Looking after a resin bound driveway

Routine cleaning

A stiff brush and a hose deal with most of it. Because there are no joints, dirt sits on the surface rather than working into gaps, so it lifts easily.

A pressure washer is fine used sensibly: a wide fan nozzle, held back from the surface, kept moving. A pinpoint nozzle held close can lift aggregate and leave a visible scar.

Moss, algae and autumn leaves

The North East's real enemy is organic matter left to sit. Wet leaves in a shaded corner over winter feed moss growth on top of the resin.

Clearing leaves in autumn is the single most effective maintenance job. If green film does appear, an appropriate outdoor cleaner and a brush clears it without harming the resin.

• Brush and hose as needed; wide-fan pressure washing occasionally
• Clear leaves before winter, especially in shaded areas
• Treat green film early rather than letting it establish
• Deal with oil and fuel spills promptly

Spills and winter

Oil, fuel and brake fluid should be soaked up and cleaned rather than left. Prompt attention almost always avoids a permanent mark.

In frost, avoid metal shovels and heavy rock salt. Plastic shovels and a light hand keep the surface unmarked; resin copes with cold well, it is the tools that cause damage.

Edges and repairs

Resin depends on its restraint. Keep soil and planting from washing over the edges, and if an edging block ever works loose, get it reset before the resin at that edge starts to fray.

Keep a note of your blend name. If a repair is ever needed, matching the original aggregate makes it far less noticeable.