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Tar and chip might be right approach to driveway

By Pat Logan

Q: We just converted our old single-car garage into a family room and built a new two-car garage behind the house. The new driveway will be long.

Would installing a tar and chip driveway be a good choice?

-- Joanne H.

A: Installing a tar and chip driveway sounds like an excellent choice for your new garage for several reasons. It is substantially less expensive to install than an asphalt or concrete driveway. This is particularly true in your case with a long driveway, which will wind behind your house.

Tar and chip driveways are also more attractive than most other driveway materials. It will have a more natural look and integrate better into most landscaping themes. The appearance of a tar and chip driveway can be varied by selecting gravel of various sizes and colors.

Annual or biannual sealing treatments are not required with tar and chip driveways as they are with asphalt. This can result in an additional long-term savings of both money and time. In rain and snow, you will find a tar and chip driveway provides excellent traction for your car tires.

If you are not familiar with tar and chip driveways, they are similar to the surface on many rural roads. It is very durable and is proven technology, which has been used for many generations.

The basic components of a tar and chip driveway are gravel and asphalt. Instead of being premixed at the plant as standard asphalt is, they are mixed at your home. This gives you more control over the appearance of your new driveway.

Your remodeler or contractor will have to lay a stable base for the new driveway. Tar and chip is a good surface finish, but by itself, it will not provide the support for the weight of an automobile. This is also true when installing a standard asphalt driveway. A thick layer of medium-size crushed gravel is a reasonably priced base to use.

When you are ready to proceed with the tar and chip finish layer, visit several local gravel suppliers. There is quite a range of colors from which you can choose. Selecting a mixture of several colors is commonly done. If traction is going to be a concern, select smaller, irregular shaped gravel pieces instead of smoother gravel.

The procedure for installing a tar and chip driveway is simple. The contractor will spread hot liquid asphalt over the larger gravel base material. The amount of asphalt used can vary, but 50 gallons for every 100 square yards is pretty common.

While the tar is still hot and very sticky, the small colorful gravel is spread over the tar. It will settle into the layer of tar. Spreading gravel at a rate of two and a half tons per 100 square yards should be adequate.

Be sure to select a driveway contractor who has some experience with tar and chip driveways. Even though there are rough guidelines for the amount of materials mentioned above, they may be varied depending your specific site. Spreading too much tar, for example, can allow the gravel to sink complete below its surface.

Installing your new tar and chip driveway will be a substantial investment. The Asphalt Institute (859-288-4960) is an excellent source of information and publications to help you make your final decision.