surface movement | One continuous surface; no individual units to sink or rock | Individual blocks can sink, lift or rut along wheel lines |
| Drainage | Fully permeable and SUDS-compliant as standard | Standard block paving is not permeable; permeable systems exist but cost more |
| Ongoing maintenance | Sweep and occasional wash — no re-sanding, no resealing | Periodic re-sanding of joints, weed treatment, occasional re-levelling |
| Smoothness | Seamless and flat — easy for wheelchairs, prams, bikes and bins | Ridged and jointed — noticeably bumpy for wheels |
| Repairs | Patched and blended; a good repair is close to invisible but needs an installer | Individual blocks can be lifted and replaced by hand |
| Utility access | Requires cutting out and re-laying a section | Lift blocks, dig, relay — genuinely straightforward |
The differences that actually matter
Weeds are a joint problem, and resin has no joints
The single most common reason people replace block paving is the state of the joints. Every block has sand between it and the next one, and that sand holds moisture, silt and windblown seed. Given a few seasons that is a growing medium, which is why weeding and re-sanding become an annual job. Resin bound is laid as one continuous surface with no joints at all, so there is nothing for a root to get into. Windblown seed can occasionally germinate in surface debris, but it sweeps or washes off rather than needing to be dug out.
No individual blocks means nothing to sink or rock
Block paving is thousands of separate units held in place by edge restraint and compacted sand. Where cars turn and brake in the same place every day, those units migrate. That is what produces the ruts along wheel lines and the rocking blocks near the entrance that most people recognise. A resin bound surface is trowelled as a single sheet over a bound base, so there are no individual units to move independently.
Permeability, and why it matters for planning
In England you can normally lay a new front driveway of any size without planning permission provided the surface is permeable, or provided run-off is directed to a permeable area within your own boundary. Lay more than five square metres of impermeable surface without managing run-off and you generally need permission. Resin bound is permeable as standard. Conventional block paving on sand is not, although genuinely permeable block systems do exist at higher cost.
When block paving is the better choice
If there is any real chance you will need to dig up the driveway — a drainage run, a new service, a soakaway — block paving is genuinely easier to live with. You lift the blocks, do the work, and relay the same blocks. A resin surface has to be cut out and a section re-laid, and it takes an installer to make the repair blend.
Block paving also lets a competent homeowner replace a damaged block themselves. And if you specifically want a strongly patterned, multi-colour or herringbone look, that is block paving territory — resin gives you aggregate colour and texture, not pattern.