# Tar and Chip driveway?



## J_ph (Dec 17, 2013)

I need some paving wisdom.

I have a gravel driveway and I like the look. But I'm not getting any younger and wonder whether it would be best to pave it so that I can clean off more of the snow, instead of leaving a bit on top as I do now with the gravel. And then the potential of icing etc.

but.. looking around I like the Tar and Chip driveways, better cost and the look is more like a gravel driveway. Because of the stone texture will it be any better or will I tear up my scraper bar?

thanks

j


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## motorhead64 (Dec 15, 2013)

A paved drive is certainly easier to clean than a gravel one, but many do use blowers effectively on gravel. You do, however, have to adjust your skids up a bit and you will leave a layer of snow...or....you will be throwing gravel. MH


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## Colored Eggs (Dec 7, 2012)

For the tar and chip driveways you would still need to leave a bit of snow. Probably less than a quarter inch so that it does not scrape up the loose chips. Only other thing I can think of that would affect a snow blower is that its not as smooth as regular paving so it would wear out your shoes and scraper bar quicker. That is until you have it run over so much that its almost like blacktop. It would be an improvement over gravel though.


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## J_ph (Dec 17, 2013)

thanks, I live in an area that usually has a bit of snow, thaw, rain, ice problems. I thought that gravel would be good because of drainage but it doesn't seem to help. I've tried re-contouring the grade but it's a difficult spot an not many options. I may have found a good paving group to talk to and see what they can do.. 

I'm thinking that replacing skids and scraper bars is better than falling on your.....


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## Spectrum (Jan 6, 2013)

I have 15,00 square feet that I'd be looking at to go from crushed gravel to pavement. Aside from the price tag I like the renewability of my gravel. A pass with a drag or York Rake restores the look I like. Some fresh topping material every 8-10 years keeps it in good shape.

Once I pave the damage is inevitable. A truck will get near the edge in the spring and the edges will start breaking up and it all goes downhill from there. This a question when, not if. Aside from that frost and time will take a toll and it will deteriorate. It may look nice for 5 years, OK for 10 and crummy until you rip it up and start over.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

_*It may look nice for 5 years, OK for 10 and crummy until you rip it up and start over
*_I've been a city kid all my life but now I'm on 375' of gravel. I bought better skids and leave more snow than I like but I'm not throwing gravel like I did the first couple years.

On the idea of asphalt paving can you do a resealing job like they do on roads ?? Have a company come in and spray tar, spread gravel drive on it a few weeks and then remove the loose stones to get more years of "like new" ?? In the city the drives are too short but when you have this much asphalt would it be worth it, anyone done it ??


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

My grandfather got a couple of 5 gallon buckets of asphalt sealer and put a new coat down on his driveway a ways back.


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## J_ph (Dec 17, 2013)

Kiss4aFrog said:


> _*It may look nice for 5 years, OK for 10 and crummy until you rip it up and start over
> *_?? Have a company come in and spray tar, spread gravel drive on it a few weeks and then remove the loose stones to get more years of "like new" ??


That sounds alot like tar and chip paving. I have a friend that paved a very long driveway and it has held up for 15 years. It could probably use a resurfacing but that's not too bad since it costs half what a paved driveway costs. And from what I'm told can be repaired if needed. His driveway was new construction so it probably didn't anywhere near the base that my driveway has.

Although, I do get nervous making anything permanent and installing something that I can't repair.


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