Tarmac Contractors in Sussex |
Driveways and Private Roads from Horsham’s Trusted Team

The History of Tarmacadam

Tarmac, or tarmacadam, derives its name from John McAdam, a Scottish engineer who supposedly invented the material. It was Edgar Hooley, however, who developed the method and made the crushed stone stick to a prepared surface. McAdam’s version was a water-bound system, but Hooley’s addition of tar, which acts as a binding agent, inspired tarmacadam as we know it today. McAdam’s name inspires the original term of macadam.

We use both and operate within a wide radius of our home town in Horsham. R.J. Skinner delivers a complete start-to-finish service as a friendly, personable company that has served customers in the local Sussex area since as far back as 1970.

Tar-and-Chip

The tar-and-chip system we use to create driveways, pathways and private roads requires a gravel base. Because we also undertake groundworks for customers in the surrounding areas, this part of the project always comes included in the quotation. Next, our tarmac contractors apply liquid asphalt, or tar, to the gravel base. With the tar still hot, we evenly distribute chips into the tar so that they stick to the surface.

Because our customers have different design preferences, we source and supply the chips in various colours. As things begin to set, we use a steamroller to press the chips firmly into the tar surface, a system similar to highway surface dressing.

Benefits of tar-and-chip driveways include:

• An attractive appearance through the use of coloured stones

• Easier to lay than a traditional asphalt and tarmac surface

• Perfect for customers on a budget

• A rough finish that provides excellent traction for private roads

• Durable enough for the busiest driveways, walkways and car parks

The only difficulty with an installation of this kind is finding a company small enough to handle domestic and light commercial projects. At R.J. Skinner, we welcome enquiries from customers and clients throughout Sussex for jobs of any scale.

Performance

Tar-and-chip driveways have a low installation cost and, because they never require a sealant, also reduce ongoing maintenance expenses. Individual chips leave a slightly rough surface texture for better traction, whereas the more familiar tarmac and asphalt systems produce a slicker finish. The rough surface of tar-and-chip also makes it a great installation choice for private roads in locations like Horsham.

Remember that you’ll need tarmac contractors with an excellent reputation. A poorly-laid surface leaves protrusions that make the surface more difficult to sweep and keep clean with driveways and harder to clear in the case of private roads.

Clearing snow from badly-laid tar-and-chip driveways dislodges the chips, eventually leading to damage. This results in further surface dressing expenses most homeowners could avoid simply by choosing the right company. In the case of driveways, oil leaks from parked vehicles tend to hide much better with tarmac than with a block paving installation. 

Block paving requires less upheaval should your driveway ever need repairing because the bricks lift individually. Tarmac driveways need more uplifting over a larger area. That said, we also provide a patch repair surface to restore the appearance of uplifted tar-and-chip driveways to an exceptionally high standard.