Resin bound vs tarmac
| Resin bound | Tarmac | |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance | Wide choice of natural aggregate blends and colours | Essentially black, occasionally red — limited options |
| Colour over time | UV-stable resin holds colour rather than yellowing | Fades from black towards grey as the bitumen oxidises |
| Drainage | Fully permeable and SUDS-compliant | Impermeable — over 5m² generally needs run-off managed or permission |
| Hot weather | Stable — does not soften underfoot | Can soften in sustained heat; heels and stands can mark it |
| Fuel and oil | Resistant to typical driveway spills | Petrol and diesel soften and degrade bitumen |
| Surface | Smooth, seamless, no loose material | Smooth when new; can fret and shed grit as it ages |
| Cost | Higher than tarmac for the same area | Usually the cheapest hard surface per square metre |
The differences that actually matter
Tarmac fades, resin does not
A new tarmac drive is genuinely smart — deep black, sharp edges. The issue is what happens over the following few years. The bitumen binder oxidises under UV and the surface drifts from black towards a chalky grey, usually unevenly, with the sunniest part of the drive going first. Resin bound uses a UV-stable resin specifically so that the binder does not yellow and the aggregate colour you chose is the colour you keep. It is the difference between a surface that ages and one that weathers.
Heat, fuel and the things that mark tarmac
Tarmac is thermoplastic — it softens as it gets hot. In a sustained hot spell that can mean scuffing where cars turn, and indentations from motorbike stands, caravan jockey wheels or trailer legs. It is also vulnerable to fuel and oil, which dissolve the bitumen binder and leave a soft, pitted patch under where a car habitually parks. Resin bound is not affected in the same way by either heat or normal driveway spills.
Permeability and the planning rules
Tarmac is an impermeable surface. In England, laying more than five square metres of impermeable surfacing at the front of a house generally requires planning permission unless run-off is directed to a permeable area inside your own boundary. Resin bound is permeable, so a new front driveway normally sits within permitted development whatever its size. That is a real practical difference, not a technicality.
When tarmac is the better choice
Cost per square metre. If you are surfacing a long farm approach, a large yard or a shared access where appearance is secondary and the budget is the constraint, tarmac will cover the ground for less money than resin will. We would rather tell you that than quote you for something you do not need.
Tarmac is also the sensible answer for anything genuinely road-like — heavy or repeated commercial vehicle movements, or a surface that will be trafficked by lorries. Domestic resin bound is specified for cars and light vans.