Experience with pattern imprinted concrete driveway?

[namechangedtoday15]

Currently deciding what to do 're driveway. At present it's old fashioned paving slabs, mix and match with front lawn (1930s semi). Recently had extension, rest of house is lovely and front garden / driveway really looks awful.

Options seem to be :

Tarmac - seems to look great for a couple of years then starts to look worn and messy. Doesn't have a long shelf life anyway.

Block paving - weeds seem to be an issue so unless you can devote quite a lot of time to maintenance, looks shabby pretty quickly.

Gravel - next door have this and really dislike it - stones all over the road and pavement

Which has led me on to pattern imprinted concrete. Would have a grey colour rather than some of the more garish colours - seems to be pretty much maintenance free although you're supposed to re-seal it every couple of years.

Any Experience? I don't want to spend this amount of money on a drive anywaywould rather have a holiday so definitely don't want to have to replace any time soon as we made the wrong choice!

Several of my neighbours have had this done, either driveways or patios, and they all seem very happy with it. It is much cheaper and looks ok. Don't know how it lasts long term though as all done last year. All of the neighbours have a sort of slate grey colour, imprinted with either large tiles or small ones.

Our road has this (in bright red and orange, god knows what they were thinking). Apparently this was used because the council don't allow block paving because it's too high maintenance and deteriorates more quickly. It was done almost a year ago and the colour seems to be fading already in heavy traffic areas, but I suppose this wouldn't be so obvious with a more sensible colour.

I've done a lot of research as I'm having driveway done. From what I've heard they look great for a while but tend to break up after a few years. I'm going for a resin bound surface which seems to be lost lasting and looks good.

Long lasting!

Several properties around me have much older imprinted concrete driveways and they all look really shabby. I used to want one to avoid the weed issue but decided I really didn’t like the look of them as they do look just like fake paving (which is what they are of course!). I think one without the pattern would actually be better.

I had block paving done last summer in the end and I love it. Yes I have to spray it with weed killer occasionally but it’s not that much of a chore and it should be easy to repair if necessary.

I think it looks really naff and cheap. It’s also a slipping hazard in the winter, or so I’ve heard.

It's actually not that cheap at all - all of the quotes for block paving, PIC & tarmac are much of a muchness to be honest.

I know, but it LOOKS cheap. Block paving is the only way imho.

That's what my husband thinks Puppy!! I just think block paving looks really shabby when it has weeds growing through and whilst we'd try to stay on top of it, I know how busy we are and it'd drop down the priority list.

I’ve sprayed my drive once since it was done last summer. It’s not a lot of maintenance and didn’t take long. Unlike the complete weed carpet that was the old driveway!

That's good to know Soup - although we're in Manchester so thanks to buckets of rain, the weeds seem prolific in our flagged drive at the moment!

I second a resin driveway, not cheap but if done well low maintenance and long lasting.

My sister has some kind of pattern imprinted concrete and it’s sooooo slippy. It’s a real hazard.

I’m also in Manchester and block paved my front garden 10 years ago as it was just a mass of weeds. It’s was a horrible lawn chock full of dandelions. The block paving is very very low maintenance. Hardly any weeds and so easy to remove. I spend maybe 30 minutes every 2 months in the summer weed pulling. Don’t have to do it in the winter.

I have block paving and clear the weeds with a pressure washer.
Much nicer than weed killer.

I’ve seen some lovely resin driveways.

Thank you for all the comments - will investigate resin and look at block paving again.

We have imprinted front and back areas I think it’s quite old but it looks awful. It was here before we moved in. You can’t jet wash it either as it takes the top layer off. It’s also very uneven. Can’t wait to get rid of it next year

You can get grouted block work which is extremely long lasting and weed free. They use it outside shopping centres and courtyards and it is good looking if you use decent stone.
Each one is laid individually on concrete so it is a bit like building a wall only flat. But it would last as long.
With drives you need to spend a lot doing the base properly. Tarmac drives don't last at all, but tarmac motorways last years with heavy traffic. This is down to the base.

You could grass it and get the support block things? Obviously you would have to either mow it of plant something like chamomile but it could double as outdoor space then and would help prevent flooding.

Our next door neighbours have a concrete drive and it's very slippery when it's wet, we've all stumbled or fallen on it over the years. They regret getting it done and it definitely wasn't a cheap option.

Have you checked with your local authority what you can have? According to the planning portal If you want a driveway (even if it's just a replacement) to be non permeable you will need planning permission, but the permeable ones don't. So cemented block paving and the concrete drives will need the added cost of planning permission added to them.

No we don't need planning permission provided there are drains incorporated etc which the company takes care of. Had a good walk around the village today and we are back at tarmac with edging. We're in quite an expensive area and it seems to be 50% tarmac (some old but lots relatively new with edging), 40% block paving, then the final 10% a mixture of gravel, resin and PIC.

It's really hard because each time you see a 'nice' example of 1, there's one that looks like a tip!

I have had a printed concrete drive for over 10 years and couldn’t be more pleased with it.
It’s not slippery at all , they used a non slip sealer.
Also no weeds and low maintenance.
I’ve also had it re sealed recently and it looks brand new.
I must admit I’ve seen more shabby block paved drives than pic ones.

I had imprinted concrete laid just about 3 years ago and it was troublesome from day one - they laid the concrete on a day when it rained before the concrete set and thats when all the hassle started. All the installer wanted to do to put it right was re colour.
I eventually took out a money on line claim before they would come back - like a plonker I cancelled the claim when they said they would return but all I got was another re colour. They say it lasts 10 years (more like 10 months) It had recently started to show hair cracks so I took the bull by the horns and covered it all with resin bond. What a difference. If you are thinking about imprinted concrete, I would recommend ANYTHING but, even tarmac would be a better option.

Oh, sorry, I forgot, imprinted concrete is like a skating rink when it rains or frosty.