Choosing the right base for a resin-bound driveway is critical to ensuring long-term durability, strength, and aesthetic appeal. Three popular options—Vuba Mac, permeable concrete, and permeable tarmac—each have their unique advantages, and the best choice depends on factors like installation depth, load-bearing capacity, and drainage needs.

In this blog, we’ll compare the pros of using Vuba Mac, permeable concrete, and tarmac as a base for resin-bound driveways, breaking down their strengths, depths, and suitability for different project needs.

What Is Vuba Mac?
Vuba Mac is a specialised base designed for resin-bound systems. It consists of high-quality aggregates combined with a permeable resin binder. Known for its strength, flexibility, and permeability, Vuba Mac offers an excellent foundation for a resin-bound driveway, allowing water to pass through while providing a sturdy, crack-resistant surface.

What Is Permeable Concrete?
Permeable concrete is a concrete mix that allows water to flow through its surface. This is achieved by reducing the fine particles in the mix, leaving gaps between the larger aggregates. It’s a common choice for driveways that need to comply with Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) regulations, as it helps manage surface water runoff by allowing rainwater to seep through.

What Is Permeable Tarmac?
Permeable Tarmac is a traditional surface material for driveways, made by binding crushed stone with bitumen. It's widely used due to its durability, cost-effectiveness, and ability to withstand heavy vehicle traffic.

Comparing Vuba Mac, Permeable Concrete, and Tarmac for Resin Bound Driveways
 

Strength and Durability
Strength is a key factor when choosing a base for a resin-bound driveway, especially in areas that experience heavy traffic or changing weather conditions.

Vuba Mac is designed specifically for resin-bound systems and offers excellent compressive strength. When installed at a depth of 20mm to 34mm, it provides a solid base capable of handling vehicle loads while maintaining flexibility, which helps resist cracking over time. Its flexibility is ideal for driveways that might experience ground movement or shifts due to temperature changes.

Permeable concrete offers good load-bearing capacity, though it typically requires a deeper base—around 100mm to 150mm—for driveways. While it provides strength, permeable concrete is more rigid and less forgiving to movement.

Tarmac is extremely durable and can handle heavy traffic loads with ease, especially when installed at a depth of 50mm to 100mm. However, its lack of flexibility means it can develop cracks over time, particularly in areas that experience extreme temperature fluctuations. Over time, tarmac can also soften in hot weather, leading to deformation under the weight of vehicles.

Winner for Strength: Vuba Mac offers the best balance of strength and flexibility, an also Permeable Concrete offers great strength, while tarmac is excellent for heavy-duty traffic but lacks flexibility. Vuba Mac is also 57% stronger than tarmac.

Permeability and Water Drainage
Proper water drainage is essential to prevent flooding, standing water, and long-term damage to your driveway. One of the standout features of Vuba Mac is its permeability, it allows water to pass through, reducing surface water runoff and meeting SuDS requirements. This makes it an eco-friendly option that helps prevent water pooling and drainage issues.

Permeable concrete, as the name suggests, allows water to seep through the surface, making it another excellent option for drainage. It’s highly effective at reducing water runoff and helps prevent flooding in areas prone to heavy rainfall. Like Vuba Mac, it meets SuDS requirements and is a sustainable choice, providing a very strong subbase.

Permeable Tarmac, as the name suggests, is permeable, allowing water to flow through and returning it to the natural water table.

Winner for Permeability: Vuba Mac, Permeable Concrete and Permeable Tarmac are all excellent for water drainage, with Vuba Mac offering better flexibility for a resin-bound driveway.

Installation Depth

The depth of the base layer is important for ensuring the strength and longevity of the resin-bound driveway.

Vuba Mac typically requires a shallower installation depth than other options—around 20mm to 34mm for driveways. This makes installation quicker and more efficient, with less material needed.

Permeable concrete usually requires a deeper base, ranging from 100mm to 150mm, depending on the load requirements. This depth provides solid support but can make installation more time-consuming and costly due to the extra materials needed.

Permeable Tarmac falls somewhere in the middle, with an installation depth typically between 50mm and 100mm. It provides a durable foundation, but like permeable concrete, it requires a deeper layer than Vuba Mac, which can add to the overall installation time and cost.

Winner for Installation Depth: Vuba Mac requires less depth, making it a more convenient and quicker install.

Maintenance and Lifespan
A driveway’s longevity and maintenance needs are important factors when considering the right base material.

Vuba Mac’s low-maintenance design ensures that it holds up well over time. It resists cracking, and the permeability prevents water damage. With proper installation and minimal upkeep, a Vuba Mac base can last for up to 25 years.

Permeable concrete is durable and a very strong subbase, a very desirable subbase across the world of resin bound.

Tarmac is strong but requires more maintenance over time. It’s susceptible to cracking, especially in extreme temperatures, and may need resurfacing or repairs after about 10 to 15 years. Tarmac also softens in high heat, potentially leading to surface deformation.

Winner for Maintenance and Lifespan: Vuba Mac and Permeable Concrete, as they offer the longest lifespan and lowest maintenance, making them the most durable choices in the long run.

Conclusion: Which is Best for Your Resin Bound Driveway?

Each base material—Vuba Mac, permeable concrete, and tarmac—has its strengths, but the best option depends on your specific project needs.

Choose Vuba Mac if you want a permeable base that meets SuDS requirements, flexibility and strength are important to prevent cracking, or you prefer a low-maintenance and long-lasting solution with a lifespan of up to 25 years. Vuba Mac is also 57% stronger than asphalt.

Choose Permeable Concrete if you’re focused on water drainage and need a base that handles heavy rainfall, or if you’re okay with a deeper installation.

Choose Permeable Tarmac if you’re looking for a cost-effective solution that handles heavy vehicle traffic, you’re willing to invest in drainage systems to manage water runoff, or aesthetics are less of a concern and you don’t mind occasional maintenance to repair cracks or resurface the driveway.

For most resin-bound driveway projects, Vuba Mac and Permeable Concrete stand out as the best all-around options, offering the perfect combination of strength, flexibility, permeability, and low maintenance. The driveway is on your property, so we allow you to decide what you want, as the driveway is bespoke to you and the first impression it gives off to your property will be fantastic.

Contact us today to see how we can help with any of your resin bound needs.