The before photo shows how much changed at the front of this Pontypool house. It had a low red brick wall on the pavement, a sloping patch of lawn and plain brick steps up to the door. We took the whole frontage back and rebuilt it as one scheme.
The finished job has four parts: a full resin driveway beside the garage, with the ground prepared and a new base laid first; a new garden wall along the pavement to frame the space; artificial grass on the sloping front lawn; and a thorough tidy-up at the end. It sits under our paving and driveways work, with more about the area on our Pontypool landscaping page.
The driveway and the steps
The drive is finished in resin, in a pale, speckled grey, running the full width from the garage to the fence and down to the pavement. Resin like this is laid as a smooth, even layer with no joints, so there are no gaps for weeds to root in. It has the smooth look of a resin-bound surface, and that type is usually porous too, which lets rain soak through rather than run straight off onto the road.
A resin finish is only as good as what sits below it. The old surface has to come out, the ground is dug to a firm level, and a solid base is laid and set to the right falls before any resin goes down. Most problems with resin, such as cracking or a patchy surface, come from a weak or uneven base. The same thinking applies to any drive, as our guide on why paving sinks, cracks or lifts explains.
The front steps were redone in the same position, with pale edges on each tread and a surface that matches the drive, so the path from pavement to front door reads as part of the same design.
Wall, lawn and finish
The new front wall is built in buff brick to suit the house, with square piers topped by pale caps and dark panels set between the piers along the top. It replaces the old red brick wall and gives the front a clear, tidy edge. See our brickwork and garden walls page for more wall work.
Artificial grass now covers the sloping ground either side of the steps, with a low edge where it meets the drive. On a slope like this, real turf is awkward to mow and quick to wear; artificial grass stays green with no cutting. We weigh up both in artificial grass or real turf for a Pontypool garden.
If your front garden needs a similar rethink, get in touch for a free quote.
Questions About This Job
Can resin go over an existing drive?
Sometimes, if the existing surface is sound, level and drains well. Often it is cracked or has sunk in places, and then it is better to dig it out and lay a new base. On this job we prepared the ground and laid new base work before the resin went down.
Do resin driveways need much looking after?
Not much. A sweep and an occasional wash keeps the surface clean, and because there are no joints there is little for weeds to grow in. Moss can appear in shady corners and is easy to brush off.
Do I need planning permission for a new driveway?
There are rules on paving over front gardens, mostly about where rainwater goes, and a porous surface can make a difference. We are landscapers, not planners, so check with your local council before work starts.
Can you do the wall and lawn as well as the drive?
Yes. We can take on the driveway, walls, steps, artificial grass and planting together, so the whole front garden is planned and finished as one job.
