Resin vs block paving vs tarmac: which driveway suits a Teesside home?
For most Teesside homes: block paving if you want traditional looks and easy repairs (£70–£120/m², 20–30 years); resin bound if you want a modern finish, zero weeds and no planning issues (£70–£120/m², 15–25 years); tarmac if budget or size leads (£45–£85/m², 15–25 years). The full trade-offs are below.
Last updated: August 2026.
The short version
All three are proven on Teesside ground when the sub-base is done properly. The real decision is what you value: looks (block paving's pattern range), convenience (resin's no-weeds, no-planning package), or value (tarmac, especially over 60m²). Everything else is detail, but the detail below is where money is saved and mistakes are avoided.
Cost: tarmac wins, the other two tie
Tarmac is 30–40% cheaper per metre than the paved options, and its advantage grows with area, on an 80m² drive the saving against resin can reach £2,000–£3,000. Resin and block paving cost about the same per metre installed, though permeable block systems (which you may need for the planning rule) push blocks higher.
Drainage and planning: resin's free pass
Resin bound is permeable, so it's exempt from the rule that paving over 5m² of a front garden needs planning permission. Standard block paving and tarmac are not, they need either consent or drainage to a lawn, border or soakaway, which on Teesside's slow-draining clay adds cost. Permeable block paving closes the gap but at £90–£140/m². If your front garden has nowhere obvious to drain to, resin is often the cheapest compliant option even where block paving looks cheaper on paper.
Longevity and repairs: blocks are forever (if based right)
Block paving is the only surface you can truly repair invisibly, lift the units, fix what's beneath, relay. Resin and tarmac patch, but patches show. In exchange, blocks need the most routine care: jointing sand topped up, the odd weed pulled. Resin asks almost nothing but punishes the one big mistake, non-UV-stable resin, which yellows within a couple of summers. Tarmac's weak points are edges and oil spills; a block edging course solves the first.
On Teesside's boulder clay, all three live or die by the sub-base: 150–200mm of compacted Type 1 is non-negotiable whichever surface you choose.
Which suits your house?
- 1930s brick semis (Acklam, Hartburn, Fairfield): block paving in brindle or charcoal herringbone with a contrast border, the classic for a reason.
- Modern estates (Ingleby Barwick, Wynyard, The Ings): resin bound, the seamless finish matches the architecture and skips planning questions on big frontages.
- Terraces and tight frontages (central Middlesbrough, Redcar): tarmac or a compact block bay, small areas don't repay intricate work; spend it on the dropped kerb instead.
- Long or shared drives: tarmac, possibly with block edging, the per-metre economics dominate.
- Coastal exposure (Redcar, Seaton Carew, Hartlepool marina): UV-stable resin or block paving; keep any printed concrete sealed.
Still torn?
You don't have to choose from an article. Request quotes for both options and see them priced against your actual drive, the quote form has space for "advise me", and seeing real numbers for your plot settles most debates in a day.
| Factor | Resin bound | Block paving | Tarmac |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost per m² | £70–£120 | £70–£120 (permeable £90–£140) | £45–£85 |
| Lifespan | 15–25 yrs | 20–30 yrs | 15–25 yrs |
| Permeable? | Yes, no planning needed | Only permeable systems | No, drainage or permission needed |
| Weeds & maintenance | Almost none | Joint sanding, occasional weeds | Almost none |
| Repairs | Patchable but visible | Lift & relay, invisible | Patchable, ages visibly |
| Look | Smooth, modern, seamless | Traditional, patterned | Plain (improved with block edging) |
| Install time (50m²) | 2–3 days | 3–5 days | 2–3 days |
| Watch out for | Non-UV resin yellowing | Skimped sub-base sinking | Unsupported edges crumbling |