Resin bound sub-bases & overlays: what can you lay resin over?
An 18mm resin bound driveway is only as strong as the base underneath it. You can lay a resin bound overlay (€65 to €95 per m²) over sound, monolithic tarmacadam or poured concrete, but you must never lay resin directly over block paving (cobblelock), crazy paving, flags or loose gravel — those must be lifted and replaced with a compacted sub-base and open-graded binder course (€95 to €140 per m²).
How an installer assesses tarmac, concrete and block paving before laying resin.
Free, no obligation. One vetted installer covering your county replies, not five.
Calculate your resin bound driveway cost
Select your approximate area, whether you have a sound tarmac/concrete base for an overlay or need a full permeable excavation, and your border trim.
Estimated guide price (incl. VAT)
€3,250 to €4,750
2-car driveway (50 m²) · Sound tarmac or concrete (overlay) · UV-stable aliphatic resin + alu trim
Guide price for a 2-car driveway (50 m²) overlaid at 18mm driveway-grade with UV-stable aliphatic polyurethane resin and kiln-dried natural aggregate (€3,250 to €4,750) with aluminium edge bead. Requires your existing tarmac or concrete base to be structurally sound with no sinking.
Ask a local installer for a quoteWhich existing driveways can take a resin overlay?
| Your current driveway | Can you overlay? | Correct preparation method |
|---|---|---|
| Sound tarmacadam (at least 6 months old, no ruts) | Yes — ideal overlay (€65 to €95/m²) | Power-wash moss/dirt, cut out and patch any soft spots with macadam, dry thoroughly, trowel 18mm UV resin bound |
| Sound monolithic concrete slab | Yes — with primer & crack prep (€65 to €95/m²) | Grind/pressure-wash, chase and stitch cracks with epoxy + fibreglass mesh, apply epoxy primer with kiln-dried sand scatter, carry expansion joints through with aluminium trim |
| Block paving (cobblelock) or patio flags | No — must lift (€95 to €140/m²) | Individual bricks sit on sand and move independently; if overlaid, every brick joint will crack through the resin. Lift blocks, compact sub-base, lay 60mm open-graded binder + 18mm resin |
| Loose gravel, pebbles or grass lawn | No — full dig-out (€95 to €140/m²) | Excavate 220–260mm, lay geotextile membrane, 150mm compacted Clause 804 / permeable stone, 60mm open-graded tarmac binder, 18mm UV resin bound |
| Badly sunken tarmac or rocking concrete bays | No — full dig-out (€95 to €140/m²) | Failed sub-bases must be excavated and re-compacted before laying a new binder course |
Preventing reflective cracking on concrete overlays
Poured concrete driveways expand and contract slightly between winter frost and summer warmth, which is why concrete slabs are poured in bays separated by expansion joints. If an installer trowels resin bound stone straight across an active expansion joint, the concrete bays will pull the resin apart along a straight line.
On a proper concrete overlay, the installer fits a slim, matching aluminium movement bead directly above the existing concrete expansion joint and trowels the 18mm resin flush to either side — keeping the surface completely crack-free while looking neat and intentional.
What a resin bound driveway costs in Ireland
Our price guide per m² and by driveway size for 18mm UV-stable overlays, full SuDS permeable dig-outs, patios and borders.
| Job | Typical cost | What moves the price |
|---|---|---|
| UV-stable resin bound overlay (15mm–18mm hand-trowelled) | €65 to €95 per m² | Over a sound existing tarmac or concrete base |
| Full dig-out + permeable binder + 18mm UV resin bound | €95 to €140 per m² | Clause 804 sub-base + open-graded tarmac + 18mm resin bound |
| Resin bound patio or front path (15mm foot-traffic depth) | €60 to €90 per m² | Kiln-dried natural aggregate mixed in clear aliphatic resin |
| Typical 2-car driveway (50 m²) | €3,250 to €4,750 (overlay) · €4,750 to €7,000 (full permeable dig-out) | Seamless hand-trowelled finish with crushed glass anti-slip grit |
| 3–4 car driveway (80 m²) | €5,200 to €7,600 (overlay) · €7,600 to €11,200 (full permeable dig-out) | Popular for widening a front garden without puddles or loose gravel |
| Large detached driveway (130 m²) | €8,450 to €12,350 (overlay) · €12,350 to €18,200 (full permeable dig-out) | Lower per-m² rate on larger continuous pours |
| Aluminium or granite sett edging + recessed manhole trays | €450 to €1,400 | Neat perimeter stop-bead and inset trays filled with matching resin |
Real examples and installation detail
Get a resin bound driveway quote for your home
Pick the job, your current surface and your county. Your enquiry goes to one vetted resin driveway installer covering your county, who checks your base, shows you stone blends and quotes in writing.
Questions homeowners ask
If you overlay concrete with permeable resin bound, where does the rainwater go?
Because the concrete slab underneath is non-permeable, rainwater filters down through the 18mm resin bound layer (so there are no surface puddles) and then runs along the natural fall of the concrete slab into your perimeter ACO channel drain or flowerbed soakaway.
How long after laying new tarmac or concrete can resin bound be applied?
On a new open-graded tarmac binder course specifically laid for resin, the 18mm resin bound top coat can often be trowelled within 1 to 3 days. On a newly poured concrete slab, concrete must cure for at least 28 days so trapped moisture does not blister the epoxy primer.
Every guide, calculator and county page
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Price & Specification Guides
Calculator, FAQ & Glossary
Want to see stone samples and get a fixed price?
One vetted installer covering your county checks whether your existing driveway can take an overlay, brings aggregate sample boards, and quotes in writing.